reiher@ucla-cs.UUCP (04/26/85)
David Carradine's "Americana" took twelve years to get dis-
tribution, and I can understand why. I don't think it's destined
to make a whole lot of money. This isn't a reflection of the
film's merits, but on the unfortunate realities of people's
filmgoing habits. Any unusual film which doesn't trade in sex,
violence, or raucous comedy is unlikely to make much money.
Since nobody could figure out a way to get twelve year olds to
flock en masse to see "Americana", nobody wanted to distribute
it.
Yet again, I am forced to wonder what other treasures are
lying forgotten in Hollywood's vaults. "Americana" is a fine
film, probably the best film yet made about a Vietnam veteran and
an excellent evocation of its time and place, Middle America in
the early seventies. "Americana" doesn't deal with vets beating
up creeps for peace, like "Billy Jack". Nor does it wallow in
gooey sentimentality and cheap anti-militarism, like "Coming
Home". Nor does it pander to the dangerous fantasy that we real-
ly could have won the Vietnam War if we'd wanted to, so let's go
back and blow up those gooks, like "Uncommon Valor" and "Missing
in Action". Nor does it deal with murky profundities and dubious
metaphors, like "The Deer Hunter". (The best of the lot, so far,
in my opinion, but Cimino didn't have anything really interesting
or truthful to say about Vietnam; view it as a film about friend-
ship and community and its virtues are clearer.) Nor does "Ameri-
cana" offer us TV's favorite, the Vietnam veteran as homicidal
maniac, a truly insulting stereotype which still pops up now and
then and was once a staple of cop shows. "Americana" instead
gives us a low-key look at one veteran, a man who is obviously
troubled but not in the phony, pat ways these other films
present.
Carradine plays a veteran who wanders aimlessly into a small
Kansas town. He sees a broken-down merry-go-round, and something
clicks. He decides that he will fix that merry-go-round. The
rest of the film deals with his efforts to do so. Carradine's
character has come out of Vietnam with a need. The need is never
articulated but is an obvious and overwhelming part of his
psyche. The film doesn't specify precisely why he chooses this
task. Perhaps he wishes to restore rather than destroy. Perhaps
he wishes to verify his worth to himself. Perhaps he merely
needs some form of activity to focus on. His motives aren't im-
portant. His sincerity and dedication are.
Originally, Carradine's self-appointed task meets with reac-
tions ranging from bemusement to ridicule to sympathy. A local
girl, played by Barbara Hershey during her earth mother period,
is instantly fascinated. The mechanic who owns the local gas
station, a veteran from an earlier period and a former drifter,
befriends Carradine and gives him substantial aid. A few punks
hanging around razzing Carradine seem of little importance. Gra-
dually, however, Carradine is shown to have very different values
than the citizens of the farming community, and a petty incident
costs him dearly.
The best thing about "Americana" is that it never takes the
cheap way out. Carradine doesn't go in for violent catharsis or
sentimental reconciliations. Mistakes are hard to erase and peo-
ple are what they are, not what you might like them to be.
Carradine's character isn't a saint, either. He's a good man,
but no superman. He can be awkward and unthinking. The
character's main virtues are decency and persistence, while most
Hollywood characters in this kind of position go in more for
wrath and vengeance. Carradine suggests a man who has learned
more from the Orient than fancy ways to beat people up. This is
easily Carradine's most likable performance.
Except for Carradine and Hershey, the cast seems to be made
up mainly of real small town people, and Carradine the director
gets the usual results one sees from non-professional actors.
Some of the supporting performances have an underlying truth al-
most impossible to get from professionals. Others are stiff and
self-conscious. The fellow playing the garage mechanic, whose
name I can't get hold of, is especially good, and might be a pro-
fessional actor. A couple of the other Carradine brothers show
up in bit parts. As for Hershey, her part is not very demanding,
but she does well with what she's given. Her's is the sort of
part which is almost completely a matter of the correct appear-
ance. She looks right, and that is all the film asks of her.
Hershey has been shown to better advantage in other films.
Carradine directs well. He's not flashy, but he doesn't
make many mistakes. His decision to avoid flashbacks to Vietnam
is particularly welcome. At times, his intentions are a bit un-
clear, but eventually things work themselves out. Technically,
the film is acceptable but unexceptional. Again, there aren't
major mistakes. Neither are there unusual contributions. The
technical level suggests a modesty of ambition in keeping with
the subject matter.
"Americana" is not the sort of film you see very often.
It's a bit suggestive of a slightly upscale student film, from
the days when more film students wanted to do something a little
different rather than audition to make mad slasher and horny
teenager movies. An unusual subject, an obvious love of the ma-
terial, and a subdued and thoughtful handling make "Americana"
worthwhile for those who like films directed at the mind rather
than the gut. "Missing in Action" fans are advised to wait for
"Rambo: First Blood II" (I still think they should have called it
"Second Blood"), which looks to be more up that alley.
--
Peter Reiher
reiher@ucla-cs.arpa
{...ihnp4,ucbvax,sdcrdcf}!ucla-cs!reiher