indian summer

have you ever watched a movie that you love and then suggest it to friends and family to find that you appear to be the only person who enjoys the film? i have two movies like this, one of them is a small, quiet, sleeper film called indian summer. it is a film i watched on accident, and fell in love with. the dialogue, characters and pace all resonate deeply with me, but do not seem to do anything for anyone else i know. that has always made me sad, because i think of it as wonderful film that i would love to share with someone.

the movie begins with a group of friends returning to the summer camp of their youth at the invitation of the long time camp manager. unca lou (alan arkin) is more than a manager, he is the heart and soul of the camp. he “is” the camp and was part of the campers lives as they grew into the people they would later become. he has now invited a select group back for a long weekend, but only a few of them have returned.

at the first dinner of the weekend they are told the camp is closing. unca lou feels he has lost touch with the kids, he is going to retire and the camp will be shut. this brings to front the emotional insecurities of 30 something former campers who use unca lou as a pillar of stability in their personal lives. the thought of the camp not existing is like realizing a loved relative is about to die.

this plot is truly a vehicle to allow the issues of adulthood; death, commitment, infidelity, professional stress and personal dissatisfaction to be highlighted and exposed. different characters represent different emotional issues, but the collection does not seem overwhelming. the characters play off each other in perfect harmony; they feel like a group of friends with history among each other. this history provides both the motivations for and the acceptance of each others actions. the timing and pace of movie reflects the ease with which friends interact with each other, without the guarded and careful manners of new acquaintances.

here is an example:

jamie ross: do you wanna dance?
jennifer morton: i shouldn't. i shouldn't jamie. i mean it. you're scum.
jamie ross: i'm not sure. is that a yes?
jennifer morton: yeah, that's a yes.

or

jamie ross: if i have to dive into this water and swim over to you, you're gonna be a sorry little girl.
gwen daugherty: i'm already sorry. [jamie leaves]
gwen daugherty: i hope i didn't offend any of you. jamie needs to learn that he shouldn't over-wind his toys. [leaves]
jennifer morton: i gotta tell you. i like her. i like her a lot.

it is dialogue like this that makes the film for me. add to the dialogue a wonderful cast, one full of beautiful women such as diane lane, julie warner, kimberly williams. each of these woman are worth the time to watch the film, together they are wonderful. add to this kevin pollak, bill paxton, matt craven and the senior statesmen alan arkin who leads the cast with a soft elegance of someone comfortable in their trade.

although the dialogue and cast are wonderful, the movie is made better by the images of the camp -- a camp which really exists in canada and is famous for some of its former alums -- shot is soft autumn colors of red and yellow. the images of the lake the camp is on are consistently bathed in warm colors and shimmering lighting. it makes one long to be on the lake to share the camp experience.

the movie invokes the feeling of fall by highlighting the loss of youth, and the coming bitterness of middle age, but at the same time uses hope and rebirth to show that even after fall and winter, spring will bring the a renewal of the continuation of the seasons. this is not meant to sound heavy, the material is light hearted and warm. the friends share memories and new stories from their lives in a comfortable and caring way.

what has brought this movie to mind is that i was discussing films with someone the other day and i was surprised we enjoyed so many of the same films. i thought of this film and realized it was test. “indian summer, i love that movie” was the response. these are the types of connections that make relationships easy to have, much like the campers in the movie.