Intermission: Movie makes argument against death penalty

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Jim Wunderle is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician.|ret||ret||tab|

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Few subjects that deal with the very fiber of American society are more divisive than the issue of capital punishment. Reasonable and rational arguments have been made on both sides of the fence.|ret||ret||tab|

Many studies show that the practice is not a deterrent to crime and opponents point to the adage that two wrongs don't make a right. But a lot of people still believe in another timeless adage: An eye for an eye.|ret||ret||tab|

One thing that will always burn in the minds of the undecided is the fact that no system is perfect and there's a good chance that once in awhile someone will be executed who is, in fact, innocent of the charges. Is it worth the mathematical certainties? If one innocent person is put to death because of a fallible system, is that enough to scrap the entire process?|ret||ret||tab|

These are hard questions, indeed, and ones that have been the subject of surprisingly few films. "Dead Man Walking" was a powerful piece against the death penalty and "The Executioner's Song" was equally substantive for the other point of view.|ret||ret||tab|

With "The Life of David Gale," director Alan Parker makes a strong argument in the "against" column and with the help of great actors, does so fairly convincingly. The screenplay itself might be faulted for being blindly one-sided, but the execution (no pun intended) that Parker and his company manage is flawless.|ret||ret||tab|

Kevin Spacey, who deserves nothing less than a Lifetime Achievement Oscar for his performance in "American Beauty," is the perfect actor for the title role in "The Life of David Gale." Gale is a left-leaning professor of philosophy at a Texas university and a leader of the anti-capital punishment group known as "Deathwatch." |ret||ret||tab|

The good professor first gets into trouble after a sexual indiscretion with a former student who accuses him (falsely) of rape. He loses his wife and son, his job and eventually, his position in Deathwatch. Alcoholism and desperation follow, but the big shoe drops when Gale finds himself accused and eventually convicted of the rape and murder of Constance Harraway, his friend and fellow anti-death penalty activist. |ret||ret||tab|

The story takes place several years after Gale's conviction as he nears the day of his own execution. |ret||ret||tab|

He's decided to tell his tale to a reporter from a major news magazine during the three days preceding his fate. Bitsey Bloom (I hate that name for some reason) is played by Kate Winslet, and as the reporter she goes into the entire affair assuming Gale is guilty. |ret||ret||tab|

She's there for the story and her career. |ret||ret||tab|

As Gale tells her and the audience by means of flashback what actually went on, she becomes more convinced that he is innocent. |ret||ret||tab|

It does seem rather ironic that the leading opponent of the death penalty in a state famous for the number of its executions now finds himself on death row. Surely there has to have been a conspiracy against Gale. |ret||ret||tab|

The most likely answer is the proponents of capital punishment have framed him to discredit the entire anti-death penalty movement, but other forces may be in play here as well. |ret||ret||tab|

In an effort not to spoil the film's effectiveness, several plot points cannot be discussed here. |ret||ret||tab|

Bitsey, in the little time she has, is being fed previously undisclosed evidence that seems to point to Gale's innocence. |ret||ret||tab|

On the day of his scheduled execution, she finds herself racing against the clock and dealing with people who might be either friend or foe, in a hectic attempt to stay the proceedings until the new facts can be sorted out. |ret||ret||tab|

This makes for a rather frantic last act in a film that, up until this time, has stayed fairly calm in its approach. By calm I don't mean to imply there's no level of intensity because there most certainly is. Director Parker, as well as the unerring Spacey, let it unfold at a steady, deliberate pace. Laura Linney, as Constance, proves again to be one of the finest actors working, and one wonders when her breakthrough role will finally come. |ret||ret||tab|

I doubt if "The Life of David Gale" will change anyone's position on the death penalty; it didn't change mine. But the movie will surely make the astute viewer ponder the profound questions surrounding this issue. |ret||ret||tab|

Wherever you stand on the issue, if you judge the film not on its message but on the skill with which it's presented, there's no doubt this is a finely crafted piece of filmmaking.|ret||ret||tab|

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