DANIELLE STEEL'S FULL CIRCLE
US, 1996, 90 minutes, Colour.
Terri Polo, Corbin Bernsen.
Directed by Bethany Rooney.
Danielle Steel's Full Circle is yet another telemovie adaptation of one of her very popular novels, produced by the Douglas Cramer Company. They are glossy, light, entertaining for the popular and undemanding audience, showing a range of important issues of relationships and the meaning of life at a level that won't tax the audience but will enable them to empathise with the characters. In this case, the film focuses on a young woman with her strained relationship with her widowed mother, her serious years of study at college, her legal career, her being raped and her mother preferring to cover it up rather than support her daughter, her best friend being wounded in an accident by a mugger and becoming paralysed. There are also issues on marriage and relationships.
The film is smoothly done, Terri Polo brings a serious conviction to her role. The film raises a great number of issues.
1. The popularity of Danielle Steel's novels, television film adaptations? For a popular audience, serious issues at a glossy above-average soap opera level?
2. The San Francisco and Berkeley settings? The '80s and the '90s? Berkeley campus, the legal offices, homes? A world of comfort and affluence? The musical score and background for this kind of drama?
3. The title, the focus on Tonna's experience, relationship with her mother, her mother's mistakes, her following her mother's pattern - but for different reasons? The possibility of a better life for her than for her mother?
4. 1982, the campus, Tonna, her memories of being brought up by her mother, her father's death in Vietnam, her mother's gentility and wanting her to do ballet, play the piano, Tonna's doing everything her mother asked but unable to talk with her? Going to college, Harry as her best friend, discussions, going fishing? Harry and his romantic attitude and her inability to respond? Her mother arranging for her to go to the party, her being raped by Billy? The effect, Billy's story to his father, her mother's response, preferring it to be covered up? Tonna's voice-over and her commentary on all her relationships, the experience of the rape, the aftermath? Her being involved in radical politics, the demonstrations, issues of South Africa and apartheid, Yale, his invitation and challenge, his being arrested for terrorism?
5. 1990, Tonna and her practice, workaholic, success? Her friendship with Harry and his being in private legal work? Her strained relationship with her mother? In the street, the purse-snatcher, the confrontation, the shooting? Harry's injuries, her being at the hospital and getting him through it?
6. Harry, his friendship with Tonna, their talking, his heart being broken? His alienation from his father and the reasons? The confrontation, his injuries, his bitterness? The hospital visits? His gradually adapting? Averil and her care for him, falling in love with her, the proposal? The wedding?
7. Harrison and his coming to his son, trying to bridge the gap, the attraction towards Tonna, the romance? The discussions, his explanations of his wife's cancer and overdose? Harry's alienation?
8. Arthur and his relationship with Jean, supporting Tonna as child, his refusal to get the divorce? His wife's death? The wedding, Arthur and his care for Tonna? The discussion between mother and daughter? Her confrontation of Billy? Getting Harry to come with her?
9. Drew, his work with Tonna, in the courts? The judge's rebuke of her believing her own press? Her serious-mindedness? Her being nominated to be a judge, Harry's friend coming down to do the swearing-in, her refusing the case with Yale? The terrorism? The judge going out with her, the romance, the family, her future?
10. Harry and Averil, his illness, talking it through with Tonna? His death, funeral, Harrison's arrival, his planning to be married?
11. Popular life ingredients done in a glossy and popular style?
