URBAN COWBOY

US, 1980, 135 minutes, Colour.
John Travolta, Debra Winger, Scott Glenn, Madolyn Smith, Barry Corbin, Brooke Alderson.
Directed by James Bridges.

Writer-director James Bridges makes interesting thematic films of American life (The Babymaker, Paper Chase, China Syndrome). This enjoyable, rather overlong, story of a country boy coming to the city, working in industry and finding his outlet and echo of the Texas cowboy traditions in riding (ultimately for championship prize money) a nightclub mechanical bull is in this vein. John Travolta does quite well in the role, sometimes bursting into dance as the film as a considerable country and western soundtrack. The setting is Houston, the atmosphere heavily Texan, but the problems, especially the immature marriage and brash break-up (and leading lady Debra Winger is excellent) are universal.

1. An enjoyable, satisfying film? Success as a John Travolta vehicle - his particular style? A piece of Americana of the '70s? Of Texas and its people?

2. Panavision colour photography, the capturing of the atmosphere of Houston -industry, homes, Gilleys? The special effects - especially in Gilleys? The flavour of Texas and its cities?

3. The use of music? The Urban Cowboy them - Looking In The Wrong Place? The medley of songs used and the particular points of insertion for illustrating the theme e.g. Stand By Me? Western style? The soundtrack and the snippets of songs? The performances in Gilleys? The social comment made by the lyrics?

4. The significance of the title: the American heritage of the west, the tough macho man (and attitude towards women)? The role of the cowboy in the west - as illustrated by the rodeo? Riding the bull? The passing of the west - and its heroes? The ordinary cowboy now in the city? The alternate work that he has to do: industry? Any less demanding and tough? The status of the man who used to be the cowboy - demoted and ordinary? How can the urban cowboy be a hero? Gilleys and its atmosphere? The mechanical bull to prove manhood, macho strength, the cowboy tradition? Artificial means - and for recreation at night? The contemporary cowboy as less than the original? (Or the danger of glamourising the original?)

5. John Travolta as Bud - the initial focus on him, appearance and manner? Moving from the country? The road and the vistas of the city? The hospitality of his uncle and aunt? Settling in with them, prospects of work, marriage, money? His lack of foresight about the future - but his hopes? The ironies of what happened to him, the fulfilment of hopes?

6. The interviews for work, the money, shaving, on the job? The continued vistas of industry in Houston? His injury and his being laid off? His extra shift work for more money? The danger of the fire and the death of Uncle Bob? Did the film adequately capture the ethos of hard work in the cities?

7. The monotony of the work and the relief at Gilleys? Gilleys as a star of the film: the large space, the variety of entertainment, the spirit, dancing, drinking, the women? Bud first seeing it (and the audience seeing it with him)? His continually going there? First seeing Sissy at Gilleys? Her dress, hopes? Noticing him? The mechanical bull as a focus for activity in Gilleys? Competitiveness and achievement? Bud and his uncle and aunt, enjoyment, the friends fixing him up with the girls, his night with the girls? The transition to his attachment to Sissy?

8. Sissy - a Gilley's type, her clothes, talk, dancing? The building up of her image of the cowboy? The encounter with Bud and their getting to know one another during the dancing? The transition to the marriage - and the device of the photo collage? The reception? Being blindfolded and her new how? Her slovenliness in housekeeping? The enjoyment of going to the rodeo - and the first glimpse of Wes? The brief preparation for the marriage? Its inadequacy? Its being doomed to failure?

9. The basis of Bud's and Sissy's marriage? The first week - Bud and his work, Sissy's slovenliness at home, the clash over the meal? Bud's masculine expectations of the woman's role? Sissy's reaction? The comparisons with the riding of the bull and Sissy's threatening Bud? His violent reaction? The shallowness of the love, the brittleness of the breaking?

10. Bud and his liaison with Pam? Pam's background, her presence at Gilleys? Her inviting Bud into the affair? Her attraction? His speaking plainly about his relationship with her to make Sissy jealous? Their outings. Pam's keeping house for Bud? Sissy and the cleaning up of the trailer and Pam's destroying the note? The build-up to Bud's participating in the competition, his treating her in the same way as he treated Sissy., wanting her to wake him up etc.? Her presence at the competition, her watching Bud.. watching Sissy? Her change of heart and telling him the truth? Her offering herself for the future in similar circumstances? The effect on Bud of this liaison?

11. Wes as the rodeo type - in the rodeo itself, information about his being on parole, his presence at Gilleys and his being hired to help, his vindictiveness towards Bud? Lessons for Sissy? The building up of the rivalry? Sissy's attraction towards him on the rebound? The liaison, his brutal treatment of her? His parallelling Bud in his callous treatment of women and his expectations? His participation in the competition, the robbing of Gilleys, the fight?

12. Bob and Corene - their place in Houston, recreation at Gilleys, their covering for Bud? Their love for him and support? Bob and his work, his advice for Bud, training him for the competition, the pathos of his death immediately after giving Bud wise advice? The grief at his funeral - Pam’s suave presence and Sissy's awkward presence but compassion? Corene and her love for Bud, grief for Bob? Giving Bud the buckle and urging him to go into the competition?

13. The build-up to the competition - the dancing, the singing, the bull-riding? The suspense of the competition, the accumulation of points? Sissy and Pam and their watching? Sissy's disappearance? Bud's discovery of her injuries., the fight with Wes and the recovery of the money?

14. The basic themes of the film - ambition, love, knowing one another before marriage, clashes, fights and reconciliation? The happy ending for Bud and Sissy - the pattern of Bob and Corene?

15. How well did the film create the atmosphere of the modern city. hard work, the boring work and life and recreation, home life, marriage, mistakes? The symbolism of the urban cowboy and his winning on the mechanical bull?