Guarding Tess

Guarding Tess is one of those films I find myself re-watching now and again, or stopping on when I see it on TV. It’s a pretty sentimental film by two actors whom I don’t think would normally be paired with each other, but it works for me.

The story takes place in the Maryland home of a former first lady, Tess Carlisle, played by Shirley MacLaine. In public, Tess is beloved by the common people, but in private, she is a demanding woman. She is now an aging widow, and her security is provided reluctantly by Secret Service agent (“SPECIAL agent,” he makes a point to say) Douglas Chesnic (Nicolas Cage) and his staff, who worked for her President husband when he was alive. The plot details the change in attitude of both Tess and Doug, and how they come to see each other in a different light after a long-term prickly relationship.

Doug sees this assignment as unchallenging and demeaning, and when his current tour ends, hopes to be re-assigned to something more exciting and befitting the skills of a Secret Service agent. But Tess calls in favors to the current president—her husband’s former vice president—to keep Doug servicing her. Doug naturally is perturbed but can’t do much about the situation, so he resolves at first to do things by the book. Neither character gives very much to the other and pushes things as far as they can.

Tess also has other staff working at her home, a chauffeur (Austin Pendleton) who is employed by the Secret Service but is loyal to her, and a nurse (Richard Griffiths) and personal secretary (Susan Blommaert) who provide color to the cast of characters. Doug is also supported by his team of men, played by David Graf and others (this film was directed and co-written by the guy who directed and co-wrote the original Police Academy movie, which also starred Graf).  Character actors play the majority of the supporting cast.

We come to see in a couple segments that Tess has an estranged relationship with her son (Edward Albert) who seeks to use the goodwill of her beloved public personality but otherwise has no authentic son-like feelings toward her, and that she sees Doug as her son-figure instead. Doug comes to understand that her unrelatable behavior hides insecurity and fear and he ultimately is her protector and helps maintain her image despite her apparent rudeness toward him.

There is a lot of big budget-sounding patriotic and sentimental music that guides the viewer along. This is about as real a person I’ve seen Nic Cage play, so unlike what his outrageous roles have been lately. He gives the right amount of respect as per Doug’s training and professionalism, as well as repressed (and then not so repressed) anger at his situation, yet still is able to show the desperation and his caring when Tess is in danger. Shirley MacLaine as expected plays a pretty sassy “old lady” who refuses to give up, and equally the sadness and regret Tess shows behind closed doors. The dynamic between the two actors and characters are well-played and I think helps to make the sappiness less apparent.