THE FJ HOLDEN
Australia, 1977, 105 minutes, Colour.
Paul Couzens, Carl Sever, Eva Dickinson, Gary Waddell.
Directed by Michael Thornhill.
The FJ Holden is a slice of life straight out of Bankstown and Sydney's western suburbs. Taking the Aussie car as a symbol (old traditional car, yet owned and re w ed up by the young and giving the freedom and power of wheels), the film gives us a glimpse of Kev (and his mate Bob) and Ann, their work, families, going out, sex, drink, swearing, squabbles and what it is to take for granted and live in a suburban environment that is working class but comfortable, secure but unchallenging and self-prolonging. Many do not like this look at the ordinary Australian and object. Many take it for granted. It is a worthwhile look. Michael Thornhill also directed Between Wars (1974).
1. The symbol and focus of the title, the caption about going away and going faster? The importance of the song and its lyrics, its tone? The car as a symbol of Australia, Ockerism, change and growth? Australia after the war, now?
2. For whom was the film made? The Australian audience? The New South Wales and Sydney audience? The interest for an overseas audience, impact? Too narrow a slice of life, too localized? A local slice of life which had universal value?
3. Critics were sharply divided in their response to the film. Why? Content, style? The critique of the customs and the behaviour of Sydney's western suburbs people? Language, sexuality? Others considered it boring.
4. How much insight is there into local conditions, way of life, the ethos of a particular place, country via this kind of presentation? How authentic did the atmosphere seem, how real the people, the situations, the tensions, the questions? Comment on the irony of the television programmes with their comments on sob Hawke and his drinking, banks and robberies, Carter and the presidential election and his comments about lust? This kind of indirect comment and critique during the film?
5. Response to the credits sequences, Dead Legs, the car, sexuality? What tone did this give to the beginning of the film? Did this tone pervade the film, did it change?
6. The introduction to Kevin and Sob? The possibility of an audience identifying with them? Understanding their personalities, their interests, problems? Seeing them cruising on a Saturday morning, trying to pick up the girls at the shopping centre, the humour and yet the attitudes in the chasing of the Italian driver, the encounter with the police? What did this indicate about Sydney's western suburbs and the way of life there, the possibilities for development, boredom? A life of work, ordinary homes, weekends? What was needed?
7. The film drew a lot of attention to Bankstown and its atmosphere: the shopping centre and the way of life there, incidental details filmed realistically? The streets, the homes, the aerial views of Bankstown and the impact of this look at the suburbs? The work situations? Kevin and his job and his fellow workers ragging him? The ordinary people of Sydney's western suburbs? The pros and cons of the film's attitude towards the suburb and its people?
8. How accurate and interesting a portrait of lower middle-class working people: the details of their behaviour, language, traditions and taken for granted ways of acting? The parents and their work, home life, behaviour, manners? Good and bad?
9. The structure of the film and the keeping of audience interest: Kevin and Ann at work, their relaxations, the way that they met, the interaction between the two, the picture of the two different families, the bringing of each to the other's family, the outings, the climax and the misunderstandings and clash? The lack of resolution at the end?
10. How interesting and sympathetic a character was Kevin? What kind of young man in himself, his work and his relationship with his mates at work, drinking after work, going home, going out and seeking relaxation and entertainment, cruising looking for girls, his relationship with sob and their dependence on each other? Kev and his relationship with his parents, the kind of love and respect, offhand manner? Parties? The role of drinking, sexuality and casual promiscuity? What values did he have, how was he educated, how were values and lack of values reinforced by his suburban environment? The various outings, the clash with the police, the drag strip and the possibilities of death, boasting and using machines as extensions of masculinity? The interest in Ann, the casual meetings, driving her home, growing interest, the possibility of love? The sexual relationship? The build-up to their fight? In the light of Ann's visit to Kevin's home, Kevin's to Ann's? The little brother looking on? Kevin as half-drunk and the clash as regards sexuality and using Ann? The build-up to the fight between them and their bitterness? What insight into relationships?
11. How sympathetic was the portrait of Ann: at work, her chatter with her girlfriends, the emphasis on boys and sexuality, the clash with her boss, her home life and working for her father and brother? Her going out? Her cruising with Bob and Kevin? Sexuality? The visits to Kevin's home? To the drag strip? Her moodiness and the clash with Kevin? Her hostility towards him at the party? An incident in her life? Her future? Would she relate well with Kevin again?
12. The contrast with Dead legs and Cheryl, more of the same kind of style but more blatantly? The irony of their appearances, their marriage, the final party?
13. How interestingly and sympathetically was the parent generation presented: the backgrounds of their work, style of home life, meals, television? Mowing the lawn on Saturdays, smorgasbord at the local club? Inarticulate parents? The kind of control they had over their children, love, respect? Their children turning into them and living the same kind of life? (The change of style, for example when Kevin and Ann to a more expensive and stylish restaurant?)
14. The portrayal of the police, their tolerance, understanding of the children and the lack of opportunity in the area? The drag strip?
15. How well delineated were the characters in the environment? The comment on their way of life, their opportunities? Their crises?
16. The importance of the long clash and fight at the party, the party symbolizing the various strata of society, interests, style of the western suburbs? The fight and Ann's attitude, Kevin's disillusionment? The significance of the audience looking into Kevin's face at the end? Would the audience wonder what happened to him? Should they have wondered? The lack of resolution at the end? Important for this kind of film?
