Trouble in Mind **** (1985, Kris Kristofferson, Keith Carradine, Geneviève Bujold, Lori Singer, Divine) – Classic Movie Review 12,602

Writer/ director Alan Rudolph’s neglected 1985 American neo-noir film Trouble in Mind is one of this exciting film-maker’s best movies. starring Kris Kristofferson, Keith Carradine, Geneviève Bujold, and Lori Singer, plus a non-drag Divine.

Kris Kristofferson stars as ex-cop Hawk, just released from jail after eight years on a murder rap, who returns to his old haunt Wanda’s Cafe, run by his former love, Wanda (Geneviève Bujold), and the mean streets of the fictional Rain City, filmed in older areas of Seattle. Keith Carradine plays Coop, who crosses the town mob boss, Hilly Blue (Divine), leading to a shootout at Hilly’s mansion.

The film is stylish and haunting, as well as tastily quirky and engagingly offbeat – and quintessentially Alan Rudolph. It’s full of memorable performances from another one of Rudolph’s hand-picked special casts.

The music is arranged by Mark Isham, who accompanies Marianne Faithfull on the 1920s blues standard ‘Trouble in Mind’ at the start of the film, which ends with Faithfull singing a love song.

The cast are Kris Kristofferson as Hawk (John Hawkins), Keith Carradine as Coop, Lori Singer as Georgia, Geneviève Bujold as Wanda, Joe Morton as Solo, Divine as Hilly Blue, George Kirby as Lieutenant Gunther, John Considine as Nate Nathanson, Dirk Blocker as Rambo, Albert Hall as Leo, Gailard Sartain as Fat Adolph, and Robert Gould as Mardy Stoog,

On a budget of $3 million, it took $19,632 at the box office. Talk about neglected!

Hilly Blue’s mansion is the Seattle Art Museum (now the Seattle Asian Art Museum) in Seattle’s Volunteer Park. Peter R Tromp performs Telemann’s Fantasia No. 6, Autumn from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Biber’s Passacaglia, and Reveille in scenes filmed at the Seattle Art Museum.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,602

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