SEBASTIAN AND THE SPARROW

Australia, 1988, 88 minutes, Colour.
Alexander Bainbridge, Jeremy Angerson, Robert Coleby, Elizabeth Alexander, Vincent Gil, John Clayton.
Directed by Scott Hicks.

Sebastian and the Sparrow is a children’s film made by director Scott Hicks. Hicks had made quite a number of documentaries and films for television and branched into feature films in the 1980s, with Freedom starring Jon Blake. Hicks also made a television film, Call Him Mr Brown, about a terrorist and a plane – and, because of concern, this was never released.

Hicks had great success, perhaps unexpectedly, with Shine, the story of David Helfgott, a star vehicle for Geoffrey Rush who won the Oscar and a great number of awards which launched his international career. Hicks then went to the United States and made several films including Snow Falling on Cedars, Heart of Atlantis, No Reservations. On his return to Australia, he made The Boys Are Back in his home territory in South Australia. Hicks always brought post-production work on his international films back home to Australia.

Sebastian and the Sparrow gives some indication of where Scott Hicks’s career would lead. It also has a strong feeling for young people – manifest in Shine as well as in Hearts of Atlantis.

1. A film for youth about youth? The Australian atmosphere? Universal appeal?

2. The South Australian settings, Adelaide, the port, the lakes, homes and streets, the open roads and the countryside? The beach and the cliffs?

3. The youth appeal, the score, the range of songs, classic and popular?

4. The credibility of the characters and the plot, the situations, the boys and the adults, the boys and their needs, relationships? The resolution of their quest?

5. The structure of the film, the focus on the two, intercutting their stories, their meeting, the bond between them, the double quest?

6. The character of Sparrow? His father, the death, his mother, the Vietnamese background? The bird and Sparrow? Deserted? Mike and the shelter? The chase? The fact that he was Eurasian? The burning, on the run, the police? The phone call, stealing, the clothes, zero? The turbo, the boat? The police again? Watching the family? Sebastian as his alter-ego?

7. Sebastian and his home, wealth, teeth, sister, family? School and the smokes? The ace, his class? The music, the young girl, the photos? Hockey? His being ousted? Meeting Sparrow? The boats, home, the discussions, the clash? Psychological insight into Sebastian’s character?

8. Sparrow, taken in, his ease, on the roof? Talking to Dad, the night, breakfast, school, Sparrow and the day passing, music, the bath? Sebastian and the uniform, the meal, the night, sharing? Going out – and Mike? The stories? The decision to go, packing, leaving, night and the brush, hitching, the turbo, arrest? The truck and the fight? The car and the semi? The sense of freedom, swimming, going to the house, the story, the car and the breakdown?

9. Sparrow and his needs, as a person, tough, TV in the street, the cemetery? The photo, alone, meeting again, the embrace and the future?

10. Sebastian and his life, family, his wanting freedom, learning, the car and the jail, idiosyncratic, sexual aspects, the music?

11. The parents, busy, the luxury home, their arguing, rehearsing, the search? The shelter? The children and the smokes?

12. Mick, tough, his fears? Working in the street?

13. The police, their help?

14. The school, the headmaster and the ousting of the students, the teacher and sympathy?

15. The kids at school, the picture of young people of the 80s?

16. The fantasy, the touches of realism? Themes of family, friendship? The importance of Asian presence in Australia?