MAGNOLIA

US, 1999, 188 minutes, Colour.
Julianne Moore, Jason Robards, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tom Cruise, Philip Baker Hall, Melora Waters, John C.Reilly, William H.Macy, Henry Gibson, Alfred Molina, Felicity Huffman
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

Magnolia is an ambitious movie. Like the multi-plotted movies of Robert Altman, it focuses on a central location and weaves the stories of a wide range of characters. The premise of Magnolia concerns chance, coincidence and purpose in what seem to be random connections and accidents. Anderson seems to subscribe to the six degrees of separation theory as he brings his characters into contact with one another.

The setting is Los Angeles. The period is only a couple of hours. After a prologue illustrating his theory – focussing especially on what seem to be random deaths – he introduces his cross-section of Los Angeles residents. One of the central motifs is communication and its lack. Most of the characters have some link to television, especially a quiz show with adults and kids competing. Two of the main characters are older dying men. Two of the younger women are drug addicts. There are several children.

Magnolia can sometimes be tough going. Most of the characters are angry, many raging in a torrent of curses and abuse. However, most of them also undergo, if not a conversion experience, then a felt need to confess and be forgiven. This ties in with the weather motif where forecasts appear on screen: there is rain, strong showers and, unexpectedly a modern Egyptian plague as frogs fall from the sky. This plague symbolism suggests that this Los Angeles society is sinful and in need of some kind of redemption.

Performances are impressive. Tom Cruise’s offensive macho men’s instructor shows an acting versatility he does not often reveal. His performance here was Oscar-nominated. More gentle performances, no less persuasive, come from Philip Seymour Hoffman and John C. Reilly (the principal ‘good’ characters). Jason Robards and Philip Baker Hall are the dying men while William H. Macy gives another different performance as a former child quiz star.

Paul Thomas Anderson has not made many films but all of them are both striking and challenging: Hard Eight, Boogie Nights and Punchdrunk Love. He had great critical succes with There will be Blood (2007),

1.Acclaim for the film? Awards? The career of the director? A perspective on American life at the end of the 20th century?

2.The title, the street in Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley? The focus?

3.The prologue and the silent film style of Green, Berry and Hill doing the robbery at Greenberry Hill? Coincidence and chance? The story of the fire, Darren and his being in the tree? The background of the casino, his dealing, his hobby, deep sea, the plane taking up the water, sprinkling it on the fire and putting him in the tree? The suicide of the pilot, the irony that he had played in the casino and that Darren had dealt him the cards? The story of Sidney, his suicide, his fall, his parents quarrelling, the firing of the gun, his being shot, a net to stop his fall but his being dead? The arrest of his mother and father? The loaded gun, Sidney loading the gun for their fight with each other? The irony of all these stories? As a prologue to Magnolia? The recapitulation of the chance theme and the visuals of the Sidney story at the end?

4.The length of the film, the range of characters, their stories, editing and intercut, the links between them? Thematic: children and parents, the young and adult celebrities, fake identities, deaths, confessions, addictions?

5.One day and its events? The culmination in the plague of frogs falling from the sky? The weather notices throughout the film? Weather as a symbol, the plague symbol?

6.The cast and its strength, the range of the musical score, the thematic songs, each of the characters singing during the film? The collage of them singing the same song? Popular songs, opera and Carmen? The music and the mood and atmosphere?

7.The television world: Frank Mackey and his courses, his promotion videos, interviews for television? The quizzes, Donny as the child star, Stanley as the contemporary star? Jimmy Gator and his thirty years as compering the show? Earl and his ownership of the show? Characters watching films, videos and TV throughout?

8.The dramatic effect of coincidences, the plague, each of the characters experiencing the frogs? The effect? Jimmy having the last good word, Claudia’s being the last face, and her smile?

9.Earl’s story: the verbal information about his relationship with Lily, her illness, his walking out, Jack being young and taking care of his mother, no word from his father, wanting a phone call? His marrying Linda, his infidelities? His final illness, the pain, the morphine, the tablets and injections? The experience of dying? His dependency on Phil, wanting to see Jack? His confession about his life to Phil? Jack coming, pouring out his anger towards his father, his father opening his eyes before dying? A reconciliation or not?

10.Phil’s story: a good man, middle age, a carer, his gentle manner? The interactions with Linda and the care for Earl? His gentleness with Earl, the medication, spilling the tablets, the dogs in the house? Earl wanting to see his son? Phil and his ordering the groceries as well as the sex magazines, the suspicion of the person on the phone? His awkwardness? His wanting the magazines to find Jack’s number? Phoning the agent, nervous, the conversation about his situation, wanting help? The people on the phone, putting him through to others who could help? His finding the information? Jack coming, his being present at the death scene?

11.Jack’s story: the introduction, his new name, his macho appearance, style, extreme masculinity? The look, the language, sex and his crass language, virility, self-absorbed? His explanation of his course? The language about women? The men at the course, their questions? His books, the Power Point presentation? Jack as a character? Audiences knowing the truth about him? His assistants, his being bossy towards them? The interview for television, his smarmy behaviour, telling lies, his being challenged? His change of attitude, aggression talking about time, being obnoxious? The phone call from Phil? His decision to go, sitting with his father, saying he wouldn’t weep, weeping, accusing his father? A confession?

12.The interviewer, her background, a woman interviewing Frank? Her research, her questions, her continued probing, the jokes, her being serious, his aggression towards her as she probed and commented on his lies?

13.Linda’s story: her background, marrying Earl, not loving him, neurotic, her infidelities, her going to Doctor Diane for prescriptions, driving, at the pharmacy, the people at the pharmacy giving advice, talking, her anger, calling out “Shame” to them? In the car, the exhaust, her wanting to kill herself? Phil and his rescue? The collapse in the car, going to hospital? Jack visiting her?

14.Donny’s story: the child star, the pressure on him as a quiz answerer, his parents taking his money? At work, not being able to handle money, spending all the money on his teeth and braces? The encounter with Solomon and his brother? The discussion about his work, payments, borrowings? Their threats? Going to the bar, the elder gay man and the conversation? His infatuation with Brad, declaring his love, the motivation for his teeth? Getting into the store, the burglary? The encounter with Jimmy, the frogs, Jimmy helping him, returning the money? A future?

15.Jimmy’s story: as a policeman, his life, his simple manner, the experience of the divorce? At home, by himself, earnest and upright? Kneeling for his prayers? A good man? Called to the disturbance made by Marcie, her continued abuse of him, swearing? His replies, arguments, the letter of the law, searching the house? Going to the closet, finding the body? Being called to Claudia’s house, the disturbance, her loud music, talking with her, liking her, at ease, the bad coffee, going out, the restaurant, their pledging to tell the truth to each other? Her leaving? Her breaking with him? The end, his helping Donny, his return to Claudia, the final words and the end?

16.Claudia’s story: the relationship with her father, moving out, her addictions, drugs, sexuality? Her father’s visit and her anger? Being disturbed? The revelation of the past abuse? Jimmy and the talk, taking drugs while she chatted with him, at the restaurant? Her fears, her mother’s arrival, the comfort? The end and her smile?

17.Jimmy Gator’s story: on air, the flashbacks and his sexual misbehaviour, his devotion to his wife yet betraying her, Rose as a character, long-suffering, watching him on television, alone? His relationship with his daughter, dying of cancer, going to visit her, wanting to talk? Her putting him off? On air, the thirty years, his patter, the program? His relationship with his staff, the boss? His assistants? His collapse on air, his going through the routines again? Being confronted by Stanley? His confession to his wife, her leaving him, his being upset, asking about forgetting? His killing himself? His wife in the car, the frogs, going to Claudia?

18.Stanley’s story: the long shot of him studying and the reverse camera? Knowing his answers for the quiz? As a personality, with the other kids and their arrogance? Their agents and their financial deals? His father and his pushiness? Cynthia and her being the manager, not taking any notice of what he wanted? The three adults in the quiz, their ability to answer, insults to the children? The studio, wanting to go to the toilet, wetting his pants? His not wanting to go to the microphone for the one-on-one? The other two and their reactions, language? His father desperately watching? His standing his ground? His telling his father to be kind to him?

19.The effect of all these characters and their interactions coming together? The effect of the audience watching them and experiencing their lives for three hours?