FEATHERS

Australia, 1987, 49 minutes, Colour.
James Laurie, Neil Melville, John Flaus, Rebecca Gilling, Julie Forsythe.
Directed by John Ruane.

Feathers is a national and international award-winning short feature from writer-director, John Ruane (Queensland). It is an adaptation of an American short story by Raymond Carver to the Australian countryside. The film has an excellent atmosphere of menace - which is unfulfilled, highlighting for the audience the sense of apprehension that many people have in situations with which they are not familiar or comfortable. The cast is excellent, especially Rebecca Gilling breaking away from her TV glamour roles as Fran and stage actress Julie Forsythe as Olla.

The film is humorous, entertaining, offbeat and thought-provoking.

1. The film's acclaim? Awards and quality?

2. The work of John Ruane, his experimental perspective? His eye for situation and character? The adaptation of an American story to the Australian setting?

3. The Victorian settings: the workshop, the city home, the country house, the countryside, the seasons, day and night, the sky, the farm? Authentic?

4. The surrealistic aspects of the situation and locations: the sky, the countryside, the peacock, the baby?

5. Work and Jack, friendship with Bert, sharing, the invitation and the irony of the aftermath of the visit and the cooling of the friendship, Jack and Fran never going to Bert and Olla's again? The ruefulness in Jack's voice-over?

6. Bert and the invitation, expectations, his hail-fellow-well-met style?

7. The edge in the city sequences as Fran and Jack get ready, Fran and her make-up, Jack and the shower, the squabbling about going, the gift and taking the bread, the drive, the map and finding the way? The edginess in anticipation of the visit?

8. Their arrival: the contrast between city and country types? Apprehension, the peacock and its attack, the house and Bert's pride, the ride on the tractor?

9. Olla and first impressions? The bond between Olla and Bert His second marriage, the tenderness, the awkwardness? The television set and the racing, the ironic comments especially by Fran, watching the crashes etc.? The drink? The conversation, the background of Bert and Olla and their relationship, the teeth on the mantelpiece and Olla’s gratitude? The meal, enjoying it? The gift of the bread? Anticipation of the baby, its crying, conversations about bringing up children? Its arrival and its size? Tenderness towards the baby? The sharing that evening ~ despite the peacock on the roof?

10. Fran and Olla creating bonds, Olla drawing out Fran's tenderness?

11. Jack and Bert and their sharing, on the tractor, the puddles? Looking at the sky? The question about the peacock, the feathers?

12. The sense of apprehension, of menace - which was never fulfilled? Highlighting the irrational fears of people, especially city people, facing the unknown?

13. The happy goodbyes, the tenderness between Fran and Jack, the decision to have the child, its birth? The subsequent distance and never going back to Bert and Olla’s? jack's memoir of his happiest moments?