JAYNE MANSFIELD’S CAR

US, 2012, 122 minutes, Colour.
Robert Duvall, John Hurt, Billy Bob Thornton, Kevin Bacon, Frances O’ Connor, Ray Stevenson.
Directed by Billy Bob Thornton.

Billy Bob Thornton was a writer and director before his breakthrough acting role and Oscar nomination for Sling Blade. He directed All the Pretty Horses and Daddy and Them, the latter focusing on a family coming together – for better and often for worse. This film follows something of the same formula. The setting is a small town in Alabama in 1969 and draws on stories and memories from Thornton’s past.

The title is certainly arresting. The car does make an appearance later in the film, a rather bizarre scene as it is exhibited for curious visitors, and comments made about what actually happened. But the scene is more symbolic even though it is presented quite realistically. It sets a tone to the US of 1969.

It is a period of anti-Vietnam war protest, which does not impress the locals, especially the family patriarch, Jim, who is dismayed that his middle-aged son turned hippy and protestor is the leader of the march. Jim is played as a crusty old man, a quiet curmudgeon by 80 year old Robert Duvall. The protestor son who was a medic in World War II (his father being a medic in World War I) is played by Kevin Bacon, who can combine being in his 50s with looking and acting more youthfully.

At home are two more sons. Billy Bob thornton is Skip whose life has not amounted to much since he was a pilor in World War II and shot down. He has quite a collection of cars. Other son Jimbo (Robert Patrick) sounds like a chip off the old block in attitudes and behaviour. Jimbo’s son is becoming a teenage 1960s rebel, into the music and willing to try out drugs. Then there is a daughter, Donna, with a loud-mouthed, girth-expanding former athlete.

That might seem enough for a film, but there is much more. Jim receives news from England that his wife who walked out on him and her children and married an Englishman has died and wants to be buried at home.

The English, sounding particularly British, and lamenting the heat of Alabama are John Hurt as the husband, Kingsley, with his adult children, Philip (Ron Stevenson) and Camilla (Frances O’ Connor).

It actually goes better than expected, but it still occasions personal revelations and nagging problems.

The film is interesting in its way, but more through some vvery good bits and pieces rather than as a whole. The performances from the veteran cast are impressive and the writing in some set pieces throughout the film are Billy Bob Thornton’s writing at its best. Discussions between Duvall and Hurt, especially when Jim wants to know from Kingsley how he met his wife (a funny story concerning the statue of St George in Hyde Park). Two scenes with Thornton and Frances O’ Connor also stand out, she invited to do a nude poetry recital (Charge of the Light Brigade) for Skip’s sexual satisfaction, and her listening to Skip’s quietly moving story of his war experience and being shot down. Kevin Bacon also has two good scenes with Duvall about a letter he wrote his father during the war and received no answer. Late in the film there is an unanticipated answer. And a scene where a drunken Hurt attacks his son for the disgrace of the fall of Singapore and his not being a real soldier because he was held as a POW by the Japanese.

So, there are some flat and somewhat unconvincing spots, but there are plenty of fine spots like those just mentioned.

1. The title, evocation, meaning, exhibitionism, the tickets for the exhibition, bizarre, the description of Jayne Mansfield’s death, the head in the front of the car, the boy and his kissing the poster? Symbolic? Tone and atmosphere for the film?

2. Alabama 1969, the small town, the barbershop, the shops, the streets, the police? The sense of period, cars, haircuts, protests, stances? Hippies? Anti-war? Conservatives, memories of the Civil War?

3. The work of Billy Bob Thornton, writer, director – and his own memories?

4. The introduction to Jim, Robert Duvall, his age, his attitudes, from the South, anti-hippies, anti-war-protesters, anti-queers? His son being at the front of the process? Symbolising southern and conservative US attitudes of the period?

5. Jim as the patriarch, at the table, Jimbo as head of the household, mirroring his father in attitudes? His wife, devout, supporting her husband? Her son – and his teen critique of his parents? At the meal table? About going to church? Drugs? The meal talk?

6. Carroll, his age, living in a commune, drugs and LSD, the nature of the ant-war protest in the small town, his comrades, his leadership, being arrested, confrontation with his father? Yet the background of his being in the marines, a medic like his father, his war experience, not wanting anyone to go through it – and telling his son that it was not cool to fight in wars? His son, age, attitudes, sharing his father’s life? Carroll and his needing Jim’s approval, explaining the letter he wrote during the war, the father saying he had never received it, yet wanting the letter dried out when he had been in the creek? The son, music, his work with the band – and the family coming to the concert?

7. Skip, his age, dapper, still living at home, his car collection, his love of flying? Carroll and his giving him the drugs? At meals at home? His father’s not approving of him? Never talking with him? The later discussions throughout the film – and his father’s matter-of-fact ignoring of him?

8. The phone call, the death of Naomi, the English family wanting to honour her wishes and bring her to be buried in Alabama? The memories, Jim being hurt? The divorce? The reaction to the British coming? The preparations, the stories of the past and Naomi’s visits to her children?

9. Kingsley, Phillip and Camilla? Very British, in the car, talking, going to the motel, feeling very hot, Donna’s invitation to them, uncomfortable in accepting, yet going?

10. Donna, bright and breezy, her girls, her brash husband, his size, his attitude towards the invitation, his attitudes towards the British?

11. Dorothy and her role as family servant? Her son and his work in the house? Their ride home – and the means for providing information about the family? The son later receiving his conscription notice, his wanting to go to study music in California, discussing with Carroll’s son about the fairness of it, Carroll’s son explaining to his father about his enlistment? That he and Dorothy’s son be together?

12. The British arriving, civilities and introductions all round, the talk? Difficult for all to handle? The barbeque, Donna and her exuberance, coming on to Phillip? Donna’s husband and the comic anti-British comments? His sports stories? The girls and their wanting to swim?

13. Carroll and his son, despite the opposition being part of the family, talking, communicating?

14. Skip and his taking a shine to Camilla, commenting on her accent, going away from the crowd and talking, preparing the rendezvous?

15. The funeral, Kingsley fainting, the hospital, everybody visiting, the care for Kingsley? The British staying for an extra day – and Donna’s invitation?

16. Camilla, going into the forest, her naked recitation of The Charge of the Light Brigade? Skip and his setting the meeting up, his sexual obsession? The contrast with going into the forest, Camilla listening to Skip’s story, the detail of his enlistment, his experiences in the war, flying, following orders, his being shot down, bailing out, safe in hospital – the hospital in flames? The visuals of the burns on his body? His being saved by somebody throwing a blanket on him? Camilla’s reaction, listening in awe?

17. Jim and Kingsley, getting on well, Jim asking him about his meeting with Naomi, Hyde Park, the photo, sitting on the back of St George’s horse?

18. Donna and Phillip, the sexual encounter, Phillip and the aftermath of his father’s outburst against him, as not being a proper soldier because he was merely a prisoner of war, a slave to the Japanese? Phillip defending himself that he was a soldier, fighting for survival, succeeding? Angers of both men, Phillip’s apology? The next day and both men backing down?

19. Carroll’s son, the music, the drugs, for Jimbo’s son, getting the LSD, his own trip? Putting the LSD in the iced tea?

20. Jim and Kingsley going hunting, the effect of the LSD, Jim and his reactions, the beauty around him, the gun and firing it, going into the water? The family searching for him, the treatment, his comments on drying out Carroll’s letter?

21. Jim and Kingsley, their common views, their both seeing service in World War One, Jim as the medic, Kingsley and his being wounded? The issue of Jimbo and his looking after the laundry?

22. The British leaving – and the effect on them and their effect on the Americans?

23. The three brothers joining in talking, smoking the joint, the clash and Jimbo punching, Skip and his being forthright without thinking, the reconciliation?

24. The film not ending with that reconciliation but the postscript with Carroll talking with his son, his son explaining to his father that he had enlisted?

25. The themes of family? The themes of war? The transitions in the United States at the end of the 1960s?