HAPPY, TEXAS

US, 1999, 99 minutes, Colour.
Jeremy Northam, Steve Zahn, Ally Walker, Ileana Douglas, William H. Macy, M. C. Gainey, Ron Perlman, Paul Dooley.
Directed by Mark Illsley.

Happy, Texas is a very engaging comedy. It is a lower-key version of such films as The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. This time, two convicts escape and hijack a Winnebago. It belongs to two men, two gay men, who are experts at putting on town pageants. The two convicts then, welcomed into the town, decide to assume their identities. While one of them is planning a bank robbery during the pageant, he leaves the other to work with the children and he discovers his feminine side and becomes more and more enthralled in his work. Englishman Jeremy Northam is very good as the tougher of the two criminals, Steve Zahn does variations on his enjoyably eccentric characterisations (Riding in Cars with Boys, the Stuart Little movies). The two women with whom they fall in love are played effectively by Ally Walker and Ileana Douglas.

The star of the show is William H. Macy as the low-key sheriff of the town, who gradually falls in love with one of the criminals. There is a moving scene where he takes him to a gay bar and they dance. He is distraught when he knows the truth - but becomes the hero of foiling the bank robbery. There is a tongue-in-cheek ending as he pairs up with Ron Perlman as a Texas Ranger.

The film is not crass in its presentation of its issues, the people of Happy, Texas are very genial, the children cooperative, the two men find that they can survive in their gay identity.

While the film is presented as a light comedy, the strength of the performances and the delineation of characters give it a depth which is unexpected.

1. A pleasant and cheerful film? A funny comedy? The pathos of relationships?

2. The Texas settings, the chain gang, the open road, the town of Happy, the bank, homes, the hall, church? Ordinary Americana? The musical score, the songs, the routines for the pageant? The irony of the title - and its straightforwardness?

3. The chain gang, Wayne and Harry, their work, Wayne fighting Bob, the van and the crash? Bob taking off, Harry and Wayne finding the Winnebago, taking it, discovering the identity of the owners? And the comedy with the owners in the story and discovering their vehicle missing? Their taking a holiday?

4. Harry and Wayne and their arrival in the town, the escort, the friendship of the sheriff? The discovery of what they were meant to do? Harry and his quick thinking, getting out of the situation? Leaving Wayne to face the training for the pageant? Harry and his quick thinking, thinking of himself, forcing Wayne to do the hard work? Wayne and his being agreeable, reacting against the pageant at first, getting to like it?

5. The gay themes, the town and its lack of homophobia? The two men welcomed, the hopes for the pageant? The sheriff, the support of the judge, the teachers, the parents? Harry and Wayne and their taking over the gay identity, its effect on each of them, discovering something more of their inner selves?

6. Harry, the brains, manoeuvring about the robbery? His meeting Jo, the discussions, falling in love with her? Yet his gay façade? Wayne and his staying in the school, meeting Miss Schaefer, working with her, the attraction, the sexual encounter?

7. Jo, her background, the law, the town itself? Wary of men? With Harry, the possibility of being disillusioned? Miss Schaefer, her work, falling in love with Wayne?

8. The people in the town, the arrangement for the rehearsals, the pageant itself? The performance? The interruption of the robbery?

9. Bob and his return to town, putting the pressure on Harry and Wayne, wanting to do the robbery? The strategy, their putting it into practice? Harry having to do some quick thinking, changing the time, the explosions, the music being particularly loud - and the difficulties of getting the timing right? The failure of the robbery? The sheriff and his confronting Bob, saving the day? Harry and Wayne letting the sheriff take the credit?

10. The character of the sheriff, quiet, friendly? His shine on Harry, inviting him to the gay bar, the dancing? His sincerity, coming out? Going for the drives with Harry? The discovery of the truth, his sadness, tears? Audience sympathy for him? His being the hero of the day? The Texas Ranger, holding hands?

11. The climax and the culmination of the children and the pageant, the robbery and its being thwarted, the capture of Bob?

12. The happy ending, Harry and Wayne finding their future, discovering their truer selves, less selfish, outgoing, tender? Serving their sentences - and the women waiting for them?

13. The postscript of the original gay men, the end of their holiday - and their future?