THE SPITFIRE GRILL
A film review by John Schuurman
Copyright 1996 John Schuurman
Written and Directed by Lee David Zlotoff
I am encouraged. After the dreadful dearth of quality popular movies (I hear "Lone Star," "Emma," and "Trainspotting" are exceptions) in the summer of '96, at last there are some new films emerging for the autumn season that will get me out to the theater again.
"The Spitfire Grill" was well worth the time and money. Set in a wonderful little backwoods town in Maine called Gilead the film does much with references to its Biblical namesake. In the Bible, Gilead is the region to the east of the Jordan river, noted for the soothing "balm" or ointment gleaned from its woodlands. One of the hopes for modern Gilead's future is that such a substance (for healing purposes) has been discovered in the forests of the region that had long been thought ruined and useless. The Biblical Gilead was also a refuge for fugitives. Among those who sought refuge in Gilead were Jacob when he fled before Laban (Gn. 31:21-55), the Israelites who feared the Philistines in Saul's time (1 Sa. 13:7), Ishbosheth (2 Sa. 2:8-9) and David during Absalom's revolt (2 Sa. 17:22ff.)
Gilead provides such a refuge for Percy, a young woman recently released from prison. She finds healing and purpose in Gilead (although not without notable obstacles). Ultimately, she loses her life there, but in the losi ng, provides a Gilead of her own for some significant others. The old spiritual goes, "There is a Balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole"(Jer 8:22), and it provides the theme for this grand movie. The place becomes a haven of hope and healing.
Some other reasons to attend: The movie is beautifully shot in rural New England, the acting over all is first-rate, and writer-director Lee David Zlotoff has brought a wonderful ensemble together of Ellen Burstyn, Marcia Gay Harden and Alison Elliott.
And then some new territory too: I am not usually grateful for the long run of suspense and action dramas that compose such a large portion of the menu provided by American film makers. The cliche: "menacing-music-followed-by-bad-things-happening-suddenly" is so overworked that, like a grouchy cat, I grow weary of being played with, and so I hiss and huff and hide under the chair. But sometimes I am grateful because all of those suspense movies and TV shows that torment us with menacing music as we wait for the sudden horror to bust into the screen have built a vocabulary and a context for viewing in which a movie like this one can come along -- and playing off of that context -- become something all together different. The point is, I don't think this move works without all of the suspenseful nailbiters to provide a counter-point.
But it works well. "Tender Mercies" was like that. Bruce Beresford, director of "Tender Mercies" and Zlotoff continually serve up situations that are full of threat which then prove to be innocent or even helpful.
It happens this way, (you have learned to see these things coming): It is about time for the plot to take a twist. Ominous things are afoot. The sub-terranian music of fore-boding softly growls several layers deep. A car full of men pulls up or a child steps out into the street or you see a movement in the shadows. But then, "Fooled 'ya!; it's OK; no harm intended here; rape, murder, mayhem didn't even cross our mind."
Well, we know it is not true but we love the relief. The unsavory characters smile and don't make any sudden moves; the child simply makes it to the other side of the street, the man lurking in the trees proves to be an angel.
This technique works wonderfully well in "Spitfire." The movie is not without "bad things happening" and there is enough suspense for the movie to work. But the film does tighten and release its grip on us repeatedly until we are relaxed and softened up for the occasion when it does want to really squeeze us.
One last thing: Zlotoff has the courage to have the bad guy of the movie restored at the end. This is risky film making. Nahum, the close-minded towny scoundrel is someone we have found it easy to hate when the time comes to close the film. And our blood lust would have been satisfied had he come to a wretched end. But we are not allowed that catharsis. The man does a righteous thing. And though he is damaged goods, and though we are reluctant to bless and not curse him, we see him restored. In addition to being the most accurate demonstration of the Christian doctrine of grace I have seen in recent memory, it is one of the most risky film making choices I have witnessed in a long while.
for other reviews by John Schuurman see: http://www.mcs.com/~sjvogel/wcrc/movies.html
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