MOVIES | Paul Thomas Anderson | 1999

And the book says, we may be through with the past, but the past ain't through with us

Magnolia, a sprawling, pivotal work from Paul Thomas Anderson, who took on both writing and directing duties. It forms a crucial part of his "American Trilogy," following There Will Be Blood (early 20th century) and The Master (mid-20th century).

While There Will Be Blood is a Nietzschean, and Nihilistic film, and The Master explores Scientology themes, Magnolia provides a Biblical resonance about the modern world, exploring the end of the century with its disconnectedness and eventual release from our past burdens.

The films' creation came about after the significant success of Boogie Nights, granting Anderson considerable freedom from the studio to pursue this ambitious project.

#### Key Themes

##### The Power of the Past:

The film primarily explores the enduring impact of child abuse, trauma and family dysfunction. The main characters all suffer from traumatic past that shaped their present, and their arcs follow each of them as they confront and reconcile their pasts. The past is never truly over; it continues to affect individuals.

##### Fate, Free Will, and Cause and Effect:

Magnolia delves into ideas of destiny and human agency. Modern secular people often see life as a series of random sequences of cause and effect, where individuals have little to no control. The film shows how strange and unlikely events happen constantly, appearing less as chance and more as orchestrated fate.

##### Cosmic Irony:

A central concept in the film, cosmic irony describes situations where God, as fate, intervenes to create ironic and unexpected outcomes, putting them back on their path once they accept their place - their self, their past, and their lack of control.

##### Regret and Acceptance:

Embracing regret can be a powerful tool for moving forward. Characters are unable to escape their past actions and must ultimately face them. Acceptance of the uncontrollable nature of existence is presented as a path to greater contentment and gratitude.

##### Self-Awareness:

Magnolia often breaking the fourth wall. The film acknowledges its characters as fictional constructs, implying a puppeteer-like influence of cosmic irony on their narratives. This is subtly conveyed through characters being introduced on a television set, speaking as if broadcasting philosophy to the audience, or even looking directly at the camera.

#### Narrative Structure and Symbolism

The film opens with three true stories of incredibly unlikely events, initially presented as matters of chance. However, by the third story, it is acknowledged that such occurrences "cannot be one of those things" and are instead indicative of something more.

The movie opens with a weather report displayed on screen, alludes to our best guesses and undermined by human, with all our experts - we are inadequate to master nature, to know Gods will, and to be in control over our whole lives.

The montage of characters, each lonely and victimised by their pasts and the unfair game of cause and effect.

And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs

The climax of the film involves a biblical disaster: frogs rain down from the sky across the entire city, forcing the characters to confront the culmination of their stories. This event is not random but ties each character together, with all the seemingly disparate stories converge, offering an exodus (pun intended) from their plights.

#### Key Characters

##### Donnie Smith:

Once a child genius, he suffered brain damage after being struck by lightning. His parents stole his game show winnings, leaving him struggling with debt. His plan to rob his boss culminates in a moment of cosmic irony when the raining frogs cause him to lose his teeth. He is later rescued by Officer Jim and persuaded to return the stolen money.

##### Frank T.J. Mackey:

A controversial pickup artist who advocates for forgetting the past and aggressively taking control of one's future. Initially portraying himself as a god-like figure immune to influence, he is eventually forced to confront his abusive father, revealing the deep-seated pain that defines him. His arc symbolises the film's message of accepting and processing regret. His eventual visit to his dying father, aided by the frog storm, grants both men a crucial moment of closure. Tom Cruise's portrayal of Mackey is widely lauded as one of the great film performances, notable for its intensity and perceived parallels to Cruise's own life, including a difficult relationship with his father and a change of surname to distance himself from his family past.

##### Stanley Spector:

A boy genius competing on "What Do Kids Know?", he is miserable due to his abusive parents. Despite attempts to resist his predetermined path, he largely succumbs to his destiny, though he does briefly stand up to his father. He appears to possess an enlightened understanding of the events unfolding.

##### Jimmy Gator:

The game show host, dying of cancer, seeks reconciliation with his estranged daughter, Claudia, who despises him for his past actions. The frog storm prevents his suicide, forcing him to continue living with the consequences of his molestation of Claudia.

##### Officer Jim Kurring:

A well-meaning police officer, often oblivious to what is happening around him and prone to scolding others. Through his encounters, particularly with Claudia and Donnie, he learns to listen more attentively. The miraculous return of his lost gun during the frog storm enables him to complete a pivotal act of decency and reinforces his connection with Claudia.

##### Claudia Wilson Gator:

Jimmy's daughter, profoundly damaged and addicted to drugs due to her father's abuse. She struggles with feelings of unworthiness. The frog storm facilitates her ability to finally confide in her mother, beginning a process of healing.

##### Linda Partridge:

The trophy wife of a dying producer, Earl, she is consumed by guilt for her past infidelities and mercenary marriage. Despite her initial attempts to control her fate, even by attempting suicide, her actions are subverted by external events, leading to her rescue.

##### Earl Partridge:

A successful producer afflicted by terminal cancer, he is plagued by regrets, particularly abandoning his first wife and son (Frank). The frog storm provides a miraculous final opportunity for him to see his son before his death.

##### Phil Parma:

Earl's compassionate nurse, he plays a significant role in connecting Earl and Frank. Unlike other characters, Phil has no personal backstory or drama, acting primarily as a facilitator of the plot, sometimes perceived as an "angelic" figure who makes crucial decisions.

##### Dixon:

A seemingly supernatural child, Dixon possesses knowledge of future events and the lives of other characters. He provides cryptic clues through rap and intervenes in key moments, such as saving Linda and taking Jim's gun, which later reappears due to the frog storm. He functions as an "agent of the story."

#### Masonic and Biblical Allusions

Magnolia contains pervasive Masonic symbolism and biblical references. When we first meet the all-knowing 'Show Runner' character, he uses the Freemasonic phrase "We met upon the level and we're parting on the Square", and connects with characters moving through different planes of existence, embodying the symbolic meanings of Masonic principles.

Exodus 8:2 is a recurrent motif, with 8 and 2 appearing throughout the movies, of course this illuminates the film's climax to the ancient plague.

And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs

The plague of frogs in Exodus 8:2 was part of God's plan to demonstrate His supremacy, particularly over the Egyptian goddess Heqet, associated with frogs. As well as revealing God's power and character, it gave the Pharaohs a chance to repent, and restored the Israelites' faith and proving that the Egyptian earthly gods were powerless.

Donnie's wealthy boss is called Solomon, who shouts at Donnie - 'I gave you a f'ing chance, and a chance - over, and over again'- giving his wisdom to the Nietzschean railing against God.

A modern-day exodus.

#### Tom Cruise's Best Role?

Tom Cruise's portrayal of Frank T.J. Mackey in Magnolia is phenomenal.

Frank exhibits numerous significant parallels to Cruise's own life and public persona, making the role widely regarded as one of his most "honest" performances.

Mackey is introduced as a controversial pick-up artist who advocates for forgetting the past and aggressively taking control of one's future, presenting himself as a powerful, god-like, or rock star figure - in total control of his fate, and immune to influence.

This philosophy, which Frank preaches in his self-help speeches, contrasts with the film's overarching message of accepting the past and the uncontrollable nature of existence.

Mackey's character is profoundly defined by his past trauma, specifically the abandonment by his abusive father, who left him to care for his dying mother alone. He also changed his last name from Partridge to Mackey to distance himself from this past.

Similarly, Tom Cruise had a physically abusive father and, at 22, experienced his father dying of cancer, mirroring Mackey's scene at his father's death bed. Cruise also changed his original surname, Mapur, to Cruz, a decision that, despite his denials, was perceived to be related to his difficult relationship with his father.

When Cruise first read the script for Magnolia, he explicitly asked director Paul Thomas Anderson if he had known about these deeply personal details of his father, to which Anderson reportedly replied he did not.

Frank Mackey's character ultimately faces his father in an intensely emotional and largely improvised scene, revealing deep-seated rage, pain, and hatred, which provided a rare glimpse into some honesty for Cruise. This raw portrayal, including outbursts of rage, mirrored perceptions of Cruise's own occasional public displays of anger. The film's meta-awareness, where characters sometimes seem to acknowledge their fictional nature, subtly amplifies the idea of Cruise's public persona as a calculated performance, suggesting a blurring of lines between actor and character.