THE SETTLEMENT
Australia, 1983, 98 minutes, Colour.
Bill Kerr, John Jarratt, Lorna Lesley, Tony Barry.
Directed by Howard Rubie.
The Settlement is an interesting, entertaining and thoughtful movie of the early 80's. Set in Queensland in the mid 50's, it reflects the life style of the time as well as the attitudes. This is especially the case in a small country town, itinerants who are viewed with suspicion, moral judgments made, righteous condemnations made by professed Christians. In fact, the focus on the Catholic Church, the preaching of the Gospel, themes of forgiveness from the Gospel and the contrary behaviour of the women condemning the heroine are made quite strongly.
The film is well acted by a trio of Australian veterans, Bill Kerr, John Jarratt, Lorna Lesley. Not widely seen on its release, the film is, however, an interesting and helpful contribution to Australian consciousness.
1. Small budget, entertaining, the focus on people, period? A piece of Australiana?
2. The world of the 50's, re-creation of the period, the Jim Sharman Boxing Tent Carnivals, the small Queensland town, the atmosphere of industrial strikes, the churches, the Catholic Church, hotels, the details of life in the town? The musical score by Sven Libaek?
3. The title, the focus on the three central characters and people's reactions?
4. The quality of humour of the film, the interplay of characters, satirical observation? Serious themes and critique?
5. The theme of mateship, the carnival fights, money, travel, precarious existence? The young and the old? The importance of mateship, care, illness? Being together and sharing? Clashes? Joycie and her coming into the group? Changing the group, three mates? The question of morality, behaviour, understanding? Doing things for others, caring? Not concerned about reputation but reality? The end and the three together? Achievement?
6. The 50's and social attitudes, open attitudes and behaviour of the group, the closed doors? The police sergeant, his wife? Attitudes towards sexuality, the puritanical touches? Charity and lack of charity? The sergeant's wife and her severity, ordering him about? Standards? The narrow church attitudes? Lohan and the pyjamas? Women? Men's attitudes towards women - ogling, questions of rape? Drinking? Ordinary Australian attitudes - but...?
7. The picture of Catholicism? Traditional Catholicism of the 50's, the influence on women, on men? The Irish priest? The Church? The use of Gospel themes - not what goes into a person but what comes from the heart, Jesus and the accusations against the woman taken in adultery? Abstaining, charity, theology of marriage? The wife and her infatuation with the priest - but not knowing it? The priest and his influence? Sacrificial attitudes towards sexuality? Angers, repression, rash judgments? Literally taking up stones to destroy? The Australian traditions and the influence of the Catholic Church?
8. Jack Kearney and his long life, acquired wisdom? The boxing bouts? Coming to the town, honest? The night and the meal? His illness? Joycie and people's attitude towards her, judgment of her as a prostitute? The settlement? The pool con and the fights? At the settlement, agreeable, his love for Joycie, fatherly to Tom? The arrest? Tolerant of Joycie? The end, the return, being together? His strength of character, the larrikin to the wise man? His speech about standards and people who can't take it?
9. Tommy, young, the boxing, caring and naive, losing money? Joycie and the bottle? Care, his attitude towards women? Turning against Jack? Standards, modesty, swimming? In the town, the arrest? Joycie's bed? Love, leaving, return? The ending?
10. Joycie and the hotel, the bed and Lohan and the arrangements? The way she was treated, thought about? Her leaving? Helping Jack in his illness, the night, her frankness, reputation, seen with the money, the arrangement at the settlement, her relationship to Jack, to Tom? Selling the nugget, getting the blankets? Leaving, going back? The sergeant and sexuality? The confrontation with the women? Her decision to go? At the end?
11. The explicit parallels with Gospel themes?
12. Lohan and his wife, ordinary, lust, the hockey stick, the sergeant, the men? His wife?
13. The sergeant and law and order, the kids and the dancing, his wife, relationship with her, the church, the men in the town, the arrest, the aspects of sexuality, the end?
14. Mrs. Crowe - the priest, sandwiches, the church, sexuality, anger about the breakfast, with Jack, the Gospel of the woman taken in adultery, the priest and the kiss, her hat and gloves? The proper woman, the angers and the confrontation?
15. The people of the town, ordinary Australian attitudes? The blanket shop?
16. The background of the men, the strike, out of work, the games and the con tricks, the stolen sheep, the owner and his anger ?
17. The glimpse of the priest, Irish Catholicism, his attitude towards his parishioners, preaching, his Gospel message?
18. The quality of observation of characters and attitudes? A good natured film - but making judgment on puritanical intolerance?
