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Centered in the Eccentric:

The Imagination of Bill Forsyth

"I'lltellyousomething,andnotalotofpeopleknowthis.Weareclingingtothesurface

ofthisplanetwhileitspinsthroughspaceat1000milesanhour,heldonlybythe

mysteryforcecalledgravity....Alotofpeoplejustpanicwhenyoutellthemthat.They

justfalloff."

GregoryinGregory'sGirl 

"It'stheNorthernLights,AuroraBorealis:highenergyparticlesspillingoverintoour

atmosphere.Theygetthroughthemagneticfieldwhereit'sweakest—atthepoles."

MarinainLocalHero

Aweekago,amongthenewreleasesatthevideostore,youmight

havenoticedafilm,starringBurtReynolds,calledBreakingIn.Aboxoffice

disappointment,thefilmappearstobedoingbetteronvideo:atthelocal

Blockbuster's,allsixcopiesareperpetuallyout.Ihadseenthefilminthe

theatrelastfall:ataThursdaynightscreening—itwastobereplacedthe

nextday—Iwastheonlypatron.("Wegotone,"theticketsellercalledout,

seeminglydisappointed,totheprojectionist.)Notsurprisingly,thedisplay

boxforthevideoprominentlydisplayedReynolds'nameandimage(uncharacteristicallygrayhairedand,

sanstoupee,balding).Onlyinthesmallprintcreditslistedonthebackcanyoufindthenameofthe

movie'sdirector:BillForsyth—thefirstandgreatestfilmmakerScotlandhasproduced.Hisfirstfilmtouse

someoneelse'sscreenplay—itwaswrittenbyJohnSayles—BreakingInwasForsyth'ssixthinatenyear

career.

Afterabriefapprenticeship—workingasago‐ferforaGlasgowfirm

doingindustrialdocumentaries,avidlywatchingforeignfilmsinlocalart

houses—Forsythhadbrokenintofeaturefilmmakingin1979withThat

SinkingFeeling(1979),anabsurdistcomedyaboutagroupofGlasgowne'er‐

do‐wellswhoconcoctandexecuteaplantoburglarizeaplumbingsupply

house,stealingsinkstheyhavenowaytounload,hadbeenhisfirst—and

alsothefirstfeaturefilmevermadebyaScot.WithGregory'sGirl (1980),a

whimsicalstory,setinScottishsuburbia,ofaganglyteenager's(GordonJohn

Sinclair)pursuitofthefirstgirlonhissoccerteam,Forsythquicklyachieved

aninternationalreputation.

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LocalHero(1983),asardonictaleofanAmericanoilcompany'sattempttobuyasmallScottish

town,seemedtoconfirmhisstatureasaprominentcontemporarydirector.ItwasalsoForsyth'sfirstbig‐

budgetfilm(costing2,000,000poundscomparedtoGregory'sGirl 180,000)madeforamajorstudio

(producedbyDavidPuttnamforWarnerBrothers).ThemoremelancholyComfortandJoy (1984)

followed,awryfilmaboutaGlasgowdiscjockey,Alan"Dicky"Bird(BillPatterson)—hostofthe"Early

WormShow"—who,inthewakeofbeingditchedbyhiskleptomaniacloverduringtheChristmasseason,

becomesamediatorinaMafia‐stylewarbetweentworivalice‐creamcompaniesandlateranicecream

entrepreneurhimself.

Ina1983interviewForsythhadscornedeventhepossibilityofworkingintheUnitedStates,

insistingthat"Americawoulddemandcompromiseswhichdon'tinterestme"[Brown160]).With

Housekeeping(1988),however,hebeganworkinginthiscountryandforthefirsttimeadaptedmaterial

fromanothermedium—writinghisownremarkablyfaithfulscreenplayfromawidelypraisednovelby

MarilynneRobinson.Thestoryoftwoorphanedgirls(theirmotherwasasuicide)growingupunderthe

strangeguidanceoftheiraunt(ChristineLahti)inWashingtonstateinthe1940s,thefilmnevertheless

seemsof‐a‐piece,instyleandcontent,withhisearlierwork.ThencameBreakingIn(1989),afilmsetin

Portland,Oregonaboutanaging,polished,andveryprofessionalsafecracker's(BurtReynolds)mentoring

ofanirresponsibleyoungapprentice—afilmwhosemarketersdidn'tevenseefittopublicizeasthework

ofthedirectorofGregory'sGirl andLocalHero,Afterearlynotoriety,BillForsythwouldappearafterone

decadetobemovingtowarddirectorialanonymity.Hisconsistentlyinventive,stillgrowingand

developingbodyofworkdeservesmuchbetter.

OnseveraloccasionsForsythhasmadeclearhisdispleasureatthewayhisfilmsareunderstood.

Darkerandmoresatiricthanordinarilyperceived,theyarenotmerelycomic,andhedoesnotthinkof

himselfsimplyasacomicfilmmaker."I'veneverreallythoughtofmyselfasafunnyperson,"headmits,

"I'vealwaystendedtousecomedyasadisguise"(Brown56).Brownhasobservedthatcritics"don'ttake

accountofthepersistentlycoolanddetachedstylewithwhichForsythpresentshischaracter's

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obsessiveness,noroftheironicbitternesswhichsurfacesdiscomfortinglyfromtimetotime..."and

blamestheshort‐sightednesson"RabbieBurnssyndrome"whichhastaintedForsythfromthebeginning:

theideaoftheself‐taughtploughmanpoetwhoemergesfromnowhereandwowsthesophisticated

Englishestablishmentwithhisinnocenceandsimplicity"(158).

ThesparseForsythcriticismtodatehasfocusedonhisScottishness:hisplacein/departurefrom

theportrayalofScotlandinliteratureandfilm,oronthedifferencesbetweenhisownfilmstyleandthat

ofthedominanttraditionofBritishcinema.(Forsyth,ofcourse,hasencouragedsuchinvestigationwith

hisadmissionthat"ThewayIgoaboutmakingfilmsisareactionagainstwhatyoucouldcallthe

traditionalEnglishdramaticallystructuredfilm,andalso,especially,theEnglishformoffilmacting.SoI

supposeI'mquiteopenlyreactingagainstthat.I'mdoingthatbecauseoftherelationshipthatScotland

hashadwithEngland.Isupposeit'sthatinferioritythatwefeel,theScotspeople,vis‐à‐visEngland"

[quotedbyLeonard7].)AlmostnocriticismhassoughttointerpretForsyth'sfilmsintheirownright.

ThepresentbriefinterpretationofForsyth'sworktodateisdrawnfromawork‐in‐progressin

whichIattempttofusethephenomenologicalcriticalmethodoftheso‐called"Genevaschool"ofliterary

criticswiththetraditionalauteurapproach.Flyinginthefaceofcontemporarycriticaltrendstowardthe

objectiveandscientific,theGenevaschool'snonformalist,methodinvolvesconsiderationofthewhole

workofacreativemind,understoodasacompositemapofitspersonaldevelopment:arepresentation

bymeansoftexts,ofitsevolvingconsciousness,ofitsattemptstoachieve,onthebehalfoftheself,

"ontologicalintegrity."Withinthismentaluniverse,Genevaschoolcriticismseeksto:1)discoverthe

"pointofdeparture"(Poulet)—that"actfromwhicheachimaginaryuniverseopensout"—whichliesat

theheartofeachlife'swork;2)isolatethe"unitpassages"(J.HillisMiller)—thoserecurrentobsessions

whichserveasthefundamentallandmarksofacreator's"interiordistance":Poulet'snamefortheinner

spaceofconsciousness,populatedbytheobjectsofanauthor'sworld;3)bringtolightthe"originalunity

ofacreativemind"(Miller)byfollowingthe"metamorphosesofacircle"(Poulet):theexpansionsand

contractionsoftheself,recordedinthework,asitexploresandchartsitsowninscape.Wheredowe

beginwithForsyth?Whatisthepointofdepartureforhisimagination?

Againandagain,inreviewsandcriticismofhisfilms,thewordmostlikelytobeusedtocharacterizeboth

Forsyth'sstyleandhischaractersis"eccentric."(Onecritic,forexample,speaksofthe"deadpanmatter‐

of‐factnessthatservestosetoffhiseccentriccharactersandoffbeatincidents"[Leonard7].)Ifthe

cinematicworldofaFelliniis"grotesque,"thatofBillForsythis"eccentric."Butthiseccentricity,Iwantto

suggest,isinstrumentalto,thenaturalbi‐productof,themetamorphosesofadevelopingimagination.

Theeccentric,itwouldseem,isnotonlyForsyth'spointofdeparturebuthismethodaswell.

ItiscertainlytruethattheeccentriciseverpresentinForsyth'sworks.Considerthefollowing

randomandincompletecatalogueofcharactersandeventsinhisfilms.Ayoungmantriestocommit

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The Col lected Works of David Lavery 4

suicidebydrowninghimselfinabowlofcornflakes.A"telexman"talkstoawomanonlytenfeetawayon

thetelephone.Arichoiltycoon(BurtLancaster)hiresamantoinsulthim.Aboyputsdeodorantonover

hisclothesandlaterusesablowdrieronhisarmpits.Amarinebiologistwitha"magnificentpairoflungs"

turnsouttobeamermaid.Afternearlyrunningoverthesonofhisdrivereducationteacher,astudent

driverexcitedlyinquires"Wasthatmyfirstemergencystop?"Aguestasksahotelproprietorforan

adaptersohecanpluginanelectricbriefcase.Twomeninbusinesssuitsbothcarryingbriefcases,stroll

alongabeach.AministernamedMcPhersoninasmallScottishtownisaNigerianblack.TwoScottish

villagersdebatetherelativemeritsofaRolls‐RoyceandMazerati.Ateenagertriestoimpressagirlby1)

informingherofthespeedatwhichmucusispropelledoutofthenostrilsduringasneeze;and2)

describingtheprocessbywhichvealismade.Amanpitchesintohelpthemoverscarryoutthe

belongingsofhisex‐girlfriend,whohasbrutallydumpedhimwithnopriorwarning.Rivalicecream

companiesdebatethemark‐uponraspberryessence.AteenagefemaleScottishpunkrockerpursuesa

verystraightyoungmanbecause"he'sdifferent."Aftermasqueradingasawomanduringaburglary,a

boyfindsitdifficulttorecoverhisnormalheterosexualidentity....Apartiallistonly.

OfallofForsyth'seccentrics,Housekeeping'sSylvieFishermay

wellbetheoddest.Shehauntsrailroadstationws,alwaysreadytodepart.

("Sylviehadnoawarenessoftime,"Ruthieexplains."Forherhoursand

minuteswerethenamesoftrains.")Accidentallysettingfiretothe

curtainswhilelightingbirthdaycandles,sheputsouttheflameswithout

missinganoteof"HappyBirthdaytoYou."Whenafloodfillsthehouse

withafootofwater,shecarriesonbusinessasusual,fixingbreakfast,

evendancingwithRuthie,whilesplashingaroundinfishingboots.

(Finishedwithacupofcoffee,shecasuallytossesthedregsoverher

shoulder.)Inherpockets,shecarriesbrokencrackerstofeedto

mysteriouschildrensheclaimstomeetinthewoods.Returningfromoneofhertripstothelakeone

afternoon,hercoatpocketcontainsalargefish.Shewatchestelevisionthroughaneighbor'swindow.

Aroundthehouse,sherefusestoturnonlightsbecauseshewantsto"enjoytheevening."Shecollects

newspapersandpilesthemceilinghigharoundthehouse.(Inonesceneshecutsoutanarticleofinterest

fromapaperandpinsittoherdress;inanother,shehandsRuthieastackofpaperstouseasapillow.)

Shemeticulouslycleansandstackstincans.Sherepeatedlyborrowsafisherman'sboatwithout

permissionand,whenheangrilychasesher,counselsRuthietoignorehim:"Healwaysdoesthat."("It

mustbehisboat,"Ruthiesuggests."Eitherthatorhe'ssomesortoflunatic,"Sylviereplies.)Sylvieisso

eccentric,shedoesn'tevenknowthatturkey,notchicken,isthetraditionalThanksgivingfare.

Thequestionremains,whatisthiseccentricityfor?IfnotmereScottishquaintness,orstylistic

signature,wheredoesitlead?Inhisworkwithschizophrenics,R.D.Laingbecameconvincedthatpsychic

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movementtoget"outofformation"isoftengovernedbythelargerdesiretobecome"information"with

thatwhichisreal.SeekingtosumuptheessenceofForsyth'sart,ByronLeonardhasobservedthat

hisfilmsdefineaworldofwanderersanddaydreamers.Hischaractersarecontinuallystraying

fromthewell‐wornpathandhisstoriesmirrorthisintheirloose,meanderingstructure.Forsyth

seemstobeindifferenttotheusualdemandsforastraight‐aheaddrivetotheclimacticresolution

ofnarrativetensions.LiketheprotagonistofHousekeeping,heprefersto"wanderoff,"confident

thatthiswillleadtoevenricherdiscoveries.(7)

Thisseemstomeentirelyaccurate.Indeed,theeccentricbecomes,forcertainofForsyth'scharacters,the

stigmataofamythicquest.Offcenter,theyseekthecenter.

Inthetraditionalreligiousworldview,MirceaEliadehasnoted,thecenterof

theworldis"thatplacewhereallessentialmodesofbeingcometogether,where

communicationandevenpassageamongthemispossible.""Theheartofreality,"

"theextraordinaryplacewheretherealisintegral,"thecenterisnottobefoundin

ordinaryspaceandtimebutexistsratherina"mythicgeography."Oftenanaxis

mundiofsomekind,atree,amountain,aladdersymbolicallymarksthespot:think,

forexample,oftheBuddhabeneaththebodhitree.

Let'slookatthreeexperiencesofthecenterinForsyth'sfilms.

ClipfromGregory'sGirl (2:55)

ClipfromLocalHero(4:00)

ClipfromHousekeeping(4:35)

InhiseccentricityBillForsythsearchesfor,andsometimesfinds,thiscenter,andifhischaracters

nevermanagetosetupHousekeepingthere,ifintheirmetamorphosesofacircle,theyneverquite

establishthemselvesinthereal,itis,afterallastrangeplacetobuildahomestead,unless,ofcourse,

imaginationhasfirstbuiltthefoundation.

Bibliography

Brown,John."ASuitableJobforaScot."SightandSound 52.3:157‐xxx.

Eliade,Mircea."TheSymbolismoftheCenter."TheMythoftheEternalReturn:CosmosandHistory:

Trans.WillardTrask.NewYork:HarperandRow,1959.

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___andLawrenceE.Sullivan."CenteroftheWorld."EncyclopediaofReligion.Ed.MirceaEliade:C165‐

71.

Leonard,Byron."TheWanderer'sWay."FacetsFeatures,June1989:7‐9.

Malcomson,Scott."ModernismComestotheCabbagePatch."FilmQuarterly 38.3(1985):16‐21.

Pym,John."Housekeeping."SightandSound 57(1987‐88):31‐33.

Robinson,Marilynne.Housekeeping.NewYork:BantamBooks,1980.

Roddick,Nick."ALightintheSky:LocalHero."SightandSound 52.2(1983):138‐39.

Scheinfeld,Michael."Housekeeping."FilmsinReview 39(1988):102‐103.

Stein,Elliott."TheForsythSaga."AmericanFilm,November1984:54‐57.

Turner,Victor."TheCenter'sOutThere:Pilgrim'sGoal."HistoryofReligions12(1973):191‐230.

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