Anzac Day, remembering MSC Military Chaplains.

Each Anzac Day, Lest We Forget – we as MSC have a long history of military chaplains and should pay tribute to them.

Jim Littleton MSC, our historian of remarkable MSC, published a revised  edition of his book on our war chaplains.

A good example is Fr James Gilbert MSC, longtime associated with St Brigid’s parish, Coogee.

Documentation from the Australian War Memorial website. And photos from Fromelles.

"Chaplain (4th Class) James Patrick Gilbert MC, 15th Brigade, from Randwick, NSW... was awarded the Military Cross in January 1917 for actions at Fromelles. Under heavy fire, Chaplain Gilbert had tended the wounded and dying unceasingly for 48 hours..." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)

Pope Francis, RIP

Sudden news of the death of Pope Francis - but his joy at his final appearance and Easter Message to the World, Urbi et Orbi, on Easter Sunday.

A happy MSC link, Francis with Cardinal John Ribat

His words yesterday:

On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas! For all of us are children of God!

Love has triumphed over hatred, light over darkness and truth over falsehood. Forgiveness has triumphed over revenge. Evil has not disappeared from history; it will remain until the end, but it no longer has the upper hand; it no longer has power over those who accept the grace of this day.

All those who put their hope in God place their feeble hands in his strong and mighty hand; they let themselves be raised up and set out on a journey. Together with the risen Jesus, they become pilgrims of hope, witnesses of the victory of love...

List of MSC buried at Croydon, Victoria.

With the Paschal Triduum, contemplating Jesus’ death and resurrection, we remember our MSC confreres.  Most are buried at St Mary’s Towers, many elsewhere.

Our cemetery at Croydon, now in the Sacred Heart parish of Croydon, is the resting place of confreres we have known.

Here is the list.

THE AMATEUR

US, 2025, 123 minutes, Colour.

Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, Jon Bernthal, Holt McCallany, Julianne Nicholson, Caitriona Balfe, Michael Stuhlbarg, Laurence Fishburne.

Directed by James Hawes.

Based on a novel by Newsweek reporter, Robert Littel, The Amateur was first filmed in 1981 with John Savage and Christopher Plummer. It was the era of popular spy novels by Robert Ludlum in one wit suggested that this version of The Amateur is “Bourne Again”! Not exactly, action sequences yes, but the central character here, Charlie Heller, played by Oscar winner Rame Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody as Freddie Mercury) would not necessarily be the first choice for an action hero!

In fact, he plays a highly skilled IT expert, perhaps of the “nerd” variety, at home in his sealed office and IT centre, making contacts, tracking, identifying voices, but also discovering that some of the CIA authorities are conducting illegal black ops.

This is where a film version of CIA action in the 1980s has to give considerable way to a version in the 2020s. The developments of IT, social networking, mobile phones, instant connections, instant surveillance, storage of information.

But, Charlie Heller has a loving relationship with his wife, Sarah, Rachel Brosnahan, her going to a meeting in London and to his shock and horror, grief and obsession, discovering that she has been killed during a robbery, offering herself as a hostage for someone else, being shot.

Acceptance of this reality is not the first response of Charlie Heller. Rather, he becomes obsessed with revenge.

As action films go, Charlie Heller’s determination, going through some rigorous CIA action training, but not very good with the gun, is a driving force in this action. And, as a bonus, the audience is treated to a wide range of location action, London, Paris, Marseille, Istanbul, in Romania, the Baltic coast… And Charlie, not only identifying who the villains are, especially the one who pulled the trigger, but he is able to track them down, them, destroy them.

However, as with so many action films, there is the issue of the plausibility, and then the question of credibility. With the action moving fast, what about realism and practical details of food, rest, toilet breaks, money in the pocket, the functioning or not of IT equipment, travel and air tickets…? Audiences accepting omissions because of the action?

As always, there are some moral questions, complications. The role of the CIA, illegal and secret black ops in the name of patriotism, these agents being held to account, International criminal gangs, ruthless business and murders, and, with Charlie Heller himself, the obsession of revenge, motivations of vengeance, and his setting up killings parallel to the set-ups by the villains. And, with Rami Malek the amateur action hero grieving the death of his wife, rather than an all-conquering beefed-up agent, there is also some emotional challenging.

1. Action level of the 1980s? Updating to the 2020s? The transition to the world of IT and espionage?
2. The international settings, Washington DC, London, Paris, Marseille, Istanbul, Turkish coast, Romania, the Russian coast? And the world of the CIA? The musical score?
3. The realism of the plot? Plausibility? Credibility? Practical details of food, rest, toilet breaks, money, close change, travel and air tickets…? Audiences accepting omissions because of the action?
4. The introduction to Charlie and Sarah, at home, ease with each other, love, his work on the plane, not travelling, her going to London? The contacts, the phone calls? And the various flashbacks during the film?
5. Charlie, going to work, his car, the cards, security, his workplace, computers, programming, espionage, his link with the mysterious corresponded, ears, guessing where he lived? Istanbul? And the later contact, revelation of the truth, the man being dead, his wife continuing the communications, Charlie going to her, her collaboration, his eyes in pursuit of the criminals? That they have covered, the siege, the attack, her death?
6. The robbery in London, the dramatics, on the television news, the details, the Chiefs informing Charlie, his reaction? His being seen as something of a nerd, his help with The bear, summoned by the Chiefs, his hold over them, his information about the illegal ops? There confronting him? The meetings with Chief O’Brien? The later investigations, interrogation of Moore, the lunch with him, their deceiving her?
7. Charlie, obsessed, the motivation, his phone, Internet connections, wanting to be trained, work Henderson, the discussions, shooting practice, Charlie and his limitations? Later Henderson being used, following him in Paris, to Marseille, the confrontations, Istanbul, the fight, his being wounded? And is later reappearing?
8. Charlie and his ability to identify the criminals, the techniques, voices and matches, images? His decision to track them down?
9. Money issues, motivation, the travel to London, information, to Paris, identifying the woman, at the gym, the suffocation, the fight, her escape, it by the van? Charlie and the bus to Marseille?
10. Marseilles, tracking down people, business of Henderson, the bar, getting information?
11. The criminal, the pool, his money, the swimming, Charlie and the confrontation, the dynamics of the pool, the water, the pressure, the interrogation, the threats, the explosion and the deluge?
12. Charlie, in Istanbul, the contacts, the information about Romania, his travel, the setting up of the cargo, the confrontation with the criminal, the threat, the explosives?
13. Information about Russia, the travel to the coast, seeing the criminals, the boat, his being abducted, the interrogation, the criminal giving him the gun, his inability to shoot, the criminal indicating Charlie’s motivations and setting up deaths?
14. The delay, in Finnish waters, the arrests? Charlie vindicated?
15. Washington, Director O’Brien, the arrests of the Chiefs, their illegal ops?
16. Charlie, the car, Henderson reappearing, his going home, flying the plane? Achievement?

DR STRANGELOVE: NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE

UK, 2025, 130 minutes, Colour.

Steve Coogan, Giles Terera, John Hopkins, Oliver Alvin-Wilson, Penny Ashmore, Ben Deery, Richard Dempsey.

Directed by Sean Foley.

Stanley Kubrick’s comic masterpiece, Dr Strangelove: or, How I Stopped Worrying and Learntedto Love the Bomb, was released at the end of January 1964. It was in production during the nuclear crisis, the missiles of October, the 13 days, Kennedy and Kruschev, and Cuba, October 1962. It was more than relevant. It was a satire to disturb the American consciousness, to disturb world audiences. It was based on a novel by satirist, Terry Southern. And the screenplay was cowritten by Kubrick himself with Peter George.

The film had a significant cast, most notably Peter Sellers in three roles, with Sterling Hayden, George C.Scott and a young James Earl Jones in the cast. Many of its sequences are part of cinema memory.

British writer and director, Armand Iannucci, well known for his satires including The Thick of It, and the Death of Stalin, has adapted Kubrick’s screenplay for the stage. It stays very close to the film in characters and dialogue and the situations, indicating how a satire for the 1960s can have a similar relevance in a changed world situation, especially the Trump US and world of 2025.

While Peter Sellers played three roles, the British officer Lionel Mandrake, the American President, Merkin Muffley, and the mad scientist, Dr Strangelove, with a Nazi past, and an uncontrollable arm often compelling him to try a Nazi salute, Audiences will be pleased to know that this is enjoyably included here. (One of the other features of the film was the cowboy pilot, TJ Kong, played by Slim Pickens, ending the film by riding the bomb hurtling towards earth with a rodeo yippee, and Vera Lynn’s song, We’ll Meet Again – and these are included in this production.)

The star of this performance is Steve Coogan, reprising very effectively the three Peter Sellers roles but also adding a fourth role, that of the cowboy pilot, Kong. And he does this within two hours of performance time. And, fascinating to see how the production handles Coogan in the  four roles, sometimes a stand-in actor for him as president with back to the audience, or having mandrake on the other end of a phone, or having Dr Strangelove appear in a video contact with the War Room -and the amazing speed for him to change costumes and wigs.

The staging of the they is expert, the audience watching the change of scenery, General Jack Ripper’s command post, generals gathered with the President in the War Room but, especially, the three pilots in the cockpit of the plane with filmed background of snowy mountain peaks, their flying steadily towards nuclear apocalypse.

But, it is the satirical dialogue, sometimes very witty, sometimes touches of slapstick, all kinds of misunderstandings, caricatures of American military, the touch of sendup of the British officer and his accent and vocabulary, the portrait of the mad general preoccupied with fluoride and bodily essences and the destruction of America, the gung ho anti-Communist military official, the Russian ambassador…

At first, watching the National Theatre Live version of the stage play, it seems artificial. But, gradually, through the skill of the performances and the wit of the dialogue, we are gradually drawn into the black comedy – but, always realising that through the exaggerations, there is more than a glimpse of truth, always a reality check.

DOG MAN

US, 2025, 89 minutes, Colour.

Voices of: Pete Davidson, Lil Rel Howery, Isla Fisher, Billy Boyd, Peter Hastings, Lucas Hopkins Calderon, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Root.

Directed by Peter Hastings.

Since 2016, there have been at least 13, books about Dog Man, written by Dav Pilkey, who also wrote the Captain Underpants series (one of which was filmed).

This is an animation film, with quite a high-powered voice cast, directed by Peter Hastings who also provides the sounds for Dog Man, which is very much geared to a younger audience. With the strange story of Dog Man and his origins, as we watch the film, we will be wondering who is the target audience. A quick enquiry on Google offers some informative help: The series features a half-dog, half-human police officer who fights crime and saves the day in the city. Written in a graphic novel format with comic-style illustrations and speech bubbles, these books are popular with children aged 6-9.

So, there is the answer. Perhaps too much action for the under 6s, perhaps not enough sophistication for the 10s and overs – and, probably a warning that parents and grandparents, unless they are kindly and an demanding, probably will not enjoy the antics so much.

As indicated, the premise seems quite improbable, the officer and his pet dog, Greg, are severely hurt in an accident, the man surviving only by having the transplant of Greg’s head onto his body! He is expected to go into action against the villainous cat, Petey, who wants to eliminate all do-gooders, has his own laboratory and assistant to create menacing machines, but also a little clone cat, Little Petey.

So, a villain, a little cat seeking affection, dog man in action, hounded by the chief of police, and all kinds of chases and mayhem. However, rather a surprise, a cantankerous fish starts to exercise power and menace over all of them (voiced by Ricky Gervais, in villainous English) which leads them to an alliance of Petey  and Dog Man.

So, there we are, possibly for excitable 6 to 9s, probably not so much for the rest of us.

DAFNE

Italy, 2019, 93 minutes, Colour.

Carolina Raspanti, Antonio Piovanelli, Angela Magni.

Directed by Federico Bondi.

Dafne is a small Italian feature film, dedicated to his mother by the director. The title character is a young woman, Down Syndrome, living in the Italian town, with her mother and father, very lively in her manner, not many filters when expressing her opinions, enjoying life.

Then her mother dies suddenly, it has an effect on her, and draws her mother closely to her father. Her father is an older man, often tired, unwell. Dafne and her father have a good relationship even though there is often some sparring.

The action in the later part of the film is Dafne’s decision to visit the tomb of her mother, travelling there on foot, forcing her father to go out, walk and exercise. They encounter relations, torque and bond, visit the tomb, get a lift from sympathetic guards – and the film ends with the closeness of Dafne with her father.

This link indicates 25 films with Down Syndrome characters. https://www.imdb.com/list/ls062258431/

1. The title, Dafne and her story, family, relationship to mother, the mother’s death, her father, age and illness, her life, her job, her friends, Down Syndrome?
2. The setting, the town, the home, the streets and shops, the countryside, the cemetery? The musical score?
3. Audience response to Dafne as a person, empathy with her Down Syndrome?
4. Dafne as a character, her age, straightforward in speech, very few filters? The scenes with her mother, the suddenness of her mother’s death, grief, with her father, the funeral?
5. Dafne with her father, his age, in the house, tired, the to and fro of conversation?
6. Dafne and her friends, at the dance, exuberant dancing, her remarks, her friendship with Viola? Discussions with the boy about the stars? The work at the shop? Her bluntness, comments?
7. Interactions with her father, up and down, his smoking, phoning for the doctor’s appointment, tired, his memories of his wife and the stories, the decision about the place of burial?
8. Dafne wanting to go to her mother’s grave, that they should walk, to get her father out, walking, exercise? The travel, with the aunt and uncle, the car? Her buying the doll, throwing it out the window? The walk, sitting at the grave? The shelter, the rain? The encounter with the guards, friendship, their offering a lift, the happy travelling?
9. Dafne and her father, the bonding, and the film ending?

LOVE OF AN ICON : THE LEGEND OF CROCODILE DUNDEE

Australia, 2025, 88 minutes, Colour.

Directed by Victoria Baldock, Delvene Delaney.

Yes, it is almost 40 years since the release of Crocodile Dundee, the suddenness of its enormous popularity in Australia, then around the world, part of our national consciousness. With the death of its producer, John Cornell, his wife of 46 years, Delvene Delaney, started to look at the various boxes he had kept, discovering old reels, photos, souvenirs, negatives leading to be restored. And, with her collaborator, Victoria Baldock, she has shared them with cinema audiences, helping many to relive that enjoyable past, inviting younger audiences into the world of Crocodile Dundee.

There are three very interesting sections in the film. In the first 30 minutes, we go back to the 1960s and 1970s, focusing on that harbour bridge worker, comic interlude provider on television, Paul Hogan, and then his show. And, happily, Paul Hogan is interviewed right throughout this film. We are back in that era of Australian comedy, the introduction of Hoges’ rather dopey sidekick, Strop (Cornell himself), their collaboration with bright new young star, Delvene Delaney, and working with television director,, Peter Faiman. Plenty of clips, plenty of interviews, especially with the television CEOs of the period. And, throughout the film, a long interview with Peter Faiman.

After getting to know Hoges again, the second part of the film focuses on the making of the film itself, a first film for Paul Hogan and John Cornell, and for Peter Faiman. There are interviews with their top cinematographer, Russell Boyd, the composer, Peter Best, their memories of the making of the film. There are interviews from archives with star, John Meillon, as well as with David Gulpilil and sequences with the indigenous cast. And, 40 years on, a long interview with co-star, Linda Kozlowski, happily reminiscing.

We are in the Northern Territory, the vast desert, the small town, the  indigenous community and dance, the large prop crocodile, and close-ups of a lot of the filming. Then we are in New York, the noisy contrast to the silence of the NT, again scenes of the filming. And, what we will probably be eagerly waiting for, the filming of the sequence, “now that’s a knife” and the fact that the take in the film was initially overlooked and had to be rescued from the garbage bin!

The third part of the film starts with its premiere in Australia, the immediate successful response, everybody enjoying it, the huge box office, television interviews, the retrospect. Of interest is the release of the film in the United States, interviews with executives from Paramount and their memories of other studios rejections, their acceptance, seeing John Cornell and Paul Hogan is nice blokes, working with them – and the extraordinary US box office, second only to Top Gun in 1986, Golden Globe winner for Paul Hogan, Oscar nomination for the screenplay.

Thanks to Delvene Delaney and engaging commentary throughout for the opportunity for memories, nostalgia, laughter, this portrait of the larrikin Australian which is now deeply embedded in our consciousness. For those who lived through the 70s, happy television memories. For those who lived through the 80s, the immediate experience of Crocodile Dundee. For younger audiences an invitation to appreciate the development of the Australian film industry, as well as seeing how Australian films have contributed to our self-awareness, Australian distinctiveness.

A WORKING MAN

US, 2025, 116 minutes, Colour.

Jason Statham, Jason Fleming, Maximillian Osinski, Michael Peña, David Harbour, Arianna Rivas.

Directed by David Ayer.

25 years, ever since Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, former British champion diver, Jason Statham, has starred in, and mostly top-lined, a continuous range of action films. And that includes the Fast and Furious franchise from number 6  onwards. Nearing 60, he is still one of the favourite actors for this kind of show, always British, not attempting an American accent.

He worked with director, David Ayer, in The Beekeeper (and a sequel is promised). They obviously click.

We see Statham’s character, Levon Cade, working for a Hispanic construction company in Chicago, on building sites. As a warmup, a group of thugs menace one of the workers – and come off the worse for wear after an encounter with Levon, much the worse for wear. But, we already knew what he was capable of.

He explains that he spent many years in Special Ops for the British, that it had its effect on him, tactics, violence and deaths, his absences, the death of his wife, not being able to see his young daughter, his wife’s resentful father now looking after her and trying to limit custody and access. But, it turns out to be the company owner’s daughter who will be in trouble, strong-minded, working in her father’s office, martial arts training (just as well for the final rescue) but suddenly abducted from a club.

If you are going to see A Working Man for the fights, you will not be disappointed (even if, probably, Statham himself is not doing all of them). But, this is rather complicated plot and we need to keep our wits about us. There are bikie gangs dealing drugs. There is a brotherhood of Russian migrants, well-to-do, sinister with their contacts and controls – but also some rebels in the next generation causing all kinds of trouble, living the high life, arrogant, and, somehow or other in their destiny, not fated to live longer lives after the initially smug encounters with Levon Cade.

Chicago settings, clubs, mansions, all kinds of popular ingredients, the hero who is rather impervious to feelings when villains and gangsters confront him, vigilante executions – but, always the soft spot for the daughter he rescues and nice sequences with his own daughter.

A Jason Statham show.

1. The popularity of Jason Statham action films? Working with director, David Ayer?
2. Statham, his screen presence, age, physique, British accent? At times laconic, at times talking? Strength, determination, fighting ability?
3. The title, Cade and his construction work, his background with the British, Special Ops, training, techniques, violence, detachment and involvement, ruthless, seemingly unemotional?
4. The company in Chicago, the boss and his family in the office, the threat to the worker on site, Cade confronting, defeating them and routing them? Anticipation of what is to come?
5. The boss’s daughter, strong-minded, work, study, martial arts training? Celebrating at the club? The abduction, being held, the woman guarding, her taunts?
6. Cade, the commission from the father, his commitment? His personal background, the suicide of his wife, his action, overseas, the depression, the daughter, love for her, his father-in-law and his hostility, custody and access, the outing with his daughter?
7. The complexities of the gangs and drug trading in Chicago? Cade and his getting information, tracking people down, going to the club, the African-American former soldier, leader, his henchmen? Cade involving him, drug deals?
8. The Russians, following the arrogant son of the leader, seeing him abuse his wife, getting the house, the confrontation, interrogating him over the pool, his death? Reactions of his father, the brotherhood of Russian gangsters in Chicago, the profligate son and his drugtaking, self-confidence, involved in the abduction? Cade confronting, their deaths? The manic members of the group, machine guns…? The quiet controllers in their offices, on their phones? The father, wanting revenge, crying out, told to be loyal to the group, no personal involvement?
9. The businessman, trafficking, choosing victims, his associates and their ruthlessness, self-confidence, his aquarium and fish hobby, their failures? The hold over the daughter?
10. Cade, following through, the leads, the confrontations, the shootings and deaths? The confrontation of the entrepreneur and his associates, their deaths?
11. Finding the daughter, her using her ingenuity, effecting the escape? Restoring her to her family? And coming back to his daughter and his future?
12. The portrait of a military man, skills, ruthlessness, issues of conscience, vigilantes, emotions?

WITHIN SAND

Saudi Arabia, 2022, 116 minutes, Colour.

Ra'ed Slsammari, Adwa Fahad, Obaid Alwadaani.

Directed by Moe Alitawi.

This is a drama from Saudi Arabia, the writer-director’s first feature film after some shorts. He grew up when cinema was not flourishing in Saudi Arabia and he studied in London.

The film was shot in the Saudi desert, some extraordinary vistas right throughout the film, extraordinary rock shapes, the vastness of the desert itself, a sand storm.

The focus is on a group of travellers, merchants, on their way home, a young men, confident of himself, tobacco merchant, deciding to take a shorter route, not telling the leader. Which means that the most of the film focuses on him and his journey through the desert, a survivor in the desert, initially robbed, his horse taken, his managing, digging for water, threatened by a Wolf who later becomes a companion and friend. He has various nightmares, vividly lost in the desert, trapped in the canyons. He also has a dream of the sea, sitting and luxuriating in the water.

The film also shows the women at the encampment, the young man’s wife pregnant, eager for his return before the birth.

Eventually a search party is sent out for him and they meet, and a dramatic moment as his friend thinking the wolf is menacing, shoots it. The young man covers it with a garment. And, on return home, tells his wife that their new son is to be called Wolf.

The most audiences, the setting is quite unfamiliar – beautiful and intriguing.

1. The title, the desert? The group within the desert, the individual surviving the desert?
2. The Saudi Arabian film, the director, the cast, the crew?
3. The location photography, the beauty and ruggedness of the desert, the terror, day and night, rock formations, the sand, close-ups and distance? Humans in the desert? The wolf? The musical score and atmosphere?
4. The opening, travelling the desert, the group, trade, tobacco, perfume…? The entourage, the leader? The plan, the artillery, the discussions, conflict? The leader and his influence, his control over Snam, Snam defying him?
5. Snam, his age, tobacco and trade, discussions, his reliance on Awad? His defiance, rash, the alternate route, wanting to return to his pregnant wife?
6. The camp with the women, their work, the pregnant wife, the cradle, her mother-in-law? Women and the tribes in the desert?
7. Snam and his story of survival, the horse, food and water, possessions, clothes in the desert? The rabbit, going to shoot? The robbers, the two brutal robbers, the confrontation with guns, knives, the attack, the leader arriving, a touch of compassion, letting him go? Snam’s later encounter with the big thief, the confrontation and fight?
8. The journey through the desert, his self-confidence, affected by the encounter with the thieves, his map and gauging directions, food and water, digging the hole, the sandstorm,? His dreams, – and the prologue to the film, watching himself with a child, digging? The pursuit through the rocks, dead ends? And the dream of the sea, sitting in the water, luxuriating in the water? The impact of the dreams?
9. The wolf, menacing, the confrontation, following, his giving it food, the companion, following, sleep, the fire, the dead camels, Snam relying on him for company?
10. Awad, his role in the group, interrogation by the leader, the return home, wife and her grief, not telling Snam’s mother? The request to go to search for Snam?
11. In the desert, meeting, the Wolf, Awad thinking it a threat, shooting it, Snam’s grief, covering it with the cloak, and calling his son Wolf?
12. The return, the embrace? The return to his wife, his son? The effect of the experience on him?