TAIL OF A TIGER
Australia, 1984, 80 minutes, Colour.
Grant Navin, Gordon Poole, Caz Lederman.
Directed by Rolf de Heer.
Tail of a Tiger is a very pleasing family film, especially for a young boys' audience. It focuses on model planes - and the fantasy of a young boy, significantly called Orville, who dreams of a real plane and flying it. His dream comes true.
The film has excellent inner-city settings of Woolloomooloo with views of Sydney Harbour. It also has strong themes of Australian family relationships, bullying and peer pressure, sympathy for 'derelicts' and there is a strong plea for understanding of aborigines. It is all blended together to satisfy audiences as well as to help them learn.
1. An entertaining story for the family, for children, for boys? Australian audiences? The wider audience?
2. The use of Sydney, Woolloomooloo and its streets, the docks and warehouses? Location photography? Interiors? Stunt work? The fantasy sequences and their insertion? The spirited score?
3. The title and its reference to Tiger Moths, to Orville’s hopes, his quest and success? Delight?
4. The sketch of boys in the city, the model planes and their skills, the gangs and the push, the bullies, peer pressure. the toughs? Orville. his height. glasses? His intellectual interests? His being knocked and knocked down? His building his model plane, hiding it ~ and its being broken? His dreams and his knowledge? As an engaging young boy? At home, his mother, the meals., his deceiving her, hurting her, being locked up? His sister and saving the boys from the bullies? The clashes with Rabbit? Friendship with Beryl? Discovering Harry, their clash, the genuine friendship, working together, the challenge of the plane? Harry as a hero? Comparisons with Orville's grandfather? The details of the building. the parts, their secret? The bonds between the two? Beryl and her helping with the sewing? His being locked in by his mother. the letter with Rabbit? Beryl and Harry visiting and his freedom? Harry's fantasy friends? The launching of the plane and the exhilaration of the flight and success?
5. Harry as the old man, the derelict, living in the warehouse, cranky, having a plane, his suspicions of Orville. friendship. being made to be a hero. the support of his memory companions., the details of building the plane, his opinions on fighting, Beryl and the visit to Orville’s mother? His fright at the end? Being forced to be a hero? The final success?
6. The family sequences, the mother and her coping with the children, wanting Orville to be honest? Beryl's visit, her anxiety and the happy ending?
7. Orville's sister and her being able to beat the toughs? Rabbit and his mischievousness, repeating his mother's words, taking the message and giving it to the bully?
8. Beryl and her friendship, the boys annoying her, the dung burnt at her doorstep, the demand for an apology, helping Orville, dressing up and visiting with Harry? Doing the sewing for the plane? The themes of aborigines in the city, understanding? Compassion? Friendship?
9. The boys and their bullying style, the leader, the gang, the fistfight - and Harry saying it was a mugs' game? The attack of the gang and the flour fight?
10. The sketch of school, Orville dreaming?
11. Boys at play, dreams and their fulfilment? A Boys' Own adventure '80s style?
