THE JOURNALIST
Australia, 1979, 80 minutes, Colour.
Jack Thompson, Elizabeth Alexander, Sam Neill, Carol Raye, Stuart Wagstaff, Charles Tingwell, Penne Hackforth- Jones.
Directed by Michael Thornhill.
The Journalist began production with very good credentials. It was to be a star vehicle for Jack Thompson, along the lines of his successful Petersen. The film had an excellent supporting cast of stars and character actors and actresses. Photography was by Don Mc Alpine, who achieved a great reputation through his films for Bruce Beresford. Direction and co-writing was by Michael Thornhill, former journalist, who made a number of interesting short films with author Frank Moorehouse and moved into successful feature making with Between Wars (1974) and The F. J. Holden (1977). His television movie Harvest of Hate was much less successful. The Journalist is not a very good film at all. It was withdrawn from the Australian Film Institute competition in 1979 and achieved very limited release commercially. It appeared as a support to a horror film at Melbourne drive-ins only. There are a number of interesting Australian issues in the film - but they have been done much better in other films and the treatment here seems insubstantial and inconsequential.
1. The overall impact of the film? As entertainment? Its role in the Australian revival of the '70s? The film's poor critical reception? Its similarities to telemovie style?
2. The impact of the credits with the photography of Sydney and its beauty? The harbour ? The continued use of Sydney throughout the film? The comparisons with the sequences in Hong Kong? The title song and its theme and lyrics?
3. How realistic was the film meant to be? A slice of life., or, as the advertising suggested, "a cheeky comedy"? The blend of the serious and the comic? The satirical tones? How well did they work? The audience's attitudes towards the characters, the situations, the themes?
4. The focus of the title on the world of the journalist and the personality of the journalist? The busy international world: the sophisticated and glamorous lifestyle? The moving around various countries? The work shaping the attitudes of the journalist? The precarious job, career? The need for change? The background of journalism, the incidental advantages, disadvantages? The repercussion on a journalist's personal life? How well were these themes presented?
5. How successful was Jack Thompson's characterisation of Simon? His particular charisma during the '70s? His use of it in this film? Acting ability? His representing the average Australian man? Work, success, failure? Relationship with women? The ocker womaniser? The potential for disillusionment? How well were these thews treated in the screenplay? Did they work throughout the film?
6. Audience sympathy towards Simon? His work in Sydney? His work in Hong Kong, liaisons, women, his hypocrisy? His relationship with his wife? With Liz? His deceptions? His return to Sydney, the clashes with authorities? The entanglements with the various women? An exploiter, being exploited? His need for some kind of settling down? Commitment? Was it possible?
7. The presentation of the women in the film? Some commentators said that it reinforced sexist views. How true is this? The characterisation of Liz, her career, personality, charm? Her love for Simon? Her demands on him? Betrayal? The importance of the pregnancy and the melodramatics of her announcing it? A future with Simon? Simon's wife and the background of family and settling down? The various women that Simon encountered e.g. Maggie Nicholson and the pseudo-sophisticated sexual games that they played? Simon and the Asian girl in Hong Kong? The aggressive young girls and Simon's romp with them? The swinging young daughter - the echoes of the so-called new generation? The other women who passed through Simon's life? The overall impression of women?
8. The character of Rex - another journalist, friendship with Simon, a mirror of Simon? His supporting of Simon in his attitudes? Friendship with Liz? A character in himself or only by comparison with Simon?
9. The incidental characters of the world of the newspaper, of the media - and the use of such stars as Stuart Wagstaff and Charles Tingwell? Their contribution to the quality of the film?
10. The various incidents - the strength of plot, the picaresque nature of the plot? The serio-comic amorous adventures of Simon? How substantial? The intimations of Simon growing into middle age and having to change, settle? How much did the film intimate about these serious themes? Leave them?
11. Why was the film considered a failure?
