When director Richard Donner’s classic film, “A History Of Violence” opened wide and bright screens in theaters across the United States in 1980, there was little question as to how the movie would perform. The picture was a box office smash the first day it opened, bringing in nearly $1 million dollars in its first two weeks of release. But it was not an isolated success…in fact, A History Of Violence became a huge hit overseas, earning more than twice as much as its original release cost. In fact, A History Of Violence has since become the only American film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture…a feat that no other movie in history has accomplished.
But beyond the stunning financial success: of A History Of Violence is the fact that Donner and company created a unique concept, a story, that was based on real life events. Though the film takes place in today’s society, it touches on some issues that are still topical. Throughout the film, we see the repercussions of domestic violence, war, and political turmoil. The characters are very human, making the viewer feel for them. Often times scenes play out in real life exactly as they were intended…but director Donner and writer Robert Towne create a unique plot structure that makes them unforgettable.
When our main character: a news anchor named Anna Maria (Sigourney Weaver) arrives in tears after being told of her mother’s murder, we immediately begin to understand her pain. She had only recently returned home from college to married a wealthy man (played by Frank Pugliese), only to have him abruptly leave town without warning her. We soon find out that this man, Joby (James Russo), is the local authority who arrested her mom on suspicion of involvement in the death of her friend. Anna is forced to help her friend clear his name, but she also must battle an angry mob that is hell-bent on catching her killer. As Anna desperately tries to clear her name and save her friends, we also begin to understand the forces behind her loss of innocence and the violent world around her.
What makes this movie so compelling is its stylish: suspenseful pace. Unlike many other films of its type, it rarely rushes through its plot. Instead, director Richard Curtis and screenwriter Arthur Hillen Jr. provide us with slowly simmering, emotional scenes. The characters, especially Anna Maria, remain entirely on screen throughout…
The climax of the movie: (which you’ll get to see very soon) powerfully concludes what was already an emotional experience. The discovery that Anna was actually alive was heartbreaking for both her and the audience. In one scene, we learn that the Rev. Hunts (Philip Seymour Hoffman) knows about her existence but has never been able to fully trust her. The revelation about his emotional involvement with her comes just before he performs the fatal lovemaking act which kills his wife.
This movie is extremely timely: It depicts a marriage in crisis, a struggle for faith, and a man’s search for closure after his wife dies. The photography in this film is workmanlike and bold.
If you haven’t seen it, you might want to add it to your list of films to schedule for DVD release…