MARABE

Papua New Guinea, 1988, 90 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Alan Harkness.

Marabe is a film from Papua-New? Guinea. It was made under the auspices of the national government, was helped by an Australian budgetary grant to Papua New Guinea. The music was composed and played by students of the National Art School at Port Moresby. Many indigenous workers contributed to the film.

It is a picture of changing life in the southern highlands of New Guinea, the lure of Port Moresby, the world of the rascals in Port Moresby - and the plea for a blending of tradition with the changing 20th century world. The film is excellently photographed, well paced and edited. The performances come through as authentic and sincere. The storyline is familiar - but the film is persuasive and an interesting contribution to an emerging cinema.

1. Interesting and enjoyable film? A picture of Papua-New? Guinea in the 1970s and 1980s? A portrait of the people, the changing patterns of culture, the encroachments of western lifestyles?

2. Technical qualities: the film as the work of Papua-New? Guinean filmmakers? The contribution of traditional narrative film-making? Location photography, the world of the southern highlands, beauty and starkness, the life of villages, the contrast with Port Moresby and its lifestyle? Editing and pace? The contribution of the musical score?

3. The focus on Marabe - the patriarch of the family? The impact of his wife's death, the long opening sequences of the funeral? His re-marriage, his children? His adult sons and their disputes? Their decisions to go elsewhere? Marabe and his position in the village, his authority, his pride in his authority - his anger at the boys playing with his badge? His remarriage, the tensions with his wife, his anger with her, beating her? Reconciliation? Land disputes? The death of his son, the return of the other? The judge's decision going against Marabe and his having to move? The hopes for the future - a new settlement?

4. The picture of Marabe's sons: Kerebe and Hawaii? Their life in the village, the lure of moving away? Their friends? Land disputes? Borrowing money? Kerebe and his decision to stay, looking for land, working the swamps, the clash with the owners, the violence and his being killed? His return for solemn burial?

5. The contrast with Hawaii - his decision to go to Port Moresby, getting the money to fly there, the audience sharing his journey to the capital and his experience of its lifestyle? The visual impact of Port Moresby, the terrain, the climate, the streets, the city, modern buildings, the shanty areas? Hawaii and his wandering the town, his hunger, the encounter with Mark and the theft of the beg, being chased by people and the police, gaining some money? His buying comic strips - and his looking at the material in the newsagents? His finding friends and relatives, staying with then? The search for work and its not being available? Meeting up with Mark, being introduced to beer, drinking and the hangover? The men out of work and their playing cards? The involvement in the fight, imprisonment, disillusionment? His decision
to return home, the discovery of his brother's death, the reconciliation with the family?

6. The people in Port Moresby: Mark and his thieving, lounging, friendship with Hawaii? The men out of work, search for jobs, the possibilities of jobs, qualifications, technical skills? The husband and wife and family and their generosity to relatives and friends, giving away money? The sense of community and kinship?

7. Life in the highland village - the ritual of the burial ceremony, at the opening, the village meetings, the administration of justice, official justice, local justice? Farms, land, property disputes?

8. The old traditions and ways, rituals, customs, values? The change of style in the hundred years of colonialisation - western ways, clothes, manners? Advertisements for Coca Cola etc.? Planes? Shops? The buildings in Port Moresby, offices, mechanical and technical jobs? The repercussions for those in the village? Marriage customs, relationships between men and women, the status of wives and children?

9. The quality of life in Papua-New? Guinea, the bonds of kinship, generosity?

10. The impact of the film visuals, the use of Pidgin English, music - a people reflecting on their experience and portraying it for themselves and for world audiences?

MRS SOFFEL

US, 1984, 110 minutes, Colour.
Mel Gibson, Diane Keaton, Edward Herrmann, Matthew Modine, Trini Alvarado, Maury Chaykin.
Directed by Gillian Armstrong.

Mrs Soffel is fine entertainment. It is a star vehicle for Diane Keaton who is impressive as the quiet but passionate Kate Soffel. Mel Gibson has a sympathetic role which he plays well as Ed Biddle, the convicted murderer. Matthew Modine (Birdy, Crazy for You) is effective as Jack Biddle.

The film is based on a true story, the wife of the prison governor in Pittsburgh falling in love with a prisoner, escaping with him, abandoning husband, children and home, social status and reputation, her Christian beliefs. Pleading with the convict to kill her so that she would not survive him, she is merely injured and spends the rest of her life in the prison.

The film was directed by Australian Gillian Armstrong and photographed by Russell Boyd. Gillian Armstrong's previous features included The Singer and the Dancer, My Brilliant Career and Starstruck. The film has excellent period atmosphere, both in the oppressive winter of industrialised Pittsburgh as well as in the open plains covered in the winter snow.


The film is an interesting character-study, a comment on attitudes, behaviour and standards of respectability in the 19th. century as well as a mad love and an experience of passionate commitment.

1. An interesting, entertaining and moving film?

2. The work of Gillian Armstrong? In Australia? In the United States? The feminine perspective on this story of passion?

3. American and Canadian locations? Winter? Period? The jail, industrialised Pittsburgh? Exteriors? The range of the musical score, the piano themes and mood?

4. The film as a prison story, an escape story, a passionate and foolish romance story? A search for freedom?

5. Diane Keaton as Mrs Soffell: a wife and mother of Pittsburgh, 1901?, Her illness and her recovery - indication of unease, repression? Her relationship of devotion to her husband? Her genuine and passionate love for her children? Relating to each? Loving but quiet? A woman of religion, her Christian comfort to the prisoners, reliance on the Bible, Bible readings? The encounter with the prisoners, her style of visitation? The Biddles? Tangling with them? Talk? The attraction towards Ed yet her resistance and clash? Fear? Retreating? The returns to the prison, the irony of her religious principles? Peter's attitude towards the Biddles? The popular attitudes? Coping with the domestic life? Her growing children? The fire in the cell, the effect on her, her decision to help their, escape? Ed's visit to her home, her being swept off her feet, the passionate and hasty decision to go, the experience of the escape, exhaustion, the journey? The house with the old couple treating them as married? The consummation of their love, the telling of the truth? Kate's commitment to Ed? Her plea about being shot? The desperate chase, stance? Her being shot - and surviving? her going into prison? Her man giving her Ed's picture? The imprisonment of her past life compared with the imprisonment of the jail?

6. The credibility of Kate Soffell's experience? Feelings, motives, change, loss of children, status and respectability? The impact of the experience of the escape? Her survival?

7. Mel Gibson as Ed, persuasive, charming? The credibility of Kate Soffell loving him? In the cell with his brother, the details of prison life, condemned to die? The background of the robbery, the killing? His charm and people not believing him guilty? Partly folk hero? His support of his brother Jack? Their bonds, clashes? Offhand attitude towards religion, listening to Kate, infatuated by her, the Bible reading? The beginning of the passionate love, his decision to use her? The escape and its details, going into the house, persuading her to go? The journey, the dangers, the exhaustion? The old couple, the passionate love, his telling the truth? His shooting Kate but merely wounding her? His death?


8. Jack and his brother as hero, sharing the crime, the imprisonment? Wary of Kate? Youthfulness, exasperation? The escape? The loner? The pathos of his death?

9. Peter Soffell and his work for the prison, his principles, prim attitudes? His devotion to Kate, the 19th century husband dictating to his wife? His response to his children? Expectations? The hurt and bewilderment about the news of Kate's leaving? His impersonal response? What was he left with?

10. The portrait of the children, their bonds with their mother, with their father? Growing up? Kate handling the problems? Their being abandoned by their mother? The effect?

11. The police, the posse, the dramatic chases?

12. The press and the interviews and the treatment of the incident as a cause celebre?

13. The old couple and their hospitality, charm? Innocence?

14. The 1901 setting, the transition from the 19th to the 20th century? Pittsburgh, industry and ugliness? Status and respectability? Imprisonment and crime? The outlaws and their being held as heroes? The administration of justice? Love and marriage, duty and fidelity, passion?, The place of religious principles, Christianity? Kate Soffell and her, defiance, breaking out of the imprisonment of her life? Finding a truer freedom in prison?

15. A film of insight? Moving? Melancholic?

MATTHEW AND SON

Australia, 1984, 75 minutes, Colour.
Paul Cronin.
Directed by Gary Conway.

Matthew and Son is an enjoyable, if undemanding, telemovie. Produced by Johnny Young, it was hoped that the telemovie would lead to the production of a series. This did not eventuate.

The film relies on the presence of Paul Cronin as a detective. The difference is that the film shows the detective and his family relationships and builds on this. However, it is merely a routine presentation of television style action and police work.

The film has a strong cast including Paula Duncan, Darius Perkins and Nicole Kidman.

There is the usual blend of action, excitement and sentiment.

No better or no worse than many of its kind.

THE MUMMY'S SHROUD

UK, 1967, 90 minutes, Colour.
Andre Morell, Eddie Powell, Elizabeth Sellars, Catherine Lacey.
Directed by John Gilling.

The Mummy's Shroud deals with familiar material. Popularised by Boris Karloff in the 30s at Universal Studios, the mummy received a new lease of life (as did Frankenstein and Dracula) at Hammer Studios in the 50s and 60s.

The film was written and directed by John Gilling, a veteran of a number of these films. Its cast includes a number of veterans of these films, including Andre Morell. However, John Phillips steals the show as an arrogant businessman. Catherine Lacey appears as an exotic Egyptian fortune-teller.

The film offers the basic mummy plot with few variations. It is colourfully done - quite seriously by the cast giving it more dignity than it merits - but is an enjoyable variation on the mummy films.

1. The popularity of the mummy stories? Audience familiarity with the basic plot? Expectations of developments?

2. Colour photography, the atmosphere of Egypt in the past, in the 1920s? The desert, excavations, the city? Eerie musical score?

3. The title and the focus on the mummy, the long opening with the voice-over explaining the legend of the clash between the Pharaoh and his brother, the battle, the death of his wife, the young boy going into the desert, his death and burial, the servant becoming the Pharaoh and becoming the mummy? Preparation for what was to follow?

4. The popularity in England of archaeological expeditions? Journeys to Egypt? The discoveries of tombs? The stories of the past? The inevitable curse? The learned professor, the eager youngsters? The businessman financing the expedition? Media? How well used were these conventions?

5. The professor and his leading the group, their being lost, the decision to go on, Clare and her clairvoyance, the finding of the tomb, the reading of the inscriptions, his being bitten by the snake, his illness, Preston's arrival, the possibility of the curse? The return, his collapse, being confined by Preston to the asylum, his escape, being seen in the crystal ball, the mummy killing him?

6. Preston and his finance, loudmouth, self-concern? Bringing his wife with him? Concern about his son? His pressurising of Longbarrow? Press conference, his having to go into the desert, his taking all the credit, the photography, press conferences, getting rid of the professor? The clash with his son? His fear of the curse, the deaths, wanting to get out, the police keeping him there? His clashes with everyone, going to the boat, his death?

7. His wife and her disdain, her taunting him? His son, presence on the expedition, clash with his father, not going on the boat? With Clare? Getting back the shroud and saving himself and Clare, destroying the mummy?

8. Harry and his photographs, on the expedition, the violent death?

9. The Arab guard, his confrontation of the excavators, his mother and the crystal bowl (ball?), his worship of the gods, bringing the mummy to life, the victims? The mother and her talk to the professor, to Clare, her visions in the bowl?

10. The police and their concern, interrogations?

11. Longbarrow and his being henpecked by Preston, his wanting to go back to England, comic touches, his death?

12. Popular themes of mystery of Egypt, superstitions and rationalism in the 20th century? Curses? Greed, vengeance?

MAN FACING SOUTHEAST

Argentina, 1985, 105 minutes, Colour.
Lorenzo Quinteros, Hugo Soto, Rubens Correa.
Directed by Eliseo Subiela.

Man Facing South East is an Argentinian film, quite striking in its presentation of characters as well as interesting in its exploring themes of science fiction and fantasy.

The film is set in a mental institution, a doctor concerned about his patients but growing weary with his profession. He encounters an interesting patient who suddenly appears at the institution claiming that he is an alien (identified as an unknown flying patient). His story is not easily credible but the doctor enjoys his encounter with Rantes, the patient. He explains that he is an alien, has no human feelings, works on reason, is something like a holograph from another planet. He has extrasensory powers, stands for hours facing south-east. The doctor also identifies him as a Christlike figure - and he has a good rapport with other patients, has a capacity for healing, conducts an orchestra playing Beethoven's Ninth with exhilarating results for the orchestra and for the audience. It is hard to know whether he is simply a patient with mental disturbances of is as he claims. A social worker, Beatrice, also appears and it seems that she too is an alien who has opted to stay on Earth and discovers human feelings.

The film is allegorical of the alien coming to Earth and transforming people for the better, the basis of the gospel story and the Christ parallels are stressed. The film may be linked with such films as ET and Edward Scissorhands as well as the myriad comedies from Crocodile Dundee to Short Circuit, Twins and My Stepmother is an Alien, whereby filmmakers have played with the idea of the stranger coming into a society, being affected by it as well as transforming it.

1. Impact of the film? Serious themes? Reason, feelings, sanity and insanity? The Christ parallels and the allegorical fable nature of the film?

2. Argentinian production, the setting of the institution, ordinary settings like the zoo, the outdoor concert? The Argentinian flavour? Songs, musical score - and the exhilaration of Beethoven's Ninth?

3. The title, the focus on the behaviour of Rantes and his facing south-east for extraterrestrial impulses? Rantes as human, extraterrestrial, alien? Reason, feelings? His explanations - true or false? The creation of an insane man or not? The holograph theory? The past, the presence of the dead? Aliens coming to Earth and deserting and experiencing human feelings? Beatrice?

4. The portrait of the doctor, competence in his work, experiments, observation, visiting patients? Becoming jaded? Home life, separation from family, the outings with his children, the zoo? The routines of the hospital? His encounter with Rantes, talking with him, the voice-over comments about what was happening, coming alive? The discussions, explanations, scientific experiments, pills, and shock treatment? His wanting to know more, learning about himself, transformed? His noting the Christlike parallels, himself as pilot and judging? Beatrice and the discussions about Rantes? The concert, the outings? Reprimanded by authorities? Watching Rantes, giving up on the explanation? The photo - and the mystery? The encounter with Beatrice and his coming alive emotionally? His future?

5. Rantes, personality, lacking emotions but seeming emotional, the coat to the cold man, the joy of Beethoven, playing the organ? His goodness to the other people? The treatment with pills (and his throwing them away), involving himself in protests about food etc? Standing facing south-east? The Christ parallels? Doing good, the alien coming into a different world, sign of contradiction? Healings? Enabling people to be themselves? The relationship with Beatrice? The photo? The mystery of his identity?

6. Beatrice, the social worker, visiting Rantes, the transforming experience, questioned by the doctor, her explanations of his being an alcoholic? The concert, the later questions, the sexual encounter? Referred to as the saint? Her explanation of herself, the alien, becoming human? The photo? Mystery woman

7. The picture of the patients, their illnesses, treatment? The collages of the patients - especially to the music of Beethoven's Ninth and their transformation? The medical staff, the nurses, the routines? Observations, experiments, the laboratories - and Rantes looking at the human brain and dividing it and destroying it?

8. The contrast with the doctor and his children, the ordinary human experience contrasting with that of the institution?

9. The mystical elements in the screenplay? Rantes and his ability to move things, in the café, and the poor woman and the steak dishes being moved and her being able to eat? The extrasensory power - compatible with somebody suffering delusions and hallucinations?

10. The philosophical, scientific and theological aspects of the screenplay and the discussions? Raising questions about the meaning of life?

MY GIRL TISA

US, 1948, 95 minutes, Black and white.
Lilli Palmer, Sam Wanamaker, Alan Hale, Stella Adler, Akim Tamiroff.
Directed by Elliott Nugent.

My Girl Tisa is a pleasing romantic drama. Set in 1905 and focusing on the migrants wanting American citizenship, it was made at the period of standing up for America after World War Two. However, the treatment of the theme transcends the feelings of the '40s and re-creates the atmosphere of the turn of the century in New York. The city of New York is lovingly presented - the atmosphere in which the migrants from Europe landed, worked hard, worked for gaining their citizenship.

Lilli Palmer is very attractive in the central role and is supported well by Sam Wanamaker, who made several films in England and moved to direction on stage and screen. The supporting cast is led by Alan Hale and Akim Tamiroff with Sidney Blackmer appearing in most jolly fashion at the end as Teddy Roosevelt. The film receives Warner Bros production values. has a score by Max Steiner, and is directed by Elliott Nugent (The Crystal Ball, Welcome Strange).

1. An entertaining piece of Americana? The American dream? The migrants and their experience? The offer of America of citizenship and freedom?

2. Warner Bros. production values: black and white photography, the recreation of New York 1900 Romantic musical score? Echoes of the melodies of the time?

3. The focus on Tisa - her European background, coming to America and her hopes, saving money and investing it to bring her father to America? The quest for American citizenship? Her hard work in Mr Crumbach's factory? Her eagerness to find other jobs? Her work in the boarding house, her friendship with the various people? Her sharing the room with her sister Jenny? Attraction towards Mark? The search for jobs? The difficulties with Descu and her signing the contract for her father to go to the city of Washington? Mark and the difficulties? The arrest? Her being deported? Her innocently admitting the conspiracy? Her falling in love with Mark, sharing together, his wanting to save her? The iron of her speech about freedom to the Statue of Liberty and its being heard by Teddy Roosevelt? Her being allowed to stay? The charm of the American dream?

4. Mark as an American citizen, his ambitions, his coming with Dugan, Dugan letting him go and abusing him? His loud style, accosting people in the street, studying to be a lawyer? His place at the boarding house, trying to find a job for Tisa? Their falling in love, the outings, the boat? Their wanting to be serious and not fall in love but doing so? The trouble with Descu, his wanting to save Tisa? The arrest, the court case, his proposing to marry her? His visiting her on Ellis island? Declaration of love? Upsetting Teddy Roosevelt's ceremony and bringing him to the jail? The vindication of his stances - and his being asked to give advice to the President? Dugan noticing him with the President - and his becoming the next Alderman and ... ?

5. The people in the boarding house, the range of European backgrounds, their trying to settle into America, the hard work in the factories, the information that had to be learnt for the test for American citizenship, Mr Grumbach and his stinginess, running his factory tightly, refusing to lend the money, his getting coaching from Mark for his test, his being bothered by Mark because of the money, his failing the test, his bailing Mark out of jail, his mellowing? Jenny and her work in the factory? Support of Tisa?

6. Descu and his scheme to get the money from 'the migrants, the legal situation, his tricking people and doing deals for cheap labour? His being brought to court?

7. The people in the boarding house, Mrs Faludi and her running of the house, her new fiance, her geniality?

8. American politics, Dugan and his smile and speeches, Mark working for him, thinking that he was supporting him, his spurning of Mark and abusing him? With his eye out to use him at the end?

9. The picture of Teddy Roosevelt - bluff and bully, genial, welcoming the migrants, coming in person to resolve the situation, having Tisa and Mark ride in his coach? The bully and heart style of Americanism at the turn of the century?

10. A gentle piece of Americana - reminding Americans of the migrant heritage, the struggles for the migrants in their early years, success and the American dream?

MUSIC FOR MILLIONS

US, 1944, 117 minutes, Black and white.
Margaret O'Brien, June Allyson, Jose Iturbi, Jimmy Durante, Marsha Hunt, Hugh Herbert, Henry Davenport, Connie Gilchrist.
Directed by Henry Koster.

Music for Millions was a popular film of 1944, a production with many stars and the use of classical to entertain American audiences. It was also a piece of propaganda, a focus on the women who waited at home, on their men away in the Pacific and in Europe. Comparisons can be made with such war sagas as Since You Went Away.

Henry Koster directed many Deanna Durbin films. In fact, Jimmy Durante's reluctance to sing in this film is a direct parallel with Deanna Durbin's reluctance to sing and then perform in First Love.

The film focuses on Margaret O'Brien who had a strong screen presence. June Allyson is her usual romantic and tearful self. Jimmy Durante adds comedy. Jose Iturbi conducts and plays the piano with great skill.

The film's screenplay by Myles Connelly was nominated for an Oscar - a sign of popularity in 1944.

1. Popular war film, music, sentiment?

2. M.G.M. production values, the presence of the stars and their contribution sentiment?

3. Production values: gloss, black and white photography? The music and the excerpts, the classical music and the selection, the Hallelujah Chorus?

4. Margaret O'Brien as Mike: her screen presence, audience response to her? Arrival at the station, her sulkiness, eagerness to be helped, going to the concert, devoted to Barbara, going on stage, interrupting the concert? Her letter arriving late? Befriended by the women in the orchestra? Allowed to stay in the boarding house and remaining hidden? The devices to keep her hidden, travelling, the orchestra? Her dislike of Andrews? The clash with Jose Iturbi, his shrewd resolution and asking her help at performances?, The concern about Barbara, learning that she was going to have the baby, her prayer and going to church? Looking through the bag and the telegram incident, the clash with the other woman? The build-up to the birth? The happy ending?

5. Barbara and, her marriage, wanting letters from her husband, her pregnancy? Mike giving her a seat during performances, her love for her sister, relationship with the friends in the orchestra, their hiding her, the arrival of the letter, the birth of the baby?

6. Jose Iturbi and his musical skill, conducting, performance? clashes with Mike, the help to Barbara, his working with Andrews, allowing Andrews to perform in his stead, for the orchestra? The concerts for the troops?

7. Jimmy Durante and his comic style, presence, relationship with Mike the clashes, his singing for the troops? The discussions about babies?

8. The girls in the orchestra, as a group, as individuals, Marsha and her concern, hiding the telegram and its consequent tensions, Marie Wilson and her daffy style?

9. The uncle and his being in jail, wanting money, being persuaded to write the letter - and the irony that he forgot?

10. The importance of the letter, the truth?

11. Propaganda for American audiences, entertainment of the troops, humane, sentimental, humorous? A film of 1944?

MURPHY'S LAW

US, 1986, 100 minutes, Colour.
Charles Bronson, Kathleen Wilhoite, Carrie Snodgress, Robert F. Lyons, Richard Romanus, Angel Tompkins, Lawrence Tierney.
Directed by J. Lee Thompson.

Murphy's Law is one of many Charles Bronson vigilante cop thrillers, made towards the end of his career as a star. In the early '80s he appeared in a number of similar films from Death Wish II and III to Ten Minutes to Midnight, The Evil That Men Do, The Assassination. It was directed by J. Lee Thompson who directed a number of these Bronson vehicles. The supporting cast is quite strong, especially Kathleen Wilhoite as the wisecracking Arabella McGee? and includes Carrie Snodgress as the villain.

The film is in the vein of the vigilante cop films, more violent than most and relying on audience response to Charles Bronson. The film was co-produced by his wife Jill Ireland.

1. The impact of this kind of police thriller? Police violence? The vigilante police? The burnt-out police? Mafia and conspiracies? A Charles Bronson vehicle?

2. The atmosphere of Los Angeles, the city, the use of light and darkness, sleazy atmospheres, crime? Musical score and mood?

3. The title and its ironic application? Murphy rectifying the law?

4. The introduction to Murphy: Charles Bronson and his style, as a person, the car, Arabella, the confrontation with Frank Vincenzo, the deaths and Tony Vincenzo? The phone calls from Joan Freeman? Murphy's relationship with his wife? The information from the computers? The tracking down of the crimes? The final confrontation with Joan? The death of his wife and her lover? The violence with Arabella? The irony in the hospital - a happy ending? Action, police thriller, justice?

5. Joan Freeman and her background, coming out of prison, the madness, the return, the various murders, tracking those she wanted to kill, the violence of their deaths, seduction, taunting? The phone calls to Murphy? The build-up to the finale, the fight, her death?

6. Arabella and her cheekiness, stealing, her bad mouth, helping Murphy, becoming his buddy, involved in the final confrontation?

7. Frank Vincenzo, his empire, violence, sexuality, Tony, the deaths, crime, the shoot-out?

8. The police, suspicions, action? Computers? Ed Reineke and his suspicions?

9. The victims of Joan Freeman? Justice and revenge?

10. The ugliness of the police thriller, realism, entertainment? Context? Issues of law and order and responsibility?

MURDER IN SPACE

Canada, 1985, 90 minutes, Colour.
Wilford Brimley, Michael Ironside, Martin Balsam, Wendy Crewson, Jan Rubes, Arthur Hill.
Directed by Steven Hilliard Stern.

Murder in Space is a whodunit telemovie. However, on its first television release, it was the focus of a gimmick - being shown throughout the world simultaneously, competitions in most countries for audiences to send in their solution to the mystery, panels of experts to discuss the clues and situations after the screening of the film. After some time, crew and cast were assembled to film the final revelation sequences.

The film was directed by Steven Hilliard Stern, director of a great number of films and, especially, telemovies. It is competently - if routinely - made. A spaceship with both Russians and Americans and an international crew is the setting for the mystery. There are some nods in the direction of American-Russian? tensions, international collaboration in space exploration. Various points are made about the various nationalities and the clash between Americans and Russians. However, there are nine people aboard the spaceship and three of them are murdered.

Characterisations are basic - mainly the opportunity for concocting motives and indicating clues. There is the loyal Russian hero who dies when ordered to thwart American plans for the return of the spaceship. There is the promiscuous Russian scientist who has had an affair with the captain and is having an affair with someone on board. She was pregnant at the time of her murder. There is the American scientist with a wife back home (seen on television link-up) who is having a homosexual relationship with the German crew member - also murdered. There is an almost blind but sympathetic French doctor, an Italian scientist who may have stolen material from the Russian. There is an English woman aboard as well as a Canadian man. Michael Ironside is Captain Neal Braddock who has to take control and bring the group back to Earth.

The group on land is far more interesting - Wilford Brimley very good as the American control of the mission and Martin Balsam as his Russian counterpart. Arthur Hill is the American vice-president.

The film works on the basic level of murders, clues, mixed motivation - and audience curiosity.

MURDER CAN HURT YOU

US, 1980, 100 minutes, Colour.
Tony Danza, Victor Buono, Jamie Farr, Gavin McLeod?, Burt Young, Connie Stevens.
Directed by Roger Duchowsky.

Murder Can Hurt You is a pleasant oddball telemovie. It is a television version of Murder By Death. That is, it takes several television heroes and heroines of series, treats them in the manner and musical style and makes them the victims of a mad murderer. The film is fairly basic in its plot, in its performances and in its screenplay, amusing in an undemanding way.

The police and television stars lampooned include Starsky and Hutch, Barretta (Lambretta), Ironside (Ironbottom), Columbo (Polumbo), McCloud? (McSky) as well as Policewoman. Each is taken off quite well, for instance Victor Buono as Ironbottom, Tony Danza as Lambretta, Connie Stevens as Policewoman and, especially, Burt Young as Polumbo.

There is a series of murders, the various stars have attempts made on their lives and the villain is revealed to be Mrs Polumbo in disguise. She rants and raves about having to be the obscure Mrs Polumbo whereas she has talent in herself, is not actually Italian and loathes all the Italian things she has to do and is a good actress to boot.

The film is rather simple but enjoyable, indulging in over-heroics on television.