I spent this evening at The Brattle in Harvard Square watching Paris, Texas. For those unfamiliar with the movie, it represented Harry Dean Stanton's only starring role until his final film Lucky which was released in 2016, a year before he died at the age of 91.
I'm not sure when I first saw Paris, Texas but the image of Stanton dressed in a red baseball cap, a tattered and torn suit sporting a beard and sunken eyes is an image that remains with me and I think of on a semi-regular basis. Stanton plays a drifter named Travis Henderson who has gone silent and appears to have repressed his memory. Naturally one is curious to know from what he is running and how did he get here.
Indeed, Travis' brother Walt (played by the recently departed Dean Stockwell) tries to get to the bottom of those very questions without success as he takes him from the barren landscape of Texas to the concrete jungle which surrounds Los Angeles. Walt and his wife Anne (played by French actress Aurore Clement) are raising Travis' son Hunter (played by Hunter Carson, the son of screenwriter L.M. Kit Carson and actress Karen Black). Anne and Hunter are more successful in getting Travis to gradually open up. This was Carson's film debut and he was all of 7-years old. This was clearly a child but he came off as curious without being cute or annoying.
Aside from Travis' appearance, there is also the appearance of the American landscape - rural, urban and suburban. Much of it as ragged as Travis but somehow carries on and beneath the layers there is a hint of beauty. Directed by German filmmaker Wim Wenders, he shows an America that only an outsider could show. That landscape is augmented by the musical genius of Ry Cooder whose bleak and yet delicate arrangements make for one of the most unheralded film soundtracks of the 20th century. Paris, Texas would win the Palme d'Or at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival, but was never nominated for any Academy Awards. Aside from acting, directing and original soundtrack, Paris, Texas ought to have been nominated for the cinematography alone. But awards are just as easily forgotten as anything else. An exceptional work of art stands the test of time - awards or no awards.
Travis and Hunter go from California to Texas in search of Jane (played by Nastassja Kinski) - Travis' ex and Hunter's mom. When Travis and Jane reunite it is Jane whose memories have drifted and who does not recognize the voice of the man who fathered her son until his quiet eloquence shares stories only he could tell and that only she knew. But for her, every man's voice sounds like Travis.
In relaying these memories, Travis knows the three of them cannot reunite. He would be in their way and history would likely repeat itself. But he brings mother and son together and with that mission accomplished he drives off into the Texas night. Where he's going is impossible to know. Perhaps that little plot of land in Paris, Texas he bought in the hope of living together as a family. But most likely some other place preferably one, as Sam Shepard put it, without language or streets.
I must admit that as much as cherish the film I didn't remember much of it. Perhaps this is a byproduct of age. Or perhaps my memories have drifted. But this is not an entirely bad thing because while some parts of the film are deeply ingrained other parts are like watching a whole new experience and getting something out of it. Hopefully this memory won't drift away so easily.
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