LONELY HEARTS

Australia, 1982, 106 minutes, Colour.
Norman Kaye, Wendy Hughes, Jon Finlayson, Julia Blake, Irene Inescourt, Jonathan Hardy, Kris McQuade?, Chris Haywood.
Directed by Paul Cox.

Australia, 1982, 106 minutes, Colour.
Wendy Hughes, Norman Kaye, Jon Finlayson, Julia Blake, Jonathan Hardy, Irene Inescort, Vic Gordon, Chris Hayward, Kris McQuade?.
Directed by Paul Cox.

Lonely Hearts was the first popular film made by Paul Cox. After making documentaries in the 1970s as well as some short features including Inside Looking Out as well as the feature film Kostas (1979), he made this very popular film. It also won the Best Film at the Australian Film Institute Awards of 1982 and was nominated in the major categories of actor, actress, direction and script. (The script was co-written with comic writer and actor, John Clarke.)

Wendy Hughes is excellent as the rather reserved young woman. Norman Kaye, a veteran of many of Paul Cox’s films to win an AFI award for best actor the next year for Man of Flowers, is the lonely man. Many regulars in Cox’s films appear including Chris Hayward who appeared in almost all of his films.

Cox’s films are generally low budget and low key. This is a focus on ordinary persons, ordinary relationships – and, while not wildly exciting, the film presents its characters with some sensitivity and delicacy.

1. The film's acclaim and award nominations? Entertaining, humane? Emotion and insight?

2. The importance of the Melbourne setting: the suburbs, the city, parks, homes? Contemporary Melbourne? The atmosphere of the winter season? Colour photography? The musical score, the songs - with their echoes of the past? The style of the piano accompaniment by Norman Kaye?

3. The title and its echoes of personal columns, romance, soap operas? The mod and the tone? The credits and the flowers and the cards? The piano accompaniment? The change at the end? The original title: Close to the Heart?

4. The mood of the film and the changing moods? The funeral and its sadness, the humour as the hearse and cars get mixed up? Sympathy towards Peter and Patricia? Sadness, exasperation? The blend of the sad with the funny? Audiences identifying with the characters and their situations? How authentic? Insight through emotional response?

5. Peter and the quality of Norman Kaye's performance? Audience interest in him, identifying with him, understanding him? The impact of his mother's death? The contrast with Pam and Bruce? Pam and her taking memories and organising things? Peter looking at his life, his loneliness, his age, running in the park and being considered a nice man, tuning the pianos and being pleasant to people e.g. singing 'Bye Bye Blackbird' with one woman, the nuns and the taking of the flower, his pretending to be blind? His friendship with Bruce? His performing in the amateur plays and his friends, especially George? His relying so much on the phone and the answering machine? The warmth of his relationship with his dog? His staying in his mother's house? The importance of his toupee and the sequence of his changing, being persuaded to change to attract Patricia? The interview with the meeting service? The hundred dollars? The build-up to the meeting with Patricia? The Wentworth Hotel and their drink? The talk about the bank? The build-up of visits? The meal at Patricia's house and her burning the garlic bread? The piano? Listening to music? The outing to the Bingo and his enjoyment of winning? Taking Patricia to the theatre and getting her involved in the acting? The walks in the park? Buying the flowers? Playing the piano for the old people's songs? The visit with Patricia to his mother's grave? The visit to his father? The growing bond with Patricia? The impact of his 50th birthday? Bringing Patricia home after the acting, the rehearsal, the kiss and the sexual advance, Patricia's response and then her fear? The comic touches with the dog? The possibilities and his misery with Patricia's reaction? Her not trusting him? Her refusing to respond? The phone calls? The visit of the prostitute with its comic touches and Bruce's arrival? The glimpse of him shoplifting and then his being caught? The humiliation in the shop? His false name and address at the police station? The reaction of the police? George's help and trying to get Patricia to help? Her arrival and their being reunited? A sensitive insight into an ordinary lonely man?

6. The introduction to Patricia via the agency, seeing her discussing herself and her inhibitions, especially sexual inhibitions with the psychiatrist? Her meeting Peter, her appearance, her timidity, glasses, talk about sexuality? The awkwardness of conversation at the Wentworth, the bank? At home with her cooking, the records, the piano? Her changing her flat and making it brighter? The Bingo outing? Her hesitation about the play but becoming involved? Her joy in discovering her acting ability? The walks in the park in winter? Seeing her at work and the girl spying on her note? Peter leaving the flower? Her father's visit and his control over her? Her mother talking incessantly on the phone? rehearsals, the wine, the night and her willingness to go to bed with Peter, her precaution that they do nothing, her being hurt and escaping? Discussing this with the psychiatrist? Her continuing with her work, avoiding Peter? Her parents' visit and their smothering her? George's arrival and their disdain? Her reaction to her parents and going to Peter? The knocking on the window - the move to independence as well as love? Satisfying insight into a repressed inhibited woman?

7. The sketch of Pam and Bruce - the funeral, after the funeral? Phone calls, the 50th. birthday party and Pam's curiosity, Peter's visit to his father and his exasperation with his father's illness and Pam's unwillingness to help? Bruce and his behaviour at the party? At the play and his awkwardness at rehearsals? His turning up with Rosemary present?

8. The portrait of Patricia's parents: the R.S.L. veteran, protective, seeing his daughter as a little girl, her mother and psychological pressure, their manner, fights? Patricia needing to break free of them?

9. George and his theatrical style, the theatre detail. the rehearsals, the discussions about Strindberg and men and women? Theatre jokes?

10. The background of agencies and files, introducing people? The contrast with Rosemary and the prostitute agency and her style - with comic touches?

11. The shoplifting sequences, the atmosphere of the supermarkets. the interrogations. the police and the questioning? Chris Hayward's sketch at the police station and the police style?

12. The film's attention to detail for atmosphere: the funeral, the outings, home, the play. the old songs for the old people. the piano tuning. the shoplifting, the police station?

13. A small film - but rich in insight. detail? A sense of humanity? An exploration of Australian urban society, contemporary relationships?