At Any Price

At Any Price is a film which encourages discussion about a variety of topics -- from the condition of our farming communities today to the kind of ethical choices we each have to make throughout our lives. The setting of the film is a farming community in the US where Henry, the main protagonist, is a seed salesman. Henry is also a farmer trying to expand his property holdings and he is willing to acquire land in any way available to him -- sometimes in unscrupulous ways.

The main characters of the film struggle with ethical issues. You get a sense of who they are by the choices they make, particularly the choices made in crisis situations. Holding a position of control over all the main characters is the seed company which provides genetically modified seed to the farmers. The seed company "controls life" in many ways -- genetically and otherwise. One senses the farming communities of the past have been destroyed by these modern seed companies. Communities of farmers no longer work together for their mutual survival, such as helping each other during harvest time, instead farmers are in competition with each other for their very survival.

As we are introduced to each character, we come to know them by the choices they make. Many of the choices they make are disappointing, some choices flout the law. Everyone seems locked into a way of life different from that of the past -- where each individual used to be very much a part of a larger, supportive community. In present times, it's everyone out for him or herself. We are shown how each character survives by controlling others – Henry gains control of his son by helping him commit a crime, Henry’s wife gains control over Henry by learning the details about the death of a young man, and a young farmer who lost his living, gains control over Henry by threatening him with the loss of all his assets.  

One senses only two individuals escape the confining and unscrupulous group of characters depicted in the film: Henry’s son Grant, who is off climbing mountains in South America, and Dean's girlfriend who leaves for "the West." Both of these characters are depicted as having an innate sense of “right” and “wrong”, and they leave the farming community to protect this precious part of themselves. In a postcard home to his parents, Grant writes about his experience of being on a mountain top, “this must be what God feels like!” And Dean’s girlfriend, who has been ill-treated by both her parents, makes it clear she does not deserve to be ill-treated by her boyfriend Dean. She chooses, instead, to seek out another type of life.  

Whether or not one one likes At Any Price, it is a great one for fostering discussion. The SLR Friends of the Hyland had a lively talk after the film, and few laughs as well. Sitting out on the Wortley Roadhouse patio after the film, was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.  Hope you can join us next time.
Joanne.