No Casablanca

WHETHER IT BE Casablanca, Dr. Zhivago, or Gone with the Wind, every classic war picture must feature a love story. Who can forget, for example, the unforgettable moments when Humphrey Bogart passionately sweeps Ingrid Bergman off her feet, or when, after Tara has suffered a crushing defeat. Clark Gable tells Vivien Leigh, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." Although each of these films purports primarily to explore the circumstances surrounding its respective war and depict a bygone era, we all secretly know that the political and social statements are secondary to the more central and compelling story of boy meets girl.

The problem with recreating such classics, however, is that they all follow a similar pattern. Most approach war from a conceptual, rather than historic angle, and though the circumstances surrounding each war are different, the issues and relationships--patriotism, love, familial obligations--all tend to fall along similar lines. Consequently, it takes an unusually crafty filmmaker, as well as a particularly talented cast, to carry off such a production.

Unfortunately, in Paramount Pictures soon-to-be-released film Racing With the Moon, neither element is prominent enough to carry the film to a successful climax. The movie's script suffers from a predictable, cliche-ridden plot line that becomes readily apparent in the first 15 minutes--so much so, in fact, that the audience finds itself anticipating the characters' actions well in advance of their execution. And though some of the performances are surprisingly quite professional in spite of most of the actors youth and limited experience, the performers with few exceptions fail to transcend their stereotyped role.

Admittedly the long line of classics the film finds itself up against pose a tough challenge to all involved. While undeniably classic "period" films have been made since Casablanca and Gone With the Wind, such classics are difficult to rival while remaining within the classic war story framework. Moreover, some of the film's predictability is simply a product of historical circumstances. No war film can avoid including film-reels and airraid practices, for example, and it is hard to fault the director for the limited number of responses the circumstance of war creates (Can you imagine a mother rejoicing over her son's draft notice?)

None of this, though, excuses Racing With the Moon for descending into the bubblebath of cliches it ironically prides itself on. Much of the film's failure lies in its attempt to rival its predecessors through imitation. Instead of presenting us with complex, provocative characters who demonstrate a degree of multi-dimensionality, most of the movie seems to be little more than the framework of an American fairy tale.

Henry "Hopper" Nash, (Sean Penn), the film's protagonist, is a James Dean facsimile who struggles to win the heart of a supposedly wealthy schoolgirl, Caddie (Elizabeth McGovern), by leaving her flowers and playing tunes for her on the piano. When not occupied with thoughts of Caddie, Hopper--Nash's affectionate nickname--work as a pin boy at the local bowling alley, pals around with his high school buddy. Nick (Nick Cage) and romanticizes about going off to battle and blowing up Japs.

From the movie's opening scenes in which Hopper practices piano in a distinctly American living room, the film sets itself up as a voice of patriotism and loyalty. Although Hopper defies his crotchety piano teacher by playing jazz instead of classics and hangs out with the shiftless and disreputable Nicky, the director emphasizes Hooper's innate goodness. He doesn't put on airs to woo the snooty upper class preps who ridicule him at the bowling alley and even when he discovers that Caddie is an upper class "Gatsby girl," he takes pride in his humble, yet honorable, origins.

Such sincerity makes for nice fairy tales, but it fails to provide the characters with the necessary degree of depth they so desperately lack. It is precisely because Hopper is such a loyal patriot and sensitive lover that the film so frequently seems maudlin, and precisely because the preps wear checkered sweaters while jeering at the working class boys that the characters seem like cardboard replicas from an I.,I., Bean catalogue.

The highly derivative and unoriginal quality of the film proves equally cumbersome in terms of dialogue. Hopper and Nicky parrot patriotic cliches about the war, stopping only once during the course of the movie--and then only briefly--to ponder the less glorified side of combat. When the film occasionally does try to explore the inner feelings of the characters--as in the father/son exchanges--gushy lines like "I'll bet she looks like a rose and smells as sweet," turn genuine sincerity into sappy sentimentality. We are only relieved that Hopper refrains from responding. "All's fair in love and war."

Fortunately, some fine acting by Sean Penn prevents the show from being a complete waste. Penn's portrayal of Hopper is both convincing and well-controlled. Nick Cage also manages to occasionally shine, though his character is slightly less developed than Penn's. Elizabeth McGovern is notably less impressive, having altered her earlier role in the Academy Award-winning Ordinary People only slightly to play the part of Caddie.

Paradoxically, the ultimate problem with Racing With the Moon is its lack of antagonists. Though Hopper and Nicky are boisterous and mischievous, there are no real bad guys.

What little tension runs through the film is not surprisingly resolved, so that when the boys finally do depart for war, their journey seems ironically more celebratory than troublesome. Hopper gets a coveted picture of Caddie for his wallet. Caddie and mom get a goodbye kiss, and the boys go off bravely to join the few, the proud, and the many.

A far cry from Casablanca