THE JUMPING JEWELLER OF LAVENDER BAY

Australia, 1971, 42 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Gerald Ryan.

The Jumping Jeweller of Lavender Bay is an interesting short story, an experimental short fiction film from the early 170s. It was co written by its director Gerald Ryan with producer (and later director of Patrick, Road Games, Psycho II) Richard Franklin and A.B.C. law reporter Tom Molomby. It was photographed by Dan Burstall. It was based on a short story by Hugh Atkinson (whose story of The Games was produced internationally at the same time, directed by Michael Winner).

It is a story of middle-age crisis - a rather prim and proper jeweller from Lavender Bay leaping to the ferry each morning and breaking out of a rather restricted lifestyle. The photography of Sydney Harbour is attractive and realistic. There are some fantasy sequences inserted. Though not conclusive, it is an interesting presentation of the mid-life crisis.

1. The title of the film and its tone? Summing up the various facets of the film? The background of Lavender Bay and Sydney's North Shore? The jeweller and his occupation, precision? The leaping and its repercussions for his life?

2. The quality of the film as an experimental work? Sydney and harbour location photography, black and white style? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score? The Man on the Flying Trapeze theme? The silence during the fantasy sequences? The quality of production and the Australian industry 1971? Editing and the variety of styles, especially for the repetition of material e.g. fantasies, the jumping onto the ferry etc.?

3. The Australian tone of the story? Australian city life, its style, narrowness? Mid-life crises? Fantasies and breaking out?

4. The introduction to James Pratt? The long and fastidious dressing sequence - with the ironic music and The Man on the Flying Trapeze? The canary and James' devotion to it? Thelma and her nagging? The precision of time, the breakfast? Meticulous detail in the household? James as a careful man? The nondescript ordinary man, buying his paper, going to work, talking to the barber next door, the customers? His decision to jump onto the ferry? The effect on himself? On each of the passengers - and their looking, exchanging glances, friendliness? His own self-confidence (and the lighting of cigarettes) and the smiles and welcome from the passengers? The crew boy? The later admirers?

5. The film as a symbol of mid-life crisis? James being described as the North Shore playboy and his pleasure in this? The length of the jumps? The response of the young girl and her shy look? Her becoming the girl in his fantasies? His going to drink, not taking work, being unreliable? His wife's reaction - to his drinking? The cold meal? His relaxing - yet remaining formal in his manner and talk? His vacant replies? Heading for a crisis?

6. The fantasies and his at first being inactive, then the jumps, the girl and her approval, focusing on the ferry, the transfer to the trapeze and his climbing the ladder, his rehearsing, his masculine style, the sexual tones of the fantasy with the girl and the swinging backwards and forwards, her presence in the fantasy? Insertion into his daily life?

7. His enjoying the newspaper report? The focus of the bird in the cage, buying the cuttlefish, his kissing the bird and letting it go free? The symbol of the empty cage?

8. Thelma and the 25 years of marriage, her standing over James at breakfast, the cold meal, her reaction to his drinking, the cold dessert, her humiliation with the newspaper report, her threat to walk out? The film's comment on nagging wives?

9. The people on the boat and their responses? The old couple coming off the ferry? The ferry-boy? The attractive girl? The crowd gathering round at the end and acclaiming him?

10. The customers in the shop? The barman?

11. James' walk in the gardens and its effect on him? The children playing etc.? The temptation to go into the hotel? The drinkers watching? His drinking the brandies?

12. Themes of mid-life crisis, the narrowness of ordinary life. the leaping onto the ferry as a symbol of the need for change and to break free?