Maybe it's because I've been watching so many Bruce Beresford films that I found the pace for this slow. But actually it isn't slow... it's deliberate. It's a stealth movie that builds. It became more and more effective.
It would mean more to me if I remembered the times depicted, but I heard about it, and it was an interesting time in Australia - the post war idealistic recovery period, with its communism fears and ALP split and growing American influence.
Marvellously cast. Bob Ellis had a real feel for the time, people and place. Like many Australian movies it just sort of ends - there's no build to Bill Hunter telling his brother to get stuffed. Also the conflict is muted - Gerard Kennedy's brother character isn't in the movie much, he's at the beginning then disappears then comes along at the end (he and Hunter never seem like brothers); and the rivalry with John Ewart is really some squabbles and that's about it.
But that does make it realistic. Pared back. Australian. I love how Phil Noyce used Ken G Hall's know-how for this.
Bill Hunter is a different sort of lead. Very effective. Wendy Hughes is excellent - achingly beautiful and a good actor (doing a lot with expressions). Bryan Brown, Drew Forsyth, Don Crosby, Lorna Lesley, Angela Punch, Chris Haywood are fantastic - everyone except Kennedy he and isn't bad, not really, just not as good as original choice Jack Thompson. Mark Holden is in it. And Steve Bisley. Plus a lot of reliable 50s faces like Tony Barry, John Clayton.
Bob Ellis gave a lot of credit to the music, which has been poo-pooed but the music is very effective. I don't think this is the greatest Australian film of them all, as many do, but it' s excellent.
Could it be remade for the 1980s?
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