ST ELMO'S FIRE

US, 1985, 110 minutes, Colour.
Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Andrew Mc Carthy, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Mare Winningham, Martin Balsam, Andie Mc Dowell, Jenny Wright, Joyce Van Patten.
Directed by Joel Schumacher.

St. Elmo's Fire is in the tradition of the youth movies of the '80s, but also in the tradition of the reunion of a group of friends (as in The Big Chill).

The stars of this film act particularly well - and some of them worked together earlier in John Hughes' The Breakfast Club. In The Breakfast Club they were teenagers at school. Here they are graduates moving out into the professional world. The film is set in Washington, has the overtones of life in the American city, shows the potential as well as the capability for destructiveness in today's youth. Overall, the film is optimistic insofar as friendship is supportive, and with crises, friends can help one another to some resolution.

The film was written and directed by Joel Schumacher (D.C. Cab). It has a contemporary soundtrack. While much of the action is contrived, even stupid, we realise that the actions are symbolic of a generation trying to find its place in society as well as personal identity.

1. An interesting film, enjoyable, entertaining? For what audience?

2. Washington locations, the city, campuses, apartments, hospitals etc? St. Elmo's Bar? The musical score and the sound of the 80s?

3. The focus on 20-year-olds, the background of their schooling, friendships, love of the past, the challenge to mature, the bonds between them, securities, dead-ends, change?

4. The title and the literal reference to St. Elmo's Bar? The explanation of St. Elmo's Fire as a symbol, a light-house fire, a security light - although the saint did not exist, nor did the light? The bar as a symbolic St. Elmo's Fire? The experiences of the group, looking out for their particular fires - and changing?

5. The opening and ending with the focus on the group as graduates? In between their memories, talk, wanting to go back, Billy and his visit to the campus, the memory of sport and drugs? The experience of a generation? The significance of their past? Its shaping their future?

6. The theme of friendship, the bonds of friendship, interests, shared interest, support, love, differences, crises, mutual saving, the need to break out?

7. Billy: the initial accident, his arrest, drinking, the outsider of the group? Different? Being married, the ups and downs of his relationship with Felicity, his irresponsibility about his child? Capacity for love, yet his neglect? Caught up in drugs, drinking? Irresponsibility about jobs? Jokiness? Appearance? Reliance on Alex for jobs, giving them up, Alex putting his head in the toilet? Working as an upholsterer? Working for Kim and the sex scene in the bath? Playing the saxophone, something he loved, his skill at it, seeing Felicity with another man, his anger and the fight? His being himself with Wendy? Her affirming him, the visit to her home, the meal, the jokes to her family, sitting out on the roof? Her telling him she was a virgin and his response, her being offended? Her accusation that he was trying to ape Alex? The friendship with Jules, her needing friendship and his merely joking, her throwing him out of the jeep? His talk with Felicity and pledging to reform? Parties, drugs? Working at the gas station, helping Jules and understanding her, making her laugh. the one who was able to bring her out of crisis? Helping Wendy paint her apartment? His tenderness, sexual encounter and its meaning? His decision to go, his having the courage to break out? The bonds - and the future?

8. Wendy, the serious member of the group: the accident and her excusing Billy, her plainness and worrying about her appearance and figure, her strong character, strength of friendship? Helping Jules, friendship with Leslie, inviting them to the meal and trying to help Jules? At. St. Elmo's, enjoying the company? Her love for Billy, inviting him to the house, the meal, sitting with him on the roof, scared for him? Her parents and their snobbery, remarks at the meal, the firms of greeting cards and everyone part of the business? Her father and his pressure, the car, getting the money for Billy, her returning the car, her returning Howie after dating him because her father wanted her to? Her work, involvement with people and welfare, the taunt by the lady with the family? Her clashes with the group, friendships? Moving out of the house, her own apartment. exhilarated by being on her own? The sexual encounter with Billy and its significance for her? Her future?

9. Kirbo and his pushiness, infatuation with Dale, waiting at St. Elmo's. his responsibility and irresponsibility, going to the hospital, getting various jobs, erratic? The dinner date at the fashionable restaurant and Dale having to leave? Arranging the party at the Korean's house for her, going up to the snow, his anger, cold, the photo, her kiss and his getting over the infatuation? Settling down, law? His relationship with Kevin, flatmate? Wanting to help Jules?

10. Jules and her glamour, wealth, her apartment decorated lavishly, Ron the decorator, her attitude towards her father, her stepmother (step-monster)? Always wondering how to bury her? Her working at the bank, wine advice, drugs, the affair with the boss, the break, covering up? Leslie and Wendy worried about her and arranging the meal, her talk with the bag-lady listening? Her taking in Leslie? Her needing help, her verve with Billy, her throwing him out of the jeep because he would
not listen to her? The tantrum, the group having to rescue her? Her recovery?

11. Kevin and his moodiness, writing, people thinking he was gay, his conversations with Naomi, standing by. playing the drums, his friendship with Kirbo, visiting Leslie and talking with her, helping, alone, parties? Alex hitting him? His declaring his love for Leslie, their passionate time together, his trying to pressure her? Working with Alex to rescue Jules? Alex holding him over the balustrade? The reconciliation?

12. Alex and his wealth, change of political stances, getting jobs for Billy, the lavish apartment, decorating it with Leslie, his living with Leslie. wanting to marry her, the strength of the bonds yet his playing around with other women? Confiding in Kevin? Angry with Billy and putting his head in the toilet? Smooth style, announcing the proposal at the party Leslie and her hints, his anger, throwing her out, discovering her with Kevin, the petty bickering over the records, responding to Leslie's plea for helping Jules, anger with Kevin, the reconciliation?

13. Leslie and her personality, career, her love for Alex, the house, her friendship with Kevin, working with Wendy to help Jules, the quality of friendship? Not committing herself to Alex? The girl-talk with Jules, Jules taking her in? Kevin's proposal and the effect on her, the passionate encounter, her telling the truth to Alex, being ousted, Alex's pettiness, her getting him to help with Jules? Her decision to be alone?

14. The brief sketch of Wendy's family, their snobbery, the cards, the family business? Her father's pressure on her and not listening to her, expectations? Howie, friendly but Wendy not able to become engaged to him?

15. Dale, her work as a doctor, object of Kirbo's infatuation, the meal sequence, the snow sequence - and her being flattered?

16. The St. Elmo's clientele, the band. the college boys and Billy, the fights?

17. Felicity and her baby. her love for Billy. disdain, the offer of another marriage?

18. Naomi and her beat. her comments on Kevin - sardonic observations?

19. A glimpse of characters. the '80s, values, mistakes, dead ends - yet optimism.