Released in 1996 the movie BOUND was the first directorial
effort by the Wachowski brothers who went on to direct the successful MATRIX
films. Having just written ASSASSINS they wanted to delve into directing and
chose this for their first film. A story involving two lesbians was considered
controversial at the time of release but in today’s world, with the exception
of their steamy love scene, would easily be found on episodic TV.
Gina Gershon plays Corky, a recently released lesbian
convict doing a restoration project of an apartment for a mobster. On her way
up to check the apartment out she meets the neighbors, Caesar (Joe Pantoliano)
a low level mobster and money launderer for the mob and his girlfriend Violet
(Jennifer Tilly). There is a bit of unspoken flirting that takes place between
the two women but nothing happens.
As Corky begins work on the apartment Violet stops by and
offers her a cup of coffee. More flirting goes on and it isn’t long before
Corky ends up in Violet’s apartment where the pair have a “stimulating”
conversation. Before things can progress Caesar arrives home and at first
thinks there is another man in the house before he realizes its Corky. Knowing
who she works for he offers her money which she takes, a way of imposing his
dominance over her.
The next day Violet stops by to apologize. Corky assumes she
is apologizing for letting things go as far as they did but instead Violet is
apologizing for them not going further. The pair embrace and a full-fledged
love scene follows with both of the women enjoying the sexual experience of
being with one another. The scene is played to the erotic with little
sensationalism on display.
In bed together the pair begin to talk about things that
have transpired. A money counter named Shelly, who Violet has also slept with,
has stolen $2 million from the mob. Local boss Mickey (John P. Ryan), hot head
Johnnie (Christopher Meloni) and Caesar were questioning him in Caesar’s
bathroom in a brutal interrogation that involves a pair of pruning shears.
Going where the money is Johnnie shot Shelly once it was recovered, covering
the money in blood. Caesar snapped and punched Johnnie, a relationship with no
love lost between the two boiling over.
With the money on hand to be literally laundered before mob
boss Gino Marzzone arrives to collect it, Corky and Violet come up with a plan
to steal the money, send Caesar on the run and come up clean without fear of
mob retaliation. Their plan involve Caesar thinking Johnnie stole the money and
then taking him out. But their plan doesn’t go quite the way they intended and
it isn’t long before Caesar comes up with a plan of his own.
The title describes so many different things here. On one
hand Violet is bound to Caesar, a slave to his affections and a lifestyle that
involves being his plaything at his whim. It also describes her sexuality, a
woman who loves women but who pretends to love men to get the things she wants.
Bound also describes Corky who is tied up with no place to go and no job accept
that she was provided. For Corky it also literally describes her predicament
later in the film when Caesar has her tied up in Violet’s closet. All of the
characters here are bound in one way or another and reason for the title is apparent
as the story unfolds.
The movie is fascinating in the fact that it is the classic
film noir type story but with the lesbian twist added to it. In spite of that
the movie doesn’t use that as a plot device any more than it would if the
couple were a straight couple as the genre has used many times in the past. As
with many films in the genre we have two lovers plotting to steal money and lay
the blame elsewhere knowing that death for their patsy will follow. The
question of their morality doesn’t lie in their sexual choices but in their
criminality. That the brothers could develop a story and keep it on track
without the sensationalism it could have had is a tribute to their skills as
directors/story writers.
All three lead actors here offer amazing performances. Tilly
has always been saddled with the stupid bimbo roles in the past but she
presents Violet as a seductress with smarts, trapped in a world from which she
wants to escape. Gershon has been the gorgeous babe in so many movies yet here
she trades that in for a more butch type dyke role as described by some
feminists. And Pantoliano has never been slimier or more threatening than he is
here.
Olive Films is offering the movie on blu-ray format with a
new high definition restoration of the film. Not only that they’ve added a
number of extras that fans of the films or those just discovering it like
myself can enjoy. Those extras include an audio commentary track with the
Wachowskis, Pantoliano, Tilly and Gershon, film editor Zach Staenberg and technical
consultant Susie Bright, PART AND PARCEL with titles designer Patti Podesta,
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU AND ME with B. Ruby Rich and Jen Moorman, HERE’S
JOHNNY! with Christopher Meloni, FEMME FATALES with Gershon and Tilly, MODERN
NOIR: THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF BOUND with cinematographer Bill Pope, editor
Staenberg and composer Don Davis, the theatrical trailer and an essay by
Guinevere Turner.
Movie lovers, especially those who adore the film noir
genre, will thoroughly enjoy this film. It is well paced, well directed, well
written, well shot and entertaining from start to finish. But know going in
what to expect. Those offended by the inclusion of homosexuality will find this
one a movie to avoid. While the movie includes that and the main characters are
involved in a romance, it is not the focus of the film but it is there. Olive
has done a wonderful job with this release and I recommend it for those who
feel they will enjoy it.
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