KING OF THE HILL
A film review by Scott Renshaw
Copyright 1993 Scott Renshaw
Starring: Jesse Bradford, Jeroen Krabbe, Lisa Eichhorn, Spalding Gray, Karen Allen. Screenplay/Director: Steven Soderbergh.
It's called the sophomore slump, and it's a pitfall common to all contemporary art forms. A writer has a lifetime to create the breakthrough debut, and eighteen months to create a follow-up everyone will expect to be equally good; as just the most recent cinematic example, witness John Singleton's POETIC JUSTICE. Writer/director Steven Soderbergh turned heads with his first feature, 1989's SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE, then stumbled with the atmospheric but empty KAFKA. In such cases, the third try often will tell which was the exception, and which the rule. If this is true of Soderbergh, the evidence that this is one auteur with staying power is KING OF THE HILL, a beautiful and darkly poetic adaptation of A. E. Hotchner's memoir of life during the Great Depression.
Our tour guide through 1933 St. Louis is Aaron Kurlander (Jesse Bradford), a bright and creative twelve-year-old. His father (Jeroen Krabbe) is an unemployed salesman, forcing the family to live in the gloomy Empire Hotel. When his younger brother (the adorable Cameron Boyd) is sent away to live with relatives, Mom (Lisa Eichhorn) gets sick and Dad gets a traveling salesman job, Aaron is left by himself. The film follows his encounters and friendships with several fellow residents of the Empire, including larcenous but good-hearted Lester (Adrien Brody), well-heeled alcoholic Mr. Mungo (Spalding Gray) and Ella (Amber Benson), a gawky, sad-eyed young girl with a big crush on Aaron. They all try to stay one step ahead of Ben (Joseph Chrest), the Empire's reptilian bellhop who locks out delinquent guests at a moment's notice.
KING OF THE HILL's greatest triumph is one of tone. As somber as the subject matter could have been, Soderbergh opts neither for grittiness nor Spielbergian sentimentality. None of the Empire's residents are treated as pathetic or heroic; they're simply decent people trying to do their best with what they've been given. There is as much humor as their is sadness in KING OF THE HILL, perhaps more. There are some truly charming moments: Aaron's 8th-grade graduation ceremony; Aaron and Lester saving the Kurlander's car from repossession; Aaron improvising an exciting career for his father to a wealth classmate between swigs of Coca-Cola. All are lovingly photographed by Elliot Davis and accented by a giddy Cliff Martinez score reminiscent of Randy Newman. To be certain, this isn't an entirely pleasant film; there are some dark and bittersweet moments. However, the balance is maintained so that it feels (at the risk of sounding cliche) like life.
The splendid ensemble cast only adds to the richness. Heading the list is Bradford, perfectly cast as the imaginative Aaron. He manages to capture both a savvy born of necessity and pubescent awkwardness with understated style. Krabbe is solid as the father unaware of how his well-intentioned actions are hurting his son; Eichhorn is good but misused as the fragile mother. Of the hotel's denizens, I was particularly taken with Amber Benson as Ella, who conveys a heartfelt desperation for contact that generates some touching scenes with Aaron. Spalding Gray, as he does when he's cast in a film, basically plays Spalding Gray. Also worth noting is Karen Allen in an appealing turn as Aaron's supportive teacher.
I have no frame of reference for the historical accuracy of KING OF THE HILL, but I do know that it *felt* real. The tent cities, railyard Hoovervilles and slum hotels coexist with mansions in casually accepted fashion, free of some "issue" of class conflict. There are also intriguing character types, particularly the fascistic beat cop who treats his street like a fiefdom. In short, KING OF THE HILL feels like a man's vivid memory of a difficult but enriching boyhood, told with power and grace. Soderbergh has a gift for visual narrative, and it makes for an outstanding film.
Third time is a charm Steven. Keep it up.
On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 tent cities: 9.
-- Scott Renshaw Stanford University Office of the General Counsel
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