CURTIN

Australia, 2008, 90 minutes, Colour.
William Mc Innes, Noni Hazlehurst, William Zappa, Geoff Morrell, Frank Gallacher.
Directed by Jessica Hobbs.

Curtin is a brief television film – originally intended as a miniseries but finance lacking, it was made as a film.

The period covered is from September 1941 to April 1942, crucial years in Australia’s history. The government led by Robert Menzies collapsed in the latter part of 1941 and the leader of the Labor Party, John Curtin, became prime minister when independents crossed the floor. Curtin was not universally popular in the Labor Party, especially antagonistic were Jack Lang and Eddie Ward from New South Wales. However, Curtin had the steady guidance of Ben Chifley during this period as well as the support of a very loving family. His daughter also acted as his assistant.

With America not in the war, there was still concern about the Japanese attacks which were in fact imminent. Australian troops had been fighting in the North African desert, the Desert Rats in Libya. However, with the attack on Pearl Harbor, the consequent attacks by the Japanese all round the Pacific rim and the collapse of the Philippines, it was important to bring the troops back in order to fight in the Pacific. Winston Churchill was opposed to this and ordered the troops to Burma. However, John Curtin, not wanting to be a warlord and hesitating, stood his ground and the troops came back. Churchill was also cavalier about the fall of Singapore as well as going behind the Australians’ backs to talk with Franklin Roosevelt in the United States.

The film shows the development of Curtin as a wartime prime minister, his ill-health, which led to his death some weeks before the final declaration of peace in 1945, his concern about the safety of the troops, his sadness at so many casualties and the seeming inevitability of the Japanese occupation of Australia.

The film is interesting in terms of the history of politics, the nature of Australian government, the picture of the politicians. Robert Menzies is portrayed in a rather favourable light in this film, especially, despite his devotion to England, his agreement to work in the war cabinet during the war. There are glimpses of political figures in his party including Arthur Fadden and Percy Spender. Various significant characters in the Labor Party also appear, especially Bert Evatt as the foreign affairs minister. The audience is shown a great deal of the work behind the scenes, about the staff in Parliament House.

The film is very much a glimpse of the early 1940s, the style of colour photography and tone, the buildings, the houses, the clothes, the cars – unmistakably of the period. The device is used throughout the film for the various episodes, not only having months and days, but postcards of the various venues where the action occurs – from Parliament House, to The Lodge, to the barracks in Victoria, to a hotel in Melbourne.

The film is particularly Australian in its tone, the language and idiom, the attitudes towards Britain and the United States – with the realisation that Australia could not rely on help from Britain and had to turn to the United States, wanting General Mac Arthur, defeated in the Philippines, to come to Australia to be in charge of the Pacific war – which eventually did happen.

William Mc Innes gives a very good performance as John Curtin, his strength, his vulnerability, his homeliness, his shrewdness, his not wanting to be in charge of a war, his dealings with fellow politicians. Noni Hazlehurst brings a grounded commonsense to her role as his wife. William Zappa is very good as the general in charge of operations in Australia, Geoff Morrell is very reliable as Chifley. Amongst the opposition is Frank Gallacher as Eddie Ward.

The film serves as a memoir of this period in Australian history, a useful film for a lesson in the developments during this time, especially as regards the war and foreign affairs. At some stages the characters talk directly to the audience which also tends to draw the audience in and to identify with what was happening.

The screenplay and the direction are by women, director Jessica Hobbs and screenwriter Alison Nisselle, writer of many television programs since the 1970s, including Home and Away.

1. A portrait of John Curtin, of Australia 1941-42, the outbreak of the war in the Pacific, relationships with the United Kingdom and the United States? Politics, local and international?

2. The structure: a succession of episodes, the indication of place, date, the postcards illustrating the locations? The episodes and their continuity, indicating the growing sense of anxiety, the relationship with the Japanese, concern? The cumulative effect? The Japanese and the entry into the war?

3. 1942, the ACT and Parliament House and The Lodge, the paddocks and the sheep, the roads, the few cars? The authentic look of the homes? Melbourne, the barracks, the interiors for the war rooms? Hotels? The trains from Canberra, from Perth? The look, the colour grading, the style, the feel of the 1940s?

4. Audience knowledge of Curtin, these aspects of Australia’s past, history? Curtin’s reputation? If this was all new, what impression did the film make?

5. The cast, William Mc Innes and John Curtin and his wife? The ALP figures and the factions? The portrait of Robert Menzies? The range of staff at Parliament House?

6. Australia and World War Two, the involvement in the Middle East, North Africa, Tobruk? Churchill and his attitude towards the Australian soldiers? His wanting them to stay in the northern hemisphere? His rerouting the troops to Burma behind Australia’s back? The Australian response? The issues of orders? Churchill and his colonial attitude towards Australia? His direct contacts with Franklin Roosevelt, their talks, the cables? The reaction of the Australians to being looked down on, not consulted? Menzies and his love for England, his agreement to work with Curtin, his collaboration in the war effort?

7. John Curtin and his family, from Western Australia, affectionately known as Dad, his relationship with his wife, their easy relationship? With his children, concern about his daughter and her dating, despite her age? Curtin as a man? His walking along the beach with his wife? His fondness for people? His always being available for phone calls? The family and their advice, the servants at The Lodge and his wife’s egalitarian attitude?

8. Curtin’s relationship with the Japanese ambassador, their friendship, the visits, the meals, the gifts? The wariness about Japanese expansion by 1941, the ambassador and his being a moderate? The visits, the discussion about the elections in Japan, Tojo’s accession? The ambassador giving the veiled warning to Curtin? His being humiliated, interned? The resumption of friendship between the Japanese family and the Curtins after the war? Cabinet and their not wanting Curtin to continue the friendship? His driving past the embassy, parking the car for a moment, contemplating and going on?

9. Menzies’ government, the fall, the independents crossing the floor? Menzies’ love for England? The variety of parties, the independents? Menzies humiliated? (But the audience knowing that he would become prime minister again and rule for sixteen years?) Fadden, in opposition, Menzies and his dignity? Friendliness towards Curtin, the collaboration? His concern about Curtin’s health? His change of attitude towards Churchill and Britain’s conduct of the war?

10. The ALP itself, Curtin as leader, Lang and Ward and their aggressive hostility? Caucus? Curtin becoming prime minister? The attitudes of some of his caucus, their sniping? Curtin and his stances, decisions?

11. Chifley as his right-hand man, a calm man, with his pipe, listening, quietly giving advice? His strong words to Ward and Lang?

12. Curtin not wanting to be a ruler in wartime, nor be a warlord? His personal attitude towards politics, his background as a journalist? His problems of drinking but going on the wagon? His illness and nerves? His workload, keeping late hours, listening to advice? The secretaries? The activity, the broadcasts? His role in parliament, strong speeches, strongly voiced?

13. 1941, the United Kingdom, prepared to abandon Singapore, yet shocked at its fall? The Japanese and the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the declaration of war by the United States, Tojo and his expansionist ideas, the role of the emperor? The consequences of Pearl Harbor, Curtin declaring war on Japan? The rapid Japanese advance around the Pacific, the occupation of the Philippines, going to Java, defeating MacArthur? The attack on Rabaul, the consequences for the Australian soldiers?

14. Curtin and his leadership, a listener, taking advice, the issue of the troops, wanting them back? The antagonism towards Churchill and the Burma issue? The cables? His pondering, letting the war cabinet argue issues out, the presence of the general, his advice? Curtin’s return, following the advice of the general? His own personal anxieties, going for a walk and disappearing, his not being able to sleep, his daughter working for him, trying to get him to rest? His relief when the soldiers arrived safely in Western Australia?

15. The general, his information, the conduct of the war, issues of strategy and tactic, advice? His speaking to the parliamentarians? His adamant stances? Having the confidence of Curtin? The role of Evatt as foreign affairs minister, his sensitivities?

16. The day-by-day detail of the work in Parliament House, the cables, the editing, the phone calls, the discussions on the trains and working during travel?

17. Its toll on Curtin, his return to Western Australia, his relaxing? His continuous smoking, walking, the concerns about security?

18. The portrait of his wife, of his daughter, of the family, their support, his son meeting him briefly on his way to the war, Curtin’s speech at the stadium?

19. The rally at Rushcutters Bay, Curtin’s strong stance, people’s support?

20. The portrait of the period, of the war leadership, of the role of the United States and Roosevelt finally agreeing for MacArthur to be leader, Churchill and the United Kingdom? The toll on Curtin’s health, his death? The film as a tribute to him and his leadership?