Posted by Jan den Breejen on December 23, 1998 at 06:28:06:
Catholic Sister Helen (Susan Saradon), a nun who's abandoned her priviledged background to live and work with the poor of New Orleans, is asked by her E2 boss to write to a man on death row. Her pen pal, Mathhew Poncelet (Sean Penn), asks her to help him file an appeal to his sentence. Though he was convicted of taking part in the rape and murder of a young couple - his E8 cruel partner in crime received a life sentence, apparently for no better reason than he had a sharper lawyer - Poncelet says he didn't kill; but only looked on. Sister Helen is drawn into the case and, as the execution date approaches, she takes on a mission, to get Poncelet to admit his guilt and regret his actions before he dies. The movie shows how E6's take one side in their need for truth, as determined by their need for security; while the less emotional healthy E1 chartacter sees the multi-faceted character of truth and tries to be virtuous from all points of view. Of course the latter causes more emotional/energy drain and stress. The close relation between the E1 and E6 character however is also shown by Chaplain Farley who is an E1 with many E6 traits too.
The characters analyzed:
MATTHEW PONCELET (played by Sean Penn): E8
E8's allergy for weakness in himself and others shows clearly. He's worried about his body getting weak and fat in his small cell so that he will look like a pig when executed. He denies his weaknesses and looks macho as a result: 'I don't take their medicine (against stress); I'll look death right in the eyes'. He's non emotional, tough, rough, blunt and when he first meets Helen he tests her by humuliation and provocation: 'You work with poor people, your father was a lawyer...who is crazy, you or me...' He is insensitive, has little empathy (denial of weakness) and is so 'honest' that he talks about Hitlers strenght as a leader and lazyness of blacks when on tv; this obviously works against him but he still says what he thinks/feels. He's also lustfull; excessive use of drugs and booze and not sleeping for nights happened before the murder. He and his E8 soulmate were terrorizing the neighbourhood for weeks. Denial: 'I won't let them break me...', 'You know, I've got my pride, I will kiss nobodies ass'. When he has tested Helen he respects her strenght of character; 'You've got guts, you live in a neighbourhood where niggers are all around...I respect that (strenght)'. 'I think me and Jesus have different ways of doing with things...turning the other cheek...' Helen compares Matthew with the E8 woman hating actor W.C. Fields; when asked why he read the bible 'I am looking for a loophole' (E8's are very I-centered). He hates niggers because of their perceived lazyness (i.e. weakness: 'slavery has been long over and they allways complain about what a bad deal they've got...they make themselves victims...these lazy welfare misusers...'. But he respects M.L. King; 'he wasn't lazy' and Matthew also hates lazy white people (when Helen asked him.)
SISTER HELEN PREJEAN (played by Susan Saradon): E1
She's chosen to become a nun; reaction formation (containment of feelings) is more or less inherent in this 'job' because of the need for self discipline on sex: celibacy. The symbol you often see in todays New Age shops that best represents E1 is the unicorn; an purely white animal representing stainless virtue. Sister Helen is a 'woman with a mission' and certainly has a virtuous aura. She's also a teacher; which matches the 'preach and teach' traits of E1. Helen is morally enraged by Matthew's racist statements and about his insensitivity regarding the torment of the parents of the murdered couple. But: she also forget about the parents suffering at first when she was obsessed with the fate of Matthew!! So she punishes him verbally for her own unconscious feelings of guilt. This is the hypocritical tinge of E1's. 'you are RIGHT, but she's your mama, she SHOULD have the opportunity to speak for her child if she wants to...'(moralistic). We see also the E1-ish feelings of guilt (i.e. of not having met her own high standards) with Helen; (Why did you become a nun?)'Well, I got a lot of love and support when I was a child, and I felt OBLIGED to do something back'. She is morally offended by Matthew's uninhibited expressions of sexual need towards her: 'I am not here for your amusement (the ultimate allergy of entranced E1's, who value emotional restrictiveness)...show some respect (a word E1's and E6's both often use)...because I am a person and every person DESERVES respect...'. For E1's work comes before play; and idleness is a sin: 'Redemption is not a free admission ticket because Jesus paid the price...you've got some work to do...You shall know the truth and the truth will make you free...'(moralistic idealism.)
CHAPLAIN FARLY (played by Scott Wilson): E1-6
He's a religious moralistic man, very preachy-teachy; high standards ('are you up to this?') but in a cool self assured way (E6 preachers seem to have a fire in their head burning which makes them xenofobic paranoid fundamentalists) He criticizes Helen about her behavior; she's not wearing a habit as prescribed by authority ('You are aware of the papal requests regarding garments?')and she's naive about helping Matthew; 'Do you know what you are getting into?...So what IS it sister? A morbid fascination? (it's someting between analytical curiosity of E1 Hannibal Lector and the paranoid inquisitiveness of E6's); 'there is no romance here sister, they are all con man and want to take advantage of you, you MUST be very careful...DO YOU UNDERSTAND?...if you ignore authority you will encourage them to do the same...' A self righteous man. We see the meeting of E1 and E6 states of mind with regard to rules; E1's tend to make/prescribe them (analytical) and E6 to follow (emotional). He's too self righteous and confident to be an E6, but it's close indeed.
HILTON BARBER (the old pro-Matthew lawyer played by Robert Prosky): E9-2
He allways want to prevent people getting angry; to keep a low profile; and he is both fatalistic and sometimes too optimistic (towards Matthew; doesn't want him to get upset, so he points to remaining loopholes) because of a cocoon around his mind which causes a time lag for shocking news. I think this cocoon theory also explains Clinton's lying in the Lewinsky case; it narcotised poor Bill away from reality.) Hilton has epic stories in court, '...the death penalty is not new...etc', he's absorbed in his own thoughts (E9-5 connection) an not realistic to placate Matthew ('we still can...')This E9 is no match in the competitive arena with his legal adversery; a slick E3 who speaks a few effectfull focussed sentences to the jury which cause the image manipulation needed for reaching his goal of his clients: getting Matthew fried.
EARL DELACROIX (this name has a hidden association with the famous painter of executions of communists in the Spainish civil war?)(played by Raymond J. Barry): E1
A lot of e1's in this movie: this guarantees a lot of heated arguments. The other over-represented enneatype is E6; guarantees a fearful atmosphere. Delacroix is the father of the murdered boy; he's stern and rigid but we see so much sensitivity under this hard vulcanic behavioral layer. He's judgemental, opinionated and critical towards Helen: 'Me call you? Think about that sister, about how arrogant that is!' He looks a bit un-emotional; more worried about the loss of the only possibility of contining his family name, than about the suffering of his son. He's without tact and diplomacy; 'You are afraid' and 'Are you communist?'. Compulsive: 'I am sorry about the mess' (!!)
Earl has a cool distant aura; analytical mindset; about his divorce; '...not so special, most parents that loose a child split up;... 70%'
SISTER COLLEEN (played by Margo Martindale): E2-9
Helping and advising character: 'I still love you!' (while holding Helen's hand.) Colleen voluntary buys Helen a suit to give to Matthew.
THE GOVERNOUR: E3
Same character archetype as Israeli president Nethanyahu; does and says what works at the moment (i.e. opportunistic); slick career man; 'I must forget my personal views (on the death penalty)... and listen to the people (marketing orientation; he's on tv)'
THE BLACK RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY IN THE CHURCH: E6-ISH
getting security by following the rules of the bible, by being the humble servant of allmighty authority God
CLYDE AND MARY BETH PERCY: both E6
E6's identify with other people and become emotionally addicted/depending on them; so this E6 casting of the parents intensifies the drama. Mary Beth wanted to identify the body of her daughter: 'I just had to be sure...I had to be sure' and her father has contra-fobic impulses, thinking about shooting Matthew (self sacrificial out of loyalty); he also thinks in friend/foe terms; pro or contra; (towards Helen:)'You can't have it both way's, befriend the murderer and visit our house' E6s want to have things nice and simple in their heads to prevent their tendency towards endless worrying. 'He's god's mistake; a monster' (diabolization of the enemy)
MRS LUCILLE PONCELET (Mathew's mother played by Roberta Maxwell): fobic E6
Paranoid and dependent on son; 'Are you SURE you are a sister?...You are not from the tv?...You're sure?...How do you know Matty? (suspicious)...So what do you want?'
HELEN'S MOTHER: E1
another preachy character; stern woman comparable to Rose's mother from Titanic; 'a full heart SHOULDN'T follow an empty head'. Her father is an E6?
That's all folks. Comments are very welcome.
Seasons greetings from Jan