MILES FROM HOME

US, 1988, 108 minutes, Colour.
Richard Gere, Kevin Anderson, Brian Dennehy, Charles Durning, Terry Kinney, Penelope Ann Miller, Helen Hunt, Laurie Metcalfe, Judith Ivey, John Malkovich.
Directed by Gary Sinise.

Miles From Home is a social drama about American life and farmers. It is in the vein of three films of 1984: Country, Places in the Heart, The River. It also has echoes of such films as The Grapes of Wrath with a touch of Bonnie and Clyde. Another comparison might be Emilio Estevez’s film about a man on the run against social and bank oppression; Wisdom.

This film was written by Chris Gerolmo, the writer of the hard-hitting Mississippi Burning. It is also a star vehicle for Richard Gere as well as for Kevin Anderson (Orphans).

The film is particularly American in its tone: the visit of Kruschev to Iowa in 1960, prosperity in the U.S. in the '60s, the decline in the '70s, the fiscal failures of farming in the '80s.

There is a guest performance by Charles Durning as the boy's father and John Malkovich as a reporter.

1. Effective social drama, Americans, the land, economics? American myths and legends - especially of outlaws rebelling against the system?

2. The Iowa locations: the corn farms, the country roads, the towns? Musical score?

3. The impact of the prologue: the boy's father and his meeting Khrushchev, the celebration of Khrushchev’s visit, American-Russian? relationships? The father and his two boys? The hold over the boys in their subsequent life? The black and white newsreel style of the prologue?

4. The transition to the '80s and Frank gazing out the window, Frank reflecting? Hardships, the rain, the corn crops, being ruined? The relationship between Frank and Terry? Hard work, laying off the help, the failure of the farm? Tom's arrival and the bank foreclosure? Frank's violent reaction? The decision to auction off their goods?

5. Frank and his anger, his rages, the decision about burning the farm down, setting it alight, leaving? Pressurising Terry? Eluding the police, going to the caravan and his night with Frances? Handcuffing the policeman, taking
the car? Going to the club and talking with the exotic dancer, the arrangement with the newspaper interview? The issues, playing to the gallery? Taking the cars, going to the rodeo and the rich man pushing on the bull with the heavy load, his challenging the man and shooting the bull? The decision to hold up the bank? The possibility of his shooting Tom? The farm worker refusing to go with him, Terry's leaving him? Their going to work on the farm, the sympathy of the farmer? The final clash with Terry, the fight? Going to the grave and trying to free himself from his father? The reconciliation, getting the fast car - and driving into a future?

6. Terry as the younger brother, working, his friendship for Frank? The sale and his bet with Frank to sell something, meeting Sally and falling in love? Sharing the experiences with Frank? Worried about playing to the gallery? Refusing to rob the bank? Fighting with Frank? Sally and her trying to get
the law on his side? His staying with her, giving himself up to the police?

7. The sketch of Sally and Jennifer, going to the auction, their friendships with the brothers, Sally falling in love, Jennifer and her talks with Frank? Sally finally helping Terry?

8. The cameo by Judith Ivey as Frances, welcoming the brothers, friendship, the night with Frank?

9. Tom and his being at school with the brothers, fiscal failures, the bank and the foreclosure? The hold-up?

10. The journalist and his interviews, the nature of his questions, giving the brothers publicity?

11. The friendship of the dancer, talking, the interview? The farmer and his family and giving the brothers work?

12. The incident with the bull, the fat man and his cruelty? Symbol of the action of the film? Frank's confrontation, the shooting of the bull, the acclaim of the audience?

13. Themes of America, the land, hardships, justice?

14. The theme of outlaws, rebelling against the system - the tradition of the James Brothers of the 19th-s;,century, the outlaws of the Depression? Violence?

15. The particularly American style of the film? Its impact for wider audiences?