THE CRYING GAME
UK, 1992, 112 minutes, Colour.
Stephen Rea, Forest Whittaker, Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent, Adrian Dunbar, Jaye Davidson.
Directed by Neil Jordan.
The Crying Game was nominated for six Academy Awards, including best film, director, screenplay, actor and supporting actor. It won many of the awards in the United States and in Britain.
It begins as an IRA kidnap thriller, then moves into a study of unexpected relationships in a London setting. The finale combines the two themes with the IRA violence.
The film was written and directed by Neil Jordan, Irish writer-director, who made Angel, High Spirits and The Miracle in Ireland. He also made the Robert de Niro comedy We're No Angels. He is probably best known for the fantasy Company of Wolves, and the British gangster film Mona Lisa, to which this film has more than a passing resemblance in terms of characters and relationships.
The film is very well acted by Stephen Ray, a regular presence in Jordan's films, and Miranda Richardson (who at this time also appeared in Enchanted April and Damage, also receiving Golden Globe and Oscar nominations and awards). Jaye Anderson is very effective as Dil. Also in the cast are American Forrest Whittaker (Good Morning Vietnam, Bird) as the British soldier abducted by the IRA, and Adrian Dunbar, the co-writer and star of Hear My Song.
The screenplay is cleverly plotted, is not predictable, makes demands, especially emotional and moral demands, on the audience response.
1.The title, its meaning, the song, the focus on the central characters?
2.Panavision photography, Ireland and the carnival, the hut for the hostage? The contrast with London, the working side, flats, the bar? Action sequences? The musical score and songs?
3.The intricacy of structure and plotting, the thriller and the IRA, London and relationships, the finale and the shootings?
4.The credits and the carnival, Jody and Jude, Jody being stalked? The amorous advance and his being taken? Held, the IRA motivation? Peter and the IRA group, in themselves, discussing together, their plan, violence, the treatment of Jody, their angers, the shooting of Jody, the attack by the British soldiers and the explosions and deaths?
5.Jody as the black soldier, on duty in Ireland, flirting with Jude, taken and held, hooded? His silence and his sudden outbursts? Fergus and his guarding him, kindness, the food, talk? The bonds between the two, the kindness in Fergus's nature and Jody's response? Talk about Dil and the photos? His being executed - getting free, running, competitive with Fergus, the irony of his being run over by the British tanks? His influence on Fergus, the story about cricket, his being visualised bowling at Fergus - and finally succeeding in bowling him out?
6.The importance of the cricket imagery, the discussions about cricket, the cricket field, the cricket clothes, Dil wearing them? The importance of the story about the scorpion and the frog - as told by Jody to Fergus? As told, finally, by Fergus to Dil?
7.Fergus and his background, with the group, the IRA? Guarding Jody, his innate kindness, talking, letting his face be seen, Jody knowing his name, the hood, giving him food? The talk about Dil? Peter's anger with him? Jude and her advances, kissing? Keeping vigil with Jody, offering to do the execution? Allowing Jody to run, pursuing him, competitive? Not shooting him in the back? The horror of his death, the explosions? His getting advice, changing his identity, fleeing Ireland and going to England?
8.Fergus becoming Jimmy, at the building work site, looking for Dil, getting the haircut, following Dil to the Metro Club, the discussions with Col and his acting as mediator? The talk, the drinking? The bonds between the two? Walking, talking, kissing? The dates? Dil resisting Fergus's advances? Tantalising? Fergus and his motivation, falling in love with Dil? Dave and his attacks, Fergus fighting him? Scorning Dave? The final advance, Fergus's discovery of the truth about Dil, becoming physically sick, reacting, apologising? Bewildered? Sexual identity? The friendship moving beyond sexuality? Leaving the note, Dil coming to the building site? His emotional response? Jude's arrival, following him? Taking Dil from restaurant to club? Jude and her pressure, the assassination job, his efficient rehearsal, wanting the name of the victim? His wanting to save Dil, Dil's promise to do anything - and letting the hair be cut? Going back to Jimmy's home? Leaving, going through the cricket grounds in the cricket gear, drunk? Fergus finally telling the truth - Dil waking up, tying him up? Preventing him from going to the assassination? Fergus's reaction to Jude's knowledge of the truth about Jody's death? Jude confronting him, the gun, Dil and the shooting of Jude? Jimmy getting rid of Dil, taking responsibility? Sense of protection, love?
9.Dil, style, in the photos, hairdresser? At the bar, her performances, the songs? Friendship with Col? Flirting, rejecting Dave? Enjoying the time with Jimmy? In the flat, the photos of Jody and her explanations? Going on dates? Resisting the advances, allowing Jimmy to touch, the revelation of the truth, Dil thinking that Jimmy knew the truth? Hurt? The drinking, Jimmy's note, going to the building site - and the reaction of the bosses, the men? Loving Jimmy? Getting the haircut, the cricket clothes? The confrontation with Jude, the puzzle? Jimmy wanting to make Dil safe? Waking up, getting the gun, the shooting of Jude?
10.Jude, belonging to the IRA, cruelty, the flirting and the seduction, the violence? With Fergus? Escaping death in Ireland, coming to London, the plan with Peter, Fergus's rehearsal? Fergus not turning up, the failure of the plan? Peter and his impulsiveness, anger, assassinating the judge and being killed?
11.The bond between Jimmy and Dil, Dil coming to the building site, the clash with the bosses, the workers and their raucous response? Themes of sexuality, homosexuality, the bar, Dave and Jody and their response, Col, the hairdressers? The ambiguity of Dil's personality and relationship with Jimmy?
12.The finale, Fergus in jail, willing to be in jail to protect Dil - the visit and the story of the scorpion and the frog?
13.The background of war, terrorism, the human face of terrorism and assassinations, fanaticism?
14.Themes of sexual identity, sexual relationships, erotic relationships, relationships deeper than the erotic, influence, responsibility and love? Jody's becoming a soldier for a job and the consequences for Fergus's and Dil's lives?
