PINK CADILLAC

US, 1989, 122 minutes, Colour.
Clint Eastwood, Bernadette Peters, Geoffrey Lewis, William Hickey, James (Jim) Carrey.
Directed by Buddy Van Horn.

Pink Cadillac is an easygoing Clint Eastwood comedy actioner. It was directed by former stunt director Buddy van Horn (Any Which Way You Can, The Dead Pool). The film offers Clint Eastwood the opportunity to smile, do a little bit of mimicking (a disc jockey, a Las Vegas pusher, and imitating the feminine eye-fluttering of his co-star Bernadette Peters).

The film has a darker underside, the focusing on a fascist Right-wing group with arms and drugs in Nevada. In this the film echoes such 1988 films as Betrayed, Dead Bang. America seemed to be concerned with the emergence of these groups in the late `80s.

One of Clint's more leisurely, enjoyable and low-key films.

1.Enjoyable Clint Eastwood film, action, comedy, the law?

2.California, Nevada, the towns, the road, the fascist campsite? Action and stunts? Songs?

3.The title, the song, the reference to cars? The pink Cadillac throughout the film and the action? The quote about messing with a man's machine?

4.Clint Eastwood's portrait of Tom: at work, the law, his independence, working for Buddy, getting the money, the nature of the jobs, the opening with the mimicking of the radio prize and then the arrest, the arrest at the rodeo? Taking Lou Ann's case? To Reno, watching her, his arrest as she left her purse? Stopping the car? The question of the money and its not being counterfeit? The deal, helping him with making an arrest in Las Vegas, mimicking the type with the moustache and the yellow coat? The question of the baby, going to the house, Roy and his associate being there, the shooting, the chase? Going to see Ricky Z about the cards and the information? The motel with the Hawaiian name? Sexual relationship with Lou Ann? The baby exchange and the doll? The carwash, being taken, escaping? Pretending to be the good old boy fascist? The detail of his impersonation? Going to the camp, Roy's help, the chase, the shoot-out from the models for the target practice? Rescuing the baby and Lou Ann? Plans for the future?

5.Lou Ann, the need for money for the baby, Roy burning the notes, the counterfeit money, her being arrested, in court, the bail, her taking the Cadillac and leaving, going to her sister, leaving the baby, buying the clothes, gambling at Reno, being taken by Tom, the money, helping him on the job, the baby? At the house, the chase, Ricky Z, the motel, in love with Tom, not getting the baby back? Going into the camp with him, the shoot-out? Her being taken? A future with Tom - combined firm?

6.Roy as the handsome young man from college, weak, drugs, the counterfeit money, in the court, with the gang? The Birthright movement? Going to the house with his associate, the shooting, escaping? The attack on Ricky Z and his disgust? On guard, failing, changing heart?

7.Buddy and his firm, the defaulters, joking with Tom, getting his jobs done? The people being pursued for bail-defaulting? Their being taken in? The police?

8.Ricky Z and his eccentricity, the printing, his way of talking, off the planet, the attack, his plant being trashed, set alight?

9.Alex and his madness, philosophy of racism, the arms, the counterfeit money, the camp, the target practice, his shooting people to punish them? His orders, the confrontation, the chase? His henchmen: their way of talking, drugs and drinking, joining the movement, mainly men? Good old boys? The henchman pursuing the baby, his being shot by Tom? His burial?

10.The blend of the comic, the serious? Upholding the law?

11.The 1980s focus on the rise of Right-wing groups, their philosophy, their brutality?