HARBOUR BEAT

Australia, 1989, 95 minutes, Colour.
Gary Day, John Hannah, Steven Vidler, Bill Young.
Directed by David Elfick.

Harbour Beat is a Sydney police thriller. It was co-written and directed by producer David Elfick (Newsfront, Undercover). It is a fast-paced action thriller focusing on the police, corruption, drugs and land deals.

The film opens in Glasgow with some authentic settings to introduce a character played by John Hannah. Steven Vidler is his Australian partner. The film resembles the American buddy films but is highly critical of the abuses of mateship, the blindness in mateship which makes people refuse to see the faults in their mates.

The film uses its Bondi and Sydney locations to great advantage. While not particularly original, it is done with style and verve.

1.Entertaining police thriller? Corruption, drugs? Big business?

2.The initial Glasgow setting, authentic atmosphere? The contrast with Sydney, Bondi Beach, the harbour? Musical score and songs?

3.The title, the focus on Sydney?

4.The prologue: the introduction to Neil Mc Bride, Glasgow, his work, the city, the loner, not trusting, his girlfriend walking out on him, the police and their ousting him?

5.The introduction to Lance Cooper: the surf, the policeman on Bondi Beach, chasing the thief? The tribute to his mate, Walker? Introduction to Neil, antagonism towards him?

6.The two as partners, working alone, the philosophy of mates? Lance explaining the drug busts? The visit to Simone, Neil's cover, the massage, the effect on him, the relationship with her? Back at the office? Relationship with the boss, with Detective Mason? Research, the information about the land dealer? Neil pretending to be Ross and having the interview?

7.Lance, working with Neil? Shot at on the surfboard, bashed? His talking to Walker, the break-up of the marriage, visiting his wife, suspecting the truth but not wanting to face it? The discovery of the plan, the planting of the drugs, the cases being dropped? Neil suspicious of Lance being on the take? Not taking the money and giving it to the Orthodox church? Lance confronting Walker, pretending to be in on the deals, going to the land dealer, taping the interviews? The first job, setting the fire, Walker turning on him and shooting him?

8.Neil and the pursuit of the land dealer, the discussions with Simone - and her eventual hostility at discovering the truth? Following the plan, the arrest of the drug dealers? His being arrested himself, Detective Mason getting him out, listening to the tapes, coming to the rescue of Lance, the car explosion? Finding the land dealer's wife, the drugs, taking her away, the tape to lure her husband and Walker?

9.The build-up to the showdown, the abandoned factory, Walker turning up, the confrontation with the land dealer, the shootout and Walker's death? The dealer being chased, the fight with Lance and Neil, falling to his death?

10.The world of big business, land deals, the planting of drugs and the blackmail and the dropping of the charges? The police in on the corruption? Big money?

11.The theme of mateship and the police, blinding people to faults, the strengths of mateship? The presentation of the police, Cimino as the boss, Beaumont and his antagonism towards Neil, Detective Mason and the feminist touch?

12.Themes of the police, investigations, honesty and integrity?