Running on Empty
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Running On Empty Study Guide Brendan Maher fresh film festival 2005 1 Running On Empty Running On Empty Introduction including Eugene O’Neill’s A Long dir. Sidney Lumet/USA/111mins/1988 A deliberate act, to disrupt the work Day’s Journey Into Night and Arthur of a napalm laboratory, has far Miller’s A View from A Bridge (both Cast reaching consequences for student 1962). He has become known a Christine Lahti Annie Pope/ radicals Arthur and Annie Pope. A strong director on projects of social Cynthia Manfield janitor is injured in the attack and the significance such as Serpico (1973) River Phoenix Danny Pope/ pair find themselves on the FBI’s which looked at corruption in the Michael Manfield Most Wanted List. In order to protect American police force, Network Judd Hirsch Arthur Pope/ their two-year -old son, they go (1976), a film which satirised the Paul Manfield underground, taking on new names world of television and the desperate Jonas Abryz Harry Pope/ and new identities. They move from search for ratings and The Verdict Stephen Manfield town to town, to keep a step ahead of (1982) in which a struggling lawyer Martha Plimpton Lorna Phillips the authorities. pushes a malpractice case for his Ed Crowley Mr Phillips Running on Empty opens 15 own economic benefit. L.M. Kit Carson Gus Winant years later. The Popes are still on the Lumet was given and Honorary Steven Hill Donald Patterson run and their son, Danny is now a Oscar in 2005 for his "brilliant Augusta Dabney Abigail Patterson teenager. He has a brother, 10 year- services to screenwriters, performers David Margulies Dr Jonah Reiff old Harry. ‘Normal’ family life has and the art of the motion picture." been sacrificed for a political cause, Production that has led nowhere. Now Danny First Look Costume Designer Anna Hill Johnstone must make a choice, whether to Before you see a film you will most Production Design Philip Rosenberg follow his talent for music and go to likely see the poster for the film and Art Director Robert Guerra college or have that opportunity have some pieces of information Casting Todd M. Thaler curtailed by the need to keep the about the film. Foley artist Marko A. Costanzo family together. The title of the film Running on Sound re-recording mixer Director Sidney Lumet said Empty is a phrase taken from the Tom Fleischman Running on Empty was a hard film to automobile industry which suggests Sound mixer James J Sabat classify: ‘It’s about the consequences that a car is operating on a very low Original Music Tony Mottola of our actions and the dynamics of level of petrol. Editor Andrew Mondshein what makes a family.’ Cinematographer Gerry Fisher The story however deals with a Screenplay Naomi Foner simpler theme; an event that happens Producer Griffin Dunne, Amy Robinson in all families - the moment or Executive Producers realisation that a child is now an adult Naomi Foner, Burtt Harris and must be allowed to make their Director Sidney Lumet own decisions. Production Companies Double Play, Lorimar Film Director Entertainment Sidney Lumet’s pedigree made him the perfect choice as director of Running on Empty. Born in 1924, Lumet was a child actor on Broadway, fought in World war II and worked in television and theatre upon returning. In 1957 he made his directorial debut with 12 Angry Men which was nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award. Lumet brought to the screen a number of well known theatrical works 2 fresh film festival 2005 Running On Empty From the information you have, what back and cycles to pick up his 10 year- recounts their story, suggesting they do you think this could mean in old brother Harry from a run-down are armed and dangerous. relation to the story? house. They wait on the road for their Arthur goes to the local library Look at the poster for the film. It’s parents Arthur and Annie, who pick and looks up the obituaries. He finds designed using a torn photograph of a them up in a van. Danny tells his the name Paul Manfield and takes this family, with the phrase ‘Wanted by the parents about the car, saying the men identity. The family now take on the FBI’ stamped on it. What does the use inside were ‘Feds’ (FBI agents). name Manfield and change their of photograph and the phrase together The family move. In a motel, christian names accordingly. In the city, suggest to you? Harry finds a newspaper which Arthur swaps vans through a political recounts the story of his parents: friend. She tells him that his mother Synopsis They are fugitives because fifteen died, three weeks previously. Later, At a baseball game, 17 year-old Danny years ago, as radical students, they Arthur tells Annie that his family now Pope strikes out. Cycling home were involved in the bombing of a consists of her and the boys. afterwards, he becomes aware of a chemical factory which made napalm. Danny begins a new school and black car following, with two men in The janitor was badly injured in the shows his skills at the piano to his sunglasses watching him. He doubles attack. The television news also new teacher. He goes to the teachers fresh film festival 2005 3 Running On Empty home to play on a Steinway and meets love with Lorna, Danny explains his linked to the robbery. They decide to Lorna, his teacher’s daughter. family story to her. leave instantly. Arthur and Annie pick At school, Lorna invites Danny Danny decides to take an up the boys. Danny delays saying good- to a recital at their house. Danny audition at Julliard, a College of Music bye to Lorna. Arthur, Annie and Harry wants to go but argues with his father in New York. He performs well and is wait for him. On the radio, they hear who regards the event as ‘bourgeois’. accepted. But the school requires his that Gus has been killed by police in a Danny goes anyway and meets Lorna. full academic record (this is shoot-out. This means that some of Annie has a job as a unavailable due to the series of name the pressure is off them. Arthur tells receptionist at a Doctors office. She changes he has had in his life). Annie Danny that he can go to College. The is visited by Gus, an underground is told by the teacher that Danny has three drive off leaving Danny alone with figure from their past. They go home been accepted for College. She his future before him. and talk about the past. Arthur is realises that Danny wishes to leave. suspicious of Gus, who is planning to She has an emotional reunion with Second Look rob a bank. He leaves the house. Gus her father. He agrees to take care of You’ve now seen the actual film. Any and Annie talk, both attracted to each Danny while he attends College. Annie preconceived expectations you would other. Annie asks him to go, telling arranges through a contact to have have had have now been clarified by him that the revolution is over. Arthur false records made for Danny. this viewing. arrives home drunk. Arthur doesn’t agree with At Annie’s birthday, Lorna Danny’s plans and decides that the What did you think of the film? arrives and offers a present. It’s shell family should move on. He sets a date. What is the overriding theme of the film? necklace that Danny had found on the Lorna is heartbroken. This date comes Does the film centre on any one beach. The party breaks up in a early when they find out that Gus has character or is it the story of dance. A few days later, after making robbed the bank and they may be a family? 4 fresh film festival 2005 Running On Empty Do you regard the family as criminals Radicalism in the 1960’s as the Government does? Following the Second World War (1939-1945) the return of a large number of What do you think of the parents males to their home countries and a strengthening economy triggered a ‘Baby Arthur and Annie in the story. Are they boom’ - a large increase in the numbers of children born in the late 1940’s and wise, foolish. Should they have early 1950’s This phenomena happened across America, Europe and Asia. This handed themselves in? generation came of age in the 1960’s, which meant that a substantial Family Relationships/ proportion of the population were young people. This fact, linking in with a Authority number of social and political causes and a fundamental cultural change set One of the secondary themes of the this younger generation in opposition to their parents and figures of authority. film is the notion of authority and how In America, the election of President John F. Kennedy in 1960 in the power is wielded within both society and early Sixties had suggested an era of hope, however this was dashed by his the family. Weber in defining authority: subsequent assassination in 1963 and that of his brother Robert in 1968. states it ‘as power which is recognised The eventual collapse of the Johnson administration that followed JFK and the as legitimate and justified by both the Nixon presidency which ended in resignation following the Watergate scandal powerful and the powerless.’ in 1974 did little to stabilise matters There are three subdivisions: The nation became embroiled in bitter disputes.