Applying Sid Field's theory to Fatal Attraction/Steve Baker's Ideology

What is Syd Field's Plot Structure and applying it to Fatal Attraction?

Act 1 - The Setup: Field claims this is the most important part of the film as judging by the first ten minutes the audience will decide whether they like the film or not. The opening therefore should show the audience the main character and get across the style of the film. For instance in Fatal attraction we are shown Dan (Michael Douglas) at home with his family in a near perfect setting. Here we start to like his character as we see he is a caring family man who loves both his wife and daughter very dearly. We as the audience can also presume from these opening ten minutes that the film will not be very stylised and will therefore be played out like a typical 'Hollywood Thriller' (i.e. eventual happy ending, linear narrative structure etc).

After this and during the next 3o minutes, Field believes that the problem facing the hero/heroin should come to light. In the case of Fatal Attraction we see Dan the chemistry between Dan and Alex (Glenn Close) and them eventually having a passionate affair. This is a problem on it's own for Dan, but when Alex slits her wrists, it reaches another level. It is from this point which we realise that Alex is not stable and this also shocks the audience and makes them want to watch more.

Act 2 - The Confrontation: Field Believes this should be the longest part of the film and is where the hero confronts the enemy more and more and finds themselves helpless against them. Eventually there will be a turning point where the hero starts to get his own back but they will still have a long way to go before beating their obstacles. In Fatal Attraction this is where Alex makes numerous attempts to sabotage Dan's relationship with Beth (Anne Archer), by calling his home, making threats, boiling the pet rabbit etc. The turning point would therefore be when Dan explain's the whole situation to Beth, as Alex has lost her power over him.

Act 3 - The Resolution: Field believes in the final part of the film the hero will finally take control in the struggles with their problems (often by going to confront the enemy on their own home territory) and will finally overcome his obstacle. This in Fatal Atrraction is exactly what happens as first Dan goes to see Alex round her flat and threatens to kill her. after this she then goes to his house with the intent to kill and ends up getting shotin the chest and killed by Beth - therefore resolving the problem.

The Film's Ideology

The film overall seems to have a very anti-women theme, as it is a woman who is the problem in the film and a woman who must be eliminanted in order to gain a new equilibrium.

The main underlying message about women in the film seems to be that a woman's place is in the home with her family and not being single and driven by work. This is shown by the contrast between Alex and Beth. Even through mise en scene we can tell that they are different. Alex for example is frequently dressed in black suits as she begins to fall into insanity, whilst Beth wears white dresses. Even the relationship between the two Dan shows the difference. With Alex and Dan, their relationship is purely sexual and there is nothing else. In comparison in one scene we see Dan at his happiest just looking at his wife Beth combing her hair in the mirror, which makes Alex seem 'slutty' in comparison to pure Beth.