Good Neighbours

David Thompson on Robert Altman - David Thompson, editor of 'Altman on Altman' and producer of the BBC's 'Robert Altman in England', talks about The Long Goodbye's place in Altman's filmography.

According to the Ramayana they were born from the foot of the creator, Brahma, the four headed god. Barney, a sleazy waitress with gambling debts, Bobby, a hidden cam voyeur and 'INDY'film maker, Andy, an ersatz intellectual and a master manipulator, and McDuffie, a mousy, powerless bean counter cross each others paths' in their current incarnation. Fired from her waitressing job and facing the unwholesome prospect of defaulting on her gambling debts, Barney takes up an assignment as a Nanny in the McDuffie household. A flimsy,juvenile gamble throws their life into an unexpected spin and brings everyone's true colors to the surface. Is McDuffie the mousey, powerless bean counter that Barney thinks him to be or is he a suburban Machiavelli plotting his own destiny? Would Andy and Bobby remain her friends or turn against her given the stakes involved? Animated by lust, anger,avarice, passion, false pride and deception they each pursue their goals devoid of morals. They were cruel and wicked humans in a past life. Are they any different this time around? Born From the Foot is an engaging examination of base stock and the permutations and combinations of their tamasic acts.

Arthur Putnam is a writer of psychological-crime novels who is beginning to feel his literary inspiration drying up. His latest novel is supposed to be his swan song. However, as is often the case with people for whom a heightened imagination is almost daily bread, it is often difficult to separate fiction from reality.