RUSSIAN DOLL

Australia, 2000, 90 minutes, Colour.
Hugo Weaving, David Wenham, Rebecca Frith, Sacha Horler, Helen Dallymore, Natasha Novak.
Directed by Stavros Kazantzidis.

Russian Doll could be described as an ethnic romantic comedy. Set in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, it focuses on Jewish characters and uses Temple Emmanuel in Woollahra as its synagogue setting. It seems quite authentic. However, the central character is played by Hugo Weaving who describes himself as a Catholic atheist.

Hugo Weaving is a private detective, is asked by his best friend (David Wenham) to take in a Russian immigrant whom he is having an affair with. The reluctant Weaving does so, gradually falls in love – and we have one of these offbeat romances. Natasha Novak is the vigorous Russian immigrant. Rebecca Frith is the injured wife – who is more aware of what is going on than her husband thinks.

The cast is very strong, Hugo Weaving has won many Australian Film Institute awards (Proof, The Interview, Little Fish) and has starred in a range of international films including the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Matrix trilogy and V for Vendetta. David Wenham has also won awards (Gettin' Square) and has appeared in a number of international films including Van Helsing as well as Lord of the Rings.

The film was written and directed by Stavros Kazantzidis. Born in Cyprus, he moved to Australia and wrote a number of screenplays and directed films: True Love and Chaos and Horseplay. He and co-writer Alison Zitserman won the Australian Film Institute best screenplay award in 2000.

Nothing particularly new – but done with some verve.

1.An ethnic romantic comedy? The Australian flavour? The Sydney flavour? The international tone – especially with Russia?

2.The Sydney locations, the streets, homes and cafes, ordinary, attractive? The musical score and its Russian tones?

3.Australians and Russians – differences in temperament, behaviour, traditions? Some demonstrative, some not? Russian immigrants in Australia? And the ending with Harvey visiting Russia?

4.Religious themes: the Jewish them, Ethan and Miriam, the strict celebration of prayer at meals, visiting temple, the role of the rabbi, Jewish morality? Harvey and his Catholic background? Calling himself a Catholic atheist? His high sense of responsibility, high expectations, feelings of guilt?

5.The device of having Harvey talking to his therapist throughout the film, the explanations, the self-analysis? Sometimes astute, sometimes not?

6.Harvey and his ambitions to write? Getting experience by going into surveillance, detective work, his taking photos, the range of clients? Max Davenport and Eve? The news and the murder, its effect? The comments of Miriam and Ethan?

7.Harvey and Alison, their relationship, his being in love, her going to her exams, his surveillance job, finding that he was photographing Alison, his being upset? Her leaving him? The later meeting at the shop and her cavalier attitude? He left bewildered and grieving?

8.Ethan and Miriam, their love for each other, their daughter? The meals, talk? Miriam in control? Wanting to fix everything up? Fixing up Harvey for girlfriends, the awkwardness and comedy of the meal with Phaedra? Eve and the information?

9.Katia and her arrival, her finding her contact dead, her sadness? Her ringing Ethan? The relationship? The development into an affair? His promises to her? Her exuberance? Ethan’s infatuation, the lies, confiding in Harvey and drying up? Harvey’s reaction, judgments?

10.The plan, Katia to move in? Her being loud, smoking? The fights with Harvey? Harvey as nervous, trying to do his writing? The wedding plans? The visit to the rabbi and Miriam organising everything? The Russians? The meeting with Liza? Her friendship with Katia? Her advances on Harvey? Katia and taking her out to dinner? The effect on Harvey? The coffee? The sexual encounter?
And the explanations to Ethan? The angst? The wedding dress? The wedding – and Katia running?

11.The aftermath, Harvey and the success of his novel, the irony of Miriam knowing and having hired a private eye? The bar mitzvah celebration? Ethan getting over his affair, reconciling with Miriam?

12.Harvey, going to Russia, the two years’ search, finding Katia, the happy ending?

13.The title, the Russian dolls, the dolls within dolls – and appearances and reality?