ROLL, FREDDY, ROLL

US, 1974, 90 minutes, Colour.
Tim Conway.
Directed by Bill Persky.

A conventional telemovie. It treats of families in contemporary society, marriage break-ups and the affection and attention of the children. This film focuses on a bumbling but intelligent computer expert who is trying to regain the affection and attention of his son who is in admiration of his new stepfather who is a flamboyant and media hungry personality. The world of advertising in shown as well as the world of computers - and the Navy's interest in them (as well as forecasts for the winning of football matches).

The title refers to the means whereby the father eventually gets the attention of hie son - winning the world record for staying on roller skates - for a week! There are some comic touches and the film is geared to the audience of popular television series. Tim Conway is an American-style comedian and the appeal of the whole film is very much for American audiences.

1. How entertaining a telemovie? The presentation of family life? Professionalism? The relationship of father and son? The focus on roller skates and the Guinness Book of Records?

2. The relationship of the telemovie to the conventions of television series - the 'nice approach" to life? Family relationships, home life, work? Coincidences? Relationships? The happy ending?

3. Colour photography, musical score, special effects - especially for the roller skating for Freddy?

4. The plausibility of the plot: marriage, break-up? Freddy and his personality, the broken marriage, his skill at his work, his intelligence for computers, his wanting to have his son's affection? The incident with the roller skates and its loading to his trying to break the record? The authenticity of the story, its contrived nature?

5. The portrait of Freddy - his geniality, his absentmindedness, his signal at the beginning and the information from his secretary, his skill at his work, trying to sell the computer to the Navy? His relationship with his ex-wife? His jealousy of Big Sid and his dominance over Tommy? His attempts to win Tommy's attention? The boasting about the Navy, taking him to the battleship? The roller skating? His son's interest in his roller skating and breaking the
record? The background of his losing his job, the affection of Sid's daughter, his using the computer to foretell football matches? The effect of his breaking the record and the bond with his son? How interesting, moving, trite?

6. Tommy as the average affluent son? His being impressed by big things, wealth and what people could give him? His admiration for Big Sid? The reasons for his admiration for his father?

7. The satire in the presentation of Big Sid - his talk, advertising, breaking records, exploiting situations for advertising?

8. Sid's daughter and her sympathy and love for Freddy? His ex-wife? The Admiral and his interest in computers and scepticism about them? Freddy's boon and his intolerance of the roller skates but being forced to keep him at work? Freddy's associate and their plan to sell the computers?

9. The humour of the sequence with the losing of the shots and the walking on roller skates? Big Sid's big carnival and record-breaking show, Freddy's involvement - the scene in the bar and his decision to go for the record?

10. The comic effect of his breaking the record on roller skates? The final crisis and crash?

11. The film's basic themes of family life, joys? The particularly American tone? The emphasis on hero worship, success? The gearing of this kind of film to the popular home audience at an entertainment level?