Seeing the Past Through Rose Colored Smoke

 Rumble Fish (1983) – Rusty James’ present is colored by his memories of his older brother and the glorious days when their gang was a power in their hometown.  But The Motorcycle Boy has been gone, and no one knows when or if he’s coming back.  Thrust into a role he is ill suited for, Rusty James believes that one more big fight will return those days.  The change it brings isn’t the one he’d envisioned.

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola

Starring – Matt Dillon, Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane, Dennis Hopper, Nicolas Cage, Diana Scarwid, Laurence Fishburne, Tom Waits

Why I Liked It – A smoky, moody, noir feeling for a movie that examines personal realities of dark spaces.

This is one of two S.E. Hinton books that Francis Ford Coppola made into movies, back to back in 1983.  In interviews, he lists it as one of his five favorites of his own movies.  I don’t know where “The Outsiders” finished on that list, but I would give the edge to that over this one.  Which is not to say I didn’t like this movie.  I found Pony Boy, Two Bit, Soda Pop, Darrel and Dallas more approachable.  Matt Dillon’s Rusty James is a young man in so far over his head, in every aspect of his life, it’s hard to feel much other than pity for him.  It’s clear that Patty (Diane Lane) will not be part of his future, nor will the gang he inherited from The Motorcycle Boy (brilliantly underplayed by Rourke).  He is emotion chained to a desire to do something with no guiding thoughtfulness.  Surrounded by people that are smarter than he is and/or more lost than he is (Hopper’s Father character is one of the saddest and most pathetic of the actor’s career.  What Rusty James needs is everything Father isn’t.)

But “The Outsiders” is about what “Rumble Fish” isn’t.  In the former, the “lost boys” have found a family.  One with strong (if flawed) parental models. For this movie, they are in search of one, even as its clear none of them understands the concept.  There’s a huge overlap in setting, story and cast, but Coppola takes a different approach here.  The movie is darker in style, with lots of smoke and shadows.  Shot in black and white almost exclusively, the one injection of color late in the movie adds to the unreality of Rusty James’ and The Motorcycle Boy’s vision of his world.

Special nods to the performances of Laurence Fishburne as Midget, Tom Waits as Benny, and William Smith as a chilling Patterson the Cop.

Beautiful, moody, filled with outstanding performances, but not as engaging as its predecessor.  Still the work of a master director at his peak.

Rating **** Recommended