"The Mask" 1985

“Mask”

The one with Eric Stoltz and Cher, not the one with Jim Carrey. But I own the other one so I will have to admit I have seen it as well.

It is Sam Elliott’s birthday and I have seen him in a lot of movies, but “Mask” is my favorite. Cher as Rusty Dennis is good, but she tends to play the same character in a lot of movies. Eric Stoltz in unrecognizable as Rocky Dennis and still manages to act his hind end off.

But why did I have a crush on Sam Elliott? What do you know, another bad boy with a heart of gold. He has the motorcycle, the tight jeans and the mustache. He smiles that crooked grin and you understand why Rusty can’t resist him. Plus the free mustache rides. Which my naïve younger self didn’t understand the first time I saw the movie.

I remember the original trailer. You don’t see any of the actors. You see some pictures. But you never see Rocky’s face. You don’t see it for several minutes into the movie. In those days they didn’t give it all away in the trailer.

It begins peeking through the windows, seeing flashes of a flannel shirt, hands grabbing items for school, Bob Segar cranked. When we finally see his face, it is shocking. We see it reflected on screen as Rusty’s “date” reacts to him as well. But then Rocky is surrounded by his people. A motorcycle gang pulls up, ready to protect him.

There is a lot of love in the movie. Rusty and Gar. Rocky and Dozer. The grandparents and Rocky.

But the real love story is the one between mother and son. Rusty and Rocky are both parent and child in the relationship trading roles as needed. Rusty pushes him even when it would be easier to shield him and protects him like a lioness when he needs it. Rocky pushes back and forces her to face responsibility, but is reduced to a child when she holds him and makes him talk his horrific headaches away.

These things are good:
ice cream and cake,
a ride on a harley,
seeing monkeys in the trees,
the rain on my tongue,
and the sun shining on my face.
These things are a drag:
dust in my hair,
holes in my shoes,
no money in my pocket,
and the sun shining on my face.

It is a sweet, funny and sad movie. But ultimately it’s about living life to the fullest.