SMITHEREENS

US, 1982, 93 minutes, Colour.
Susan Berman, Brad Rinn.
Directed by Susan Seidelman.

Smithereens is a small-budget film about life in the east village of New York at the beginning of the 1980s. The focus is on a young woman who falls in love with a sensitive artist but is caught up with the punk style and the music of this rock era in New York. The smithereens, of course, refers to the smashing of one’s life. Direction is by Susan Seidelmann who made Desperately Seeking Susan, Cookie and She-Devil.

1. The title and its tone? Being broken into small pieces - from inside, through alienation. interaction with society? The band music symbol? The world blown up five years earlier? All floating round - and nobody knows?

2. New York and smithereens? The film as a voice of Americana? A piece of New York? The New York world as a microcosm? Structures. values, directions and people? The younger generation in smithereens?

3. The personal story and the contribution of the producer and director? The small budget? The cast and its quality - authenticity? Location photography? Authentic atmosphere? Detail? Characters within the environment? The skill of writing and direction in establishing characters within situations? The feel for characters and situations? The oblique commentary on society through characters? Insights, comments? Where did audience sympathies lie?

4. The use of the musical score: songs, lyrics and moods?

5. The impetus in the narrative: Wren and the introduction, the encounter with Paul. Wren's story and Paul's story? Aims, the passing of days, the characters encountered? Wren's fickle behaviour? Interchange between Paul and Eric? Wren's needs. use of others, selfishness, seeking each character, losing them? The end and Wren in smithereens?

6. The appeal of the film? For what audience? Younger audiences? Older? American audiences? Universal? The empathy for the characters and the situations? Sympathetic or critical response?

7. The portrait of Wren and the skill of writing, acting? Her stealing, running, the photos, the encounter with Paul? Her focus on herself? Background? Her being evicted and her reaction? The Peppermint Lounge? Farewells? The apartment and her stuff? Being locked? The landlady and good riddance. the window and the clothes being thrown out, the water? The kid with the bra? Her aims: the focus on Eric, his career as a singer? The kiss - and the later being ignored? Eric and his push, the dance, home, expectations? Sleeping the night? Eric's wife - and the later discovery? The quarrel? Her presence? The discovery - the cigarette? Friend and despair? Cecile and the bath? The phone? Hurt? The plans about Los Angeles? Eric and chasing him, re-meeting him? In and out of his life? The fight with the girl? Robbing Ed and betraying? Her going home to her sister - her reaction, her husband's reaction? Her going back to Paul? Moving in with him? Going to the movie? The humour of the horror star? Leaving, returning? The quality of the friendship, sharing, talk? Self-revelation? The possibilities - her incapacity for hearing? New Hampshire? The night - the van? The build-up and her leaving? Hurt: Cecile and her friend, Mike, the band? Paul finally gone? Her final walk. being picked up? In smithereens in the crowd? The detail of the characterisation, emphasis on manner, clothes and appearance, red paint etc? An individual character? Paul and his background from Montana, the chance meeting with Wren, not knowing anybody, the paint, going out. the angry phone call, the lift, the $600. following, helping burgle - the stocking? The prostitute and the sandwich? His hopes in life, type, home? His supporting Wren? Inability to take her ways any longer? The night together, hurt, leaving? The feel for the characterisation? A credible contemporary character?

9. Eric as a type, in himself, star, records, with Wren, with his wife, the fight, his leaving? Ambitions for Los Angeles?

10. Cecile and Ohio? Drink, the photo, seeing Eric, the bath? Her not being any help? Hating girls?

11. Wren's friend? Support?

12. The landlady and her opposition, the woman, the child?

13. Wren's sister, the home, Wren's turning up, the son, the car, the meal, the niece? The possibility of an ordinary life?

14. The background of prostitution in New York? Wren in comparison? moral standards and values?

15. The world of music? Eric? Cabaret performances? Wren's hopes and failures?

16. The importance of the squalid and dingy atmosphere, the cityscapes with their ugliness? The ugly New York lifestyle? Yet Wren liking it? Her wanting to move out a bit? Her rebellion, alienation, being against her roots? The future: television. Reagan, religion, disasters?

17. The values and stances of the film? As expressed in the characters, their tensions? Their hopes? In the music? In the symbol of the horror film? In relationships, feelings, selfishness? Standards?

SERVANTE ET MAITRESSE (SERVANT AND MISTRESS)

France, 1977, 90 minutes, Colour.
Andrea Ferreol, Victor Lanoux.
Directed by Bruno Gantillon.

As indicated by the title, this is a film about roles, role-reversal, class distinctions, sexual roles. Popular French actor of the period, Victor Lanoux and Andrea Ferreol (La Grande Bouche) portray the servant and master. The film focuses on the difference between their classes and the consequences in the society in which they live. The film moves into the area of sexuality, especially of sexual dominance and domination.

The film serves as something of a parable, even an allegory, about human relationships, society and class.

1. The impact of this presentation of French life, reversal of masculine sexual roles, humiliation? A morality fable?

2. The French production, a French view of life, manners and morals? Universal impact? Particularly French atmosphere: times, places? A French tone?

3. Technical credits: colour photography, the decor of the house, the general restriction of the action to interiors and the environment of the house? The tone of the musical score?

4. The structure of the film: opening and closing sequences and the presentation of Maria and Jerome? The irony of the reversal of roles, death and survival, humiliation? The placing of each of the characters in the class structure, the power relationship? The expectations of male dominance and female subservience? The ironies of the reversal of roles and exercise of power? The episodes illustrating this? The cumulative effect for the audience, the cumulative effect for Maria and her being depressed, for Jerome and his survival?

5. The opening of the film and the establishing of the uncle's death, the atmosphere of mourning, Maria and her place in the household? The servant of the title soon to become mistress?

6. Jerome's arrival - his personality, his lack of finance, his relationship with his uncle, his arrogance, sexual liaison and humiliation of Maria?

7. The irony of Maria's revealing the financial situation? Jerome and his desperation, borrowing money from Maria and her refusal? Her making him servant, the various games she played with him, her expectations of his work within the house? His manner and playing the game, his motivation? His diplomatic response, his loss of temper and the losing of diplomacy? His being humiliated?

8. Maria and her enjoying the games, having her revenge, the vindication of her class? The effect of the games on her - the exercise of power and its corruption?

9. The decision to bring Christine into the house? Her sharing in the humiliation of Jerome? Her brutality, her feeling that she was being brutalised, her decision to leave?

10. Jerome and his service of the old man, the humiliation for the old man of having his shoes cleaned, his being dismissed by Maria?

11. The episode with the gigolo - the phone call, the meal, the sexual liaison, the return to the house, Maria's involvement of Jerome in sexual satisfaction? The sexual humiliation of Jerome?

12. His decision to participate, his exercise of control?

13. Maria's growing lack of control, the taking of the pills, her boredom, depression, death?

14. The patterns in the structure of the film? The film as a patterned work analogous to the movements of a musical composition? The performances and their skill and the persuasiveness of the themes? The exploration in fable form of masculine-feminine relationships, love-hate, dependence, power, corruption, humiliation? Class traditions and the exercise of manners? Themes of sexuality and death and their relationship?

A SENSITIVE, PASSIONATE MAN

US, 1977, 96 minutes, Colour.
David Janssen, Angie Dickenson.
Directed by John Newland

A Sensitive Passionate Man is a telemovie about alcoholism. David Janssen gives a strong performance as an alcoholic husband. Angie Dickinson is the anguished wife, trying to be supportive of her husband, protecting her two children.

There have been many films about alcoholics including the Oscar-winning Lost Weekend in 1945 as well as Blake Edwards’ Days of Wine and Roses. There are also quite a number of telemovies – bringing the problems right into the home of people who are experiencing this kind of disease as well as the oppression from alcoholics.

A sad additional note to this film is that David Janssen himself was an alcoholic, unable to stop his drinking, this contributing to his untimely death.

1. A serious telemovie? For home audiences? Interest, dramatic entertainment? Reflection of social situations?

2. The title and its tone? The song and its lyrics? The contribution of the stars and their style?

3. A piece of Americana: affluent background, homes, clubs, hospitals? The problem of the middle class and affluent families?

4. The credits and the photo collage - and the contrast with the ending and its tragic tone?

5. The contrast with the happiness, the party, friends, work, love, children?

6. The serious undertone with drink, rewards with alcohol - and the imitation by the kids? Alcohol and the changing of the situation and personality?

7. David Janssen as Michael: in himself, at home, the party, his love for his wife, his skills? The birthday celebration, his anger at the tennis? The truth about his being sacked? The effect of retrenchment? Not having work? The drink, the lounge? His abuse? His becoming erratic? Forgetting, hitting Marj, forgiveness? The inability to get a job? The humiliation of his son at the class that he gave and his inability to give it? Falling, wandering? The lawyers? His leaving? The ambulance? The doctor coming and his refusal to go? His illness? The odd friends in the bar and the household? His dying? The comments on his having a death wish and his being a perfectionist?

8. The ability for people to help this kind of person in crisis? Could he have been saved?

9. Angie Dickinson as Marji: housewife, ordinary way of life, having to cope, loving her husband, discovering about his being retrenched, being hurt? Not knowing? The confrontation, his hitting her into the pool, forgiveness? Her going to work? The ambulance, the humiliation of the class? Relationship with the children? Leaving, the lawyers, the return? Anger? Her reaction to Michael's death?

10. The children and watching the clash between their parents? Happy sequences? The beginnings of tragedy? Meals, Michael telling stories? Their being alert to the situation, having to cope, wetting the bed etc.? The humiliation of Michael's class to the children?

11. The relationship with friends, their ability to help or not? Parties, the class, the reaction to Marj working in the supermarket?

12. Work, secretary, covering up? Michael redundant? The reality of unemployment issues? His wanting to take work beneath his skills? Mari and her ability to get work that suited? Her being humiliated by friends?

13. The realism of the film? Its atmosphere of depression? Compassion, insight? Popular stars dramatising a social situation for a wide audience - how effective?

STREET HERO

Australia, 1984, 102 minutes, Colour.
Vince Colosimo, Sigrid Thornton, Sandy Gore, Ray Marshall, Bill Hunter, Amanda Muggleton.
Directed by Michael Pattinson.

Street Hero was directed by Michael Pattinson who had worked in television and made a small-budget film, Moving Out, about Italian migrants making good in Melbourne and moving from Fitzroy to Doncaster. One of the stars of that film was a schoolboy, Vince Colosimo. Pattinson then used him as the hero for this story of a musician – a rock ‘n roll story with a strong soundtrack. However, Colosimo was inexperienced at this time and the film was not such a success. He is teamed with Sigrid Thornton and there is a strong supporting cast including Bill Hunter.

The screenplay was written by the prolific Jan Sardi who was to go on to write Shine.

Vince Colosimo, however, decided to continue acting and this led to a successful career on stage, television and in cinema. He appeared in many films, including Wogboy, and won an AFI best supporting actor award for Lantana.

1. A portrait of youth in an Australian city? The entertainment value? Message? Characters, situations? The importance of the musical background?

2. The portrait of inner city Melbourne: real, artificial? The style of the flashbacks? Home sequences, school, band training, the band on tour? The contrast with the club, the gambling? organised crime? The presentation of the police? An authenticity in locations and feel? A picture of the '80s?

3. The importance of the musical score: music, beat, mood? Songs and the lyrics? The range of musical artists? The lyrics corresponding to characters and situations? The video clip style? The background score by Bruce Smeaton? Editing, pace, movement?

4. The hero of the '80s tradition of film? The Saturday Night Fever, Rocky style? The Italian heroes like Sylvester Stallone and John Travolta? Vince Colosimo presented as this kind of street hero? Anti-hero/hero? The potential of this kind of young man, the background of family, peers? The Italian group and its standing, ethos? Vinnie as hero, victim? His fighting and pattern of his father? The film as a contemporary fairytale? The climb of the young man - and the ending on the top of the world (at least at the top of Melbourne)? The fairy story Vinnie told to his brother and sister? Of the boy who could fly - and Vinnie able to fly? Aggressive, hurt, independent, proving himself, abrasive? The pattern of his father, the love for his mother, the support of his girlfriend, the reaction of the various teachers? A boy wanting to do the right thing? The plausibility of the optimistic ending?

5. The atmosphere of the city streets, the parallel with American images, toughness, poverty, wealth? Violence and greed? Crime? Power? Values, the police, corruption and the law?

6. The opening with the carwash, Vinnie with a clean job, Vinnie later moving through dirty jobs to clean jobs? Taking the car-cleaning job as a hope for the future?

7. The portrait of the underworld: Ciccio and his club, the gambling, the decor, the chandeliers and the Last Supper? Wealth, protection money and its collection, S.P. bookmaking and phone calls, drug movement? Joey, Nino and the henchmen for Ciccio? Loyalties and disloyalties? The contact with Fitzgerald and Richards and the protection of the police? The club, the clients, the prostitutes, the boxing? The Mafia overtone? The comment on aspects of organised crime and Italian connections in Australia of the '80s?

8. Vinnie within this world: his standover tactics, tough? The visualising of the memories of his father and idealising him? His father as a fighter, the cheers? Ciccio's influence? Alternate worlds as possible for Vinnie? The club and George's help, training? The boxing bouts, his runs over the Westgate Bridge etc.? His aggressiveness - but not aggressive enough, his giving up the boxing? George and his reaction, saving him when he was on the run from the police, George telling him the truth? The contrast with Vinnie at home: ordinary adolescent, his love for his brother and sister, telling them stories, tenderness towards his mother, the memories of his father, the reaction against the brutality of the stepfather? Threatening him? The gentleness of the home scenes, meals, the pleasure for Vinnie to be at home?

9. His range of friends, the friends at the club, meeting Gloria there? His suspension from school and his return? The class seeing him as a hero? His proving himself? Miss Reagan and her criticism, his sullenness? Her taunting him? Bonnie Rogers and his rudeness towards her, her friendship, his comments about her being lesbian etc., his later seeing the truth about her when she took him home? Her visit to his mother? The bashings, his being bashed? His decision to go to the band and train with it, the surly attitudes, the change of attitude? The visual impact of the collage of his training to be a drummer, the effect on him, a new life?

10. The rehearsals, the band's performance, achievement? The trophy? The trip, the bashings along the way from the country groups, Freddo and his reaction? The song, cigarette, Gloria and staying?

11. The school background: the staff meeting, the headmaster and the discussion about the toilets, toilet supervision, people being late for the meeting, Miss Reagan, the teacher asleep during the meeting? Miss Reagan and her stiff attitudes? Bonnie and her dedication? Bonnie's challenge and Vinnie's return? A caricature of school? Points being made?

12. Vinnie and the anger of the adolescent? The poses, the tenderness, the sullenness? Bonnie's talk about respect and getting him to earn respect? Her giving him some self-worth, movement to jobs, the search for values?

13. Gloria - Sigrid Thornton's performance as credible? Work, at the club, school? Her delight in playing in the band? Her
mother in France, her independence? Bonnie offering her the place in the band, the tour? The bind with Vinnie, the tour, the tent sequence, her deciding to stay? Her being with Vinnie at the end - at the top of the world? The range of school friends; tough, posing, playing in the band, school comedy style?

14. The background of the police? Fitzgerald and Richards and their contacts? Drug drops, protection, on the take? The visit to Vinnie's? The stepfather and his bashing the mother? Their giving some money to Vinnie to help? The irony of Vinnie then saving their life at the set-up by Ciccio? The ambiguity of the police on the take?

15. Ciccio as the Mafia type, control, using Vinnie, using his father, his henchmen, Joey and Nino and the set-up with Fitzgerald and Richards, Joey's turning, preventing Vinnie from being involved, taking a stance against Ciccio at the end? Loyalty among thieves?

16. The monochrome memories of Vinnie of his father, his father as hero, the contrast with his memory of his father's death? Admitting the reality of his father to himself?

17. Vinnie's mother, her advice, his supporting her, the stepfather and his brutality at the meal, his bashing his wife? The stepfather bashing the mother and shooting her, shooting himself? The significance of Vinnie's talking to his mother genuinely in the hospital (and the nervous laughing response in theatres on the film's release)? His crying? The relationship with his brother and sister? Going to see them at the orphanage, his responsibility as father figure for them?

18. Bonnie and the clash with Vinnie, her support, the gift, hurt and reaching out? The contrast with Miss Reagan, the ugly sequence and her taunting Vinnie in school, slinging off about Gloria, Vinnie's hitting her?

19. A coherent screenplay, episodes and their fragmented style? Reality and memories? A portrait of adolescence and teenage problems? Stylised? The response of Australian audiences of the '80s?

STRIKE ME LUCKY

Australia, 1934, 87 minutes, Black and white.
Roy Rene, Yvonne Banvard.
Directed by Ken G. Hall.

Strike Me Lucky is the only feature film made by vaudeville and radio comedian Roy Rene, Mo. It was not a cinema success. Roy Rene himself was disappointed, thinking that much of his best material finished up on the cutting-room floor. but also acknowledging the need he had for a live audience to respond well. Many of the sequences are quite funny. However, for an audience not familiar with his entertainment style, it seems particularly mannered and eccentric. His contemporary audiences would have made some allowance for this. Rene was a comedian of stage presence and timing as well as an excellent comedian with his voice. Hence, his continued success on radio.

The film is a Cinesound production directed by Ken G. Hall with screenplay by Victor Roberts, one of Rene's comic writers, and photographed by Cinesound's two experts Frank Hurley and George Heath. There are some pleasant but forgettable songs. The supporting cast includes many regulars from Cinesound productions of the '30s.

There is too much plot. There is the focus on Mo, his Jewish style, his being out of work and gaining employment. There is plot about a rich little girl who is feared to be kidnapped with consequent difficulties of a kidnap plot. Then there is plot about two halves of a map for a gold reef, a send-up of Lasseter's lost reef. Finally there is an expedition to the reef and even a group of 'cannibals' somewhere out in the middle of Australia - looking in no way like aborigines but more like Hollywood head-hunters. The film then gets out of hand despite many of its successful moments.

It is an interesting curiosity and an opportunity to see a famous comedian of his time.

1. Audience interest in the film? The work of Ken G. Hall and Cinesound? A vehicle for Roy Rene and his character, Mo?

2. The film's lack of success Mo as a stage and radio actor, his particular styles of humour crass, vulgar, wheedling and whining style, his jibes at institutions?

3. The Roy Rene style of humour and the support of his comic writing team? The range of jokes, verbal and visual? The parodies of contemporary films? Too much plot? The black and white photography and sets and locations? The insertion of a Busby Berkley style musical sequence?

4. The world of Sydney, artificial and real? Rich and poor? Mo's world and poverty, inner city life, unemployment, conmen? The background of inner city gangster life? The contrast with high society, wealth, beautiful homes, planes? The second half of the film with the aerial sequences and comedy, prospecting, the lost reef, the encounter with the cannibals? The draining of credibility?

5. Mo as a successful radio personality: his age, the light blue jokes, the spluttering, the little man, the man who could give others their comeuppance, the Jewish innuendo, Jewish explicit jokes? Quick repartee? Corny puns and jokes? A comedian to listen to? Timing? The effect of seeing Mo in close-up? Mo doing his stage routines, songs and dances rather than giving a screen performance?

6. Mo and the story: the ordinary man in the inner city, the conman (and the note in the coat pocket)? Taking the cab, the cab-driver, the clothes merchant, the job and Mo's selling clothes? The encounter with Miriam and her dancing? Kate and the various crooks? The maps? The friendship with the Burnetts? Mo as a causer of confusion? The planes and the stunt work, Mo and the plane, desert, the encounter with the cannibals? His voice, manner, offbeat criticism? The impact of his screen persona?

7. The coincidences and ludicrous aspects of the plot? The plot overload and its effect?

8. Mo, Donald and Mrs. Huckleberry? Inner city life, simplicity. jokes? Landladies, friends? The clothes shop? Donald and his help? The melodrama with the criminals? The mishaps? Donald and the expedition? Mrs. Huckleberry looking after Miriam?

9. John and Margot as romantic leads? Stereotypes for films of the '30s? The encounter with the book on Romeo and Juliet? The chase, the airport, the house, the map, the expedition? Happy ending?

10. Miriam and her father, his complaints about poverty, her deciding to go out and dance in the street to raise money for him, the set-ups for her return, Mo breaking through the plans, Kate and her double-timing?

11. Kate and the Mae West film (the poster with the title 'She Done Him Dirt' rather than 'She Done Him Wrong')? Kate becoming blonde, Mae West's clothes and style? Her crooked friends? The double deals? Going to the Burnetts'? The mix-up about Miriam? The map, going with John on the plane? Ending on the right side?

12. The film's use of the old legends of Lasseter's reef? Misconceptions about aborigines? Parody?

13. A '30s variation of the Australian little man? Parody of Australian society? Spoof on Australian entertainment?

STREET KIDS

Australia, 1983, 72 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Leigh Tilson and Rob Scott.

Street Kids is a documentary from the 1980s focusing on social issues in Melbourne. The directors lived with homeless youth in a boarding house in Melbourne and conducted many interviews for the documentary. The teenagers responded well to the directors and are very frank about the realities of their situation and their future. Other interviews include police, a Jesuit brother, and characters involved in the drug world as well as prostitution.

The film made quite an impact in its time. It is an interesting record of Melbourne and youth in the early 1980s.

1. The quality of the film as a documentary? Style, aim, communication? Wide audience? Social relevance and critique?

2. The sincerity of the film? A record of life in the streets of St. Kilda? Information communicated? Instruction for the popular audience? The effect on the audience - for realistic social change?

3. The impact for the audience: local? General? For attitudes, information, action, change?

4. The visuals of the city of Melbourne: the opening with the trains, transport, the views of the city, night and day? A typical city anywhere in the world? The universality of the message?

5. The particular aspects of the city: the night, life at St. Kilda. squalor. ugliness. the focus of the street kids, the emphasis on darkness?

6. The kids themselves: from ordinary families. their comments, the opening voice-over of the radio session and the criticism of the kids? The credits and the shops? The presentation of the affluent middle class - TV shows as The Price is Right (and the street kids watching)? The family background, schools? Need for affection, support? Hopes. inability to cope and manage? The children being allowed to be children? The fears and unawareness of parents? The impact of social workers? The refuges? The estate agents and the comments on the kids?

7. The selection of stories presented: the realism of the actual kids e.g. Rowan and his talking., Linda and the drugs, the starving couple - and their being seen throughout the final credits, Liz and the sniffing of the glue, the two girls talking about prostitution, seeing them in action, their friendship for one another, the couple with the heroin. the little boy at the end. Jody and her final comments. Gypsy and his observations about Turana,, his future. the others at Turana and seeing their way of life, Isabel and her wanting to study and have hopes at school? The cumulative effect of these interviews? The seeing of the kids, hearing them talk? The truth of their stories? How typical of the street kids? The effect of having their stories interspersed throughout the film?

8. The dialogue and its sharpness. quality of observation, the questions raised, the questions asked? The importance of the editing for highlighting the aspects of dialogue?

9. The contribution of the social workers? Linda and her discussions with Rowan? The comments of the locals? The critique of the university sociology students and their writing of theses and books including the stories of the kids? The contribution of Brother Alex McDonald?. his presence in St. Kilda. the bonds with the kids. his religious background, the validity of his observations? The film ending with himself and the little boy and Jody?

10. The picture of the police, patrolling, at work, commenting on the realities of St. Kilda, their attitude towards their relationships and responsibilities. the hard line they had to take, their wanting to help? Their stressing the kids should not be talked down to? The kids and their reactions to the police? Their truth, lies. their reaction to the comments of the courts and the judges?

11. The problem of accommodation. the streets. the scenes of the refuges, flats and the unwillingness of the landlords to let the kids come into the flats?

12. Themes of unemployment in the '70s and '80s? The possibility of getting jobs? Pro and con? The sense of hopelessness? The dole?

13. The glimpse of Turana, the training centre, the games played by the kids. the cells, the penalties. the interviews? Their comment on lack of training?

14. The atmosphere of death? The suicides. the hopelessness? The uncertainty about death - and the seeming unwillingness to live?

SPLENDID FELLOWS

Australia, 1934, 84 minutes, Black and white.
Frank Leighton, Leo Franklyn.
Directed by Beaumont Smith.

Splendid Fellows was directed and co-written by Beaumont Smith who had made a number of silent films including The Man from Snowy River. He also made half a dozen films, variations on Dad and Dave and On Our Selection. The Hayseeds were the characters – most of the films were silent but he made a talkie film of the Hayseeds in 1933.

Splendid Fellows takes up a theme popular with Beaumont Smith, the typical Englishman – this time Montmorency Ralston with monocle, plus fours and a valet. However, when he arrives in Australia he teams up with a dinkum Aussie from outback Australia. He also meets a famous flying padre (portrayed by Ronald Colman’s brother, Eric). The film then goes on to trace some drama in the centenary air race from London to Melbourne. Kingsford Smith himself appears in a cameo role during these sequences.

Despite some favourable comments, the film was not a success. Beaumont Smith then worked in publicity and distribution until his death fifteen years later.

1. Tone of the title - English! (And the film's admiration for but critique of 'the Poms '!) The New Zealand title The Hayseeds at the Melbourne Centenary - with tremendous business!

2. An enjoyable film of the '30s? For its own time? Later? The English focus? Presuppositions about Australia's relationship with England? Yet the critique of the English? Loyalty ... but! Australia better than England? The emphasis on Australian spirit and nationalism? Echoing the '30s? In retrospect?

3. The creation of English atmosphere? The contrast with Australia -both the city and Outback? Desert? The flavour of English wealth and country society? The black and white photography? The authenticity of the '30s - centenary celebrations? Kingsford Smith? Royal visits? The atmosphere and the score?

4. The focus on English tradition - and the comedy send-up? The father and his wealth? Country mansion? Servants? The son and his silly-ass style? Drinking, chorus girls, his valet? The old 19th. century remittance-man story? The father taking control of his son's life? The boat?

5. The satire on the establishment son? The manservant? The voyage out - sickness? Work? Troubles in Australia? The making of a man in Australia? The arrival in Sydney, on the town, the two-up. the song and dance show., gaol. home? And the influence of the Parson?

6. The contrast with Australia: the family, the bush, the hayseed style? Father and mother and the traditional Australian bush settlers? Eileen as the attractive heroine of the '30s? The solid praise of the bush style? The transition to Sydney -with its dangers? Two-up. the play. the police? Enjoying Sydney? A holiday?

7. The sub-plot with the Parson - the air ace and his not talking about it, the heroism of the past? His parish work? Building the plane? Going to Sydney - the help of his mate? Self-sacrifice? His taking Ted for the search for the reef? The crash? Survival? The image of the Church of England parson? Expectations? Births, deaths and marriages? The miracle? The happy ending - and the Parson as a splendid fellow? The comment on religion in Australia in the '30s?

8. The property, wealth, country life? Home life in the country? Eileen and her friendship with Monty? Being cobbers? Monty at home on the farm? The plane, building it. the flight and the tests?

9. The background of the competition? The training? The cable and money getting money from his father? The return, the papers. the stops? Darwin and news? The heroism in trying to find the lost Padre? Personal success and heroism - and the awarding of the medals? The Australian love for heroes and royal acclamation?

10. The love story and the emotional style of the '30s? Gallantry? Suspense and Eileen's concern? Conventional ways of creating suspense and anxiety?

11. The film's reliance on the beauty of the countryside? Its presentation of the city stereotypes - the slightly wild life of Sydney with two-up, the theatre, gaols. boarding houses?

12. The portrait of Jim McBride? and his being a typical Australian? The contrast with the city men? The landlady? The theatre girls? The police?

13. The atmosphere of flying in the '30s? Sydney? The Centenary Air Race? The presence of Kingsford-Smith?

14. The atmosphere of optimism - and naivety in the entertainment of the '30s?

SLAP HER, SHE'S FRENCH

US, 2001, 95 minutes, Colour.
Piper Perabo, Jane Mc Gregor, Michael Mc Kean.
Directed by Melanie Mayron.

Slap Her, She’s French is a teen comedy with a difference. Piper Perabo (The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Coyote Ugly) portrays a French exchange student in Texas. She enters into the Grady household and gradually takes it over. In fact, the film is something of a high school teenage All About Eve. Jane McGregor? is the daughter of the house and it is her life, her studies, her cheerleading squad – even the affections of her parents that lose out to the visiting French girl. Needless to say, she eventually gets her comeuppance.

The film was directed by Melanie Mayron, an actress who also directed an extensive range of television series and telemovies.

1. An entertaining comedy? Satire? Poking fun at Texas and the Texans? At Americans, at the French?

2. The title, its tone, the focus on Genevieve, people's reaction to her? The truth and her unmasking?

3. The Texas settings around Dallas, the small town, the high school, the wealthy homes, TV studios, the sports fields? An authentic atmosphere of Texas? The tone of Texas, the open fields, the cattle, beef?

4. The parody of Texas - accents, the focus on beef, the initial pageant, the perspective of Texas being the greatest state in the world, the allusions to the two Presidents Bush? Manner, schools, glamour - an old-style Americana of the south?

5. The focus on Starla and Jane McGregor's vigorous performance? Her being self-centred, believing everything from the glossy magazines, her friends? Her relationship with her parents and their adulation of her? The clashes with her brother, Randolph Scott? The competition, her undermining her two friends, her speech about community? Their comment about her sewing up every victory? The quick announcement about the French exchange student - after rejecting it? Seeing everything in terms of herself? Her clashes with Ed and his seeing through her? Her boyfriend and his gross manner, eating? The airport, receiving Genevieve, the photo opportunities? The efforts to speak French? Her taking Genevieve under her wing, improving Genevieve's appearance, taking her to school, being the centre of attention, Ed and the photos, the change and the article about Genevieve? Her ambitions, her checklist? Her treatment of others, her reading the news for the school, wanting to be on Good Morning America? Her not realising that Genevieve was gradually undermining her, her discovery of the truth? Her being ousted from the cheerleader squad? The French classes, the exam, the failure, the tapes, the rudeness to Mr Duke - and the later playing the tape criticising him and everyone? Genevieve taking her place, successful as a cheerleader, in school, the article, glamour, going hunting with her father, calling the parents Mother and Father, watching television with them? Her growing exasperation? Her violence? Ed telling her the truth, her gradual realisation, having to face the reality about herself? Her being drugged, put in jail, her brother getting her out, the discovery of the truth, getting the video, rushing to the TV station, her speech, interrupting Genevieve? Her love for Ed, going with him, not worrying about not winning the competition?

6. Genevieve, gawky, her arrival, wallflower, modest, gradually taking over, revealing the meanness, taking Starla's place, getting the popularity, the article, hunting, at home, the cheerleading and her being provocative, taking the boyfriend? Drugging Starla? The climax and the TV station - her being unmasked as Clarissa, the memories of the past, kissing the ice cow, her words coming over the microphone and denouncing everybody? Starla being the heroine, Clarissa ousted? Clarissa turning up in France pretending to be Starla?

7. The girlfriends, at the pageant, their speeches, friendship with Starla, yet resenting her, their fights, reconciliations? Their wanting glamour, following trends?

8. The parents, Dad with his video, proud of his daughter, taking Genevieve hunting? Mother, glamorous, her drinking? Randolph and his precocious reading of books, lack of interest in things Texan, yet supporting his family, bailing out Starla, helping her and Ed with the unmasking of Clarissa?

9. Ed, his work on the paper, clashes with Starla, attraction towards Genevieve, interviewing her, his interpreting her as coming on, his story, change of heart, trying to tell the truth to Starla, being a guide when she was being pretentious, his misinterpreting the end, the reconciliation? The contrast with Starla's boyfriend, the jock, expected couple, his gross manners, infatuated by Genevieve, trying to reconcile with Starla?

10. Mr Duke, Michael McKean's comedy style, the French classes, the sexual innuendo, failing Starla, the playing of the tape?

11. The coach, her attitude towards Starla, supporting Genevieve? The other members of the staff? The students in the school and their admiration of Starla, looking at her on television? The contrast with the protesting students against exploitation of women, beef, world issues? The lesbian student?

12. Non -American audiences enjoying the satire on America? The impact for American audiences? Texan audiences?

L’ANIMA GEMELLA (SOUL MATE)

Italy, 2002, 104 minutes, Colour.
Valentina Cervi, Violante Placido, Michele Venitucci, Sergio Rubini.
Directed by Sergio Rubini.

Soul Mate was written and directed by Sergio Rubini, a well-known Italian actor (although appearing in such American films as The Talented Mr Ripley as the police inspector and as one of the thieves in The Passion of the Christ).

This is a comedy about Sicily, about relationships, about marriage. Some consider it is a caricature of the image of Italians and of southern Italians, especially Sicilians. However, Valentina Cervi (Portrait of a Lady, Artemesia) and Violante Placido won acting awards at the Venice film festival in 2002.

1. Interesting and enjoyable? Particularly Italian, Sicilian? The themes, the magic, the superstition, the heightened emotions? Blood and revenge?

2. The Sicilian settings, the village, the fish factory, the coast, the holiday resort? The musical score?

3. The cinematic devices for the transition of sequences, eg the small fish in the bowl, the bigger fish? The use of the bowl and the oil for superstition? Opening out on the action of the film?

4. The fish factory, the preparation for the wedding, the two families happy, Maddalena’s family and their hostility? Teresa and her moodiness, her tantrums during the preparation for the dress and her hair? Tonino and his having abandoned Maddalena? The marriage for money? The families and their pressure? Maddalena being invited with her family for spite, her contemplating suicide? Her going to the wedding?

5. The ceremonies, the scissors not cutting the ribbon, going into the church, Tonino and his hesitation, the ceremony, Teresa and her vindictiveness towards Maddalena, nudging Tonino, his speech, rushing down the aisle? The pursuit by the brothers, the stabbing? His taking Maddalena and escaping?

6. Their driving in the car, going to the cliffs, declaring their love for each other, circling in the car, the tyre breaking, their walking and arriving at the resort? On the way, the hut, the night, the train?

7. In the town, happy together, the diving, the bet, Tonino and his diving, injuring his ear?

8. The barber and his mother, her superstitious friends, fortune-telling? His work, age, scepticism? Teresa's nurse and her bringing Teresa, the request, the threats, the mother refusing to transform her? The barber and his getting the information, forcing his mother?

9. The ritual and his transforming of Teresa into Maddalena? Her exhilaration, her hurrying to Tonino, the pressure on him, the different person, having her own way? His infatuation with her?

10. Maddalena, her recovering, the barber going to kill her, changing his mind, playing the music? His transforming her? Her hurrying to stop her brothers killing Tonino?

11. The brothers, the family, the vindictiveness, the attempted rape? Maddalena saving the day? The confrontation between the two women in their altered disguises?

12. Tonino and his exasperation with what he thought was Maddalena, her tantrums again before the wedding, his finding Teresa? Discovering the truth about her and his love?

13. The families, Maddalena in Teresa's guise restoring them all to good fortunes and achieving peace?

14. The finale with the barber, the money, his improved shop? Watching television and seeing Teresa as Maddalena doing bridal commercials? The happy ending for Tonino and Maddalena, even in Teresa's guise?

JUST FRIENDS

US, 2005, 95 minutes, Colour.
Ryan Reynolds, Amy Smart, Anna Faris, Julie Hagarty, Christopher Marquette, Stephen Root, Chris Klein.
Directed by Roger Kumble.

Director Roger Kumble made the quite clever college adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons with Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Philippe and Sarah Michelle Gellar, Cruel Intentions. He also made a lower-budget spin-off, Cruel Intentions 2. He also made the rather crass sex comedy The Sweetest Thing, with Cameron Diaz.

Just Friends is not going to go down as an important addition to his CV. On the other hand, it sets out to be an entertainingly obvious comedy for the cinema complex, and it achieves this goal quite well.

Ryan Reynolds is a personable actor who does not seem to mind sending himself up and literally falling on his face in farcical slapstick. He was the crude Van Wilder: Party Liaison and in Blade: Trinity. Here he is the fat teenager, Christ Bender, the butt of high school jokes and pranks whose best friend is Jamie (Amy Smart) who sees him only as a friend when he wants more.

Ten years later, he reappears fit and well-built, working for a record company and having to squire an impossibly silly and self-centred singing star (Anna Faris, who also does not seem to mind sending herself up as well as she did in Lost in Translation and she stars in the Scary Movies series). Will he win over Jamie? Could she love him? And what about Dusty (Chris Klein better and more convincing than usual), the high school nerd who now seems the town’s Mr Perfect?

Chris spends most of the film being self-absorbed and obnoxious, so much so that you wonder whether he will win over Jamie. And Mr Perfect Dusty seems to good to be true. It won’t spoil anything to suggest that the film has a happy ending. The cast is cheerful. There are some jokes and pratfalls and enough to be undemandingly entertaining.

1.An entertaining teen, early adult comedy? In comparison with the many made at the time? Humour, romance? Spoof?

2.New Jersey in the 1990s? The small town, the high school? The homes? The detail of life there? The contrast with Los Angeles, the parties, the glamour, showbiz? The contrast with New Jersey 2005 – although much the same as ten years earlier? The musical score, the range of songs?

3.The title, the focus on the relationship between Chris and Jamie? Jamie seeing Chris as a friend? His being in love with her? Trying to prove his love?

4.The portrait of Chris and Ryan Reynolds’ comic style? Overweight? His behaviour, ridiculed at school, writing the note in the yearbook? The party, his note being read out, young people’s reaction? The various comic farcical elements with his size? The hockey session?

5.Jamie, a nice girl, her friendship with Chris?

6.Ten years later, Chris, normal size? His lifestyle, his relationship with women? The parties? The record company, the boss? His job with Samantha James? The threats about losing his job?

7.Samantha, her pretentiousness, the dumb blonde? Her reaction to Chris? Demanding to go to Paris? The microwave, the foil and the fire in the plane? The diversion to New Jersey? Samantha and Chris’s brother, his infatuation? Her behaviour in New Jersey, ill at ease? Coming on to Chris? Jealousy of Jamie? Her being in Chris’s house in Los Angeles? His getting rid of her? Anna Faris and her spoofing this kind of starlet?

8.Chris, back in New Jersey? His relationship with his parents? His younger brother? Scenes at home? His meeting Jamie? His dating her, but his pretending to be cool? His second date? The ice-skating, the accident, his going to hospital? His getting out of hospital, his competing with Dusty? The bedroom scene with Jamie? His failure to make an approach?

9.Jamie, ten years later, attractive, in the same town, her work? Lifestyle? Her response to Chris? Liking him – falling in love? His nonchalance?

10.Dusty, the background of the past, at the hospital?

11.Dusty and his two-timing Jamie? The clash with Chris?

12.Chris, the return to Los Angeles, the effect of seeing Jamie again, Samantha present, his getting rid of her? His return to New Jersey?

13.The happy ending, the kiss?

14.A blend of the teenage romance with slapstick comedy?