MULL

Australia, 1988, 90 minutes, Colour.
Nadine Garner, Bill Hunter, Sue Jones.
Directed by Don Mc Lennan.

Mull is based on the popular novel Mullaway, by Bron Nicholls. It was directed by Don Mc Lennan, whose other films include Hard Knocks (for which Tracy Mann won an AFI Best Actress Award, 1980) and Slate Wyn and Me with Sigrid Thornton.

The film was made on location in St Kilda, and St Kilda has never looked more vivid. Nadine Garner won the Best Actress Award at the AFI in 1988. She gives a luminous performance. There is a very strong supporting cast with Bill Hunter giving yet another variation of his Australian fathers and Sue Jones as the mother with Hodgkinson's Disease. The supporting cast includes Mary Coustas as Helen and Nick Giannopoulos as George.

The film raises issues about Australian family and relationships and, given its religious setting of religious revival meetings, it offers a great deal to think about as regards popular Australian religion and its effect on families and individuals.

1.A picture of Australian society, an Australian city, a portrait of a family, a portrait of a resourceful teenage girl?

2.The world of St Kilda, the city of Melbourne, the location photography, streets, houses, the beach and the waterfront? The musical score, the range of songs, the religious hymns?

3.The period of one year: Mull's diary, the importance of the voice-over, Mull seen writing the diary? The creative aspects of the diary? Therapy for Mull? Her growing insights? Personal development? Hopes?

4.The summer, the atmosphere of the beach, the family at the beach, the closeness of living to the water, walking home, the Christmas celebrations and holiday atmosphere, songs, photography? The change in atmosphere, the beach at the end of the film and life going on? The results, the hope? The beach framing the story?

5.The significance of the mother's collapse, her place in the family, her relationship with her husband, the children? In hospital? The reactions of the different members of the family? The doctor and the boost of hope? The nature of the disease, coming home, difficulties, up and down the stairs, the tantrum of the children, her concern about religious practice and her husband? Her reliance on Mull? Her changing moods? The baptism and walking out? Mull tending her hair? Wheelchair speed? Her clearer insight as she came to die? The burial sequence - and the religious people standing on the fringe? Giving her heritage to Mull - and not wanting her to marry the first man available? Her influence on Mull?

6.Nadine Garner as Mull: her age, experience, place in the family? At the beach, with the children, her strength? Her leaving school - and the discussions with her teacher, the support of the teacher? Going to see him at times of difficulty? The meal with the teacher and his friend? Dad being absent, the job, the notes, the scriptural texts? The religious meetings, her refusal to go? The movie with Helen? Helen as her friend? Smoking, talking, sharing, advice? The humour of the wedding and the preparations, the wedding celebration? Guido and expectations of friendship, his friendship with her brother? Her care for her mother? The details of the housework and all that she had to do? Her changing moods, trying to cope? The religious meetings, not wanting to go, sitting and listening, walking out, the argument in the tram? Not close to her father? The attack about the cuttings and their destruction? The father and his grief and her having to cope, his drinking? The talk about Steve? Her relationship with Steve, the arguments, the songs and the music? Guido and the drugs, the homosexuality and acceptance? Talking with her father, the meeting and the Reverend's denunciation of homosexuality? Her wanting to get help for Alan, her concern about him, his health, the wetting of the bed, mental health, religious scruples? Jodie and the camera, eating, tantrums, the visits to the hospital? Mull and her age, the need to study, the holidays, the effect of religion, the difficulties of ordinary life? The plumber and her relationship with him? A developing young woman? The portrait of a Victorian teenager?

7.The realism of the plot - the range of problems (too many for one film?)? Demands, coping? Her perseverance?

8.The portrait of the father? His work, his absences from the home? His drinking? Reform and getting religion? His serious devotion to the meetings, attendances, expectations on the children? His relationship with his wife, avoiding all issues of suffering? Relying on Mull? His crankiness with the children, shift work, trying to sleep? The preparation for his baptism? The effect on the family? The meeting and homosexuality, his avoiding understanding of his children? The death of his wife and its effect on him? The return to drinking? A calming down in his attitude towards his children, despite the drink? The portrait of an Australian husband and father?

9.Jodie, the young girl, her love for her mother, the camera, relying on Mull? The cuttings and their destruction and her father's reaction? The impact of her mother's death?

10.Steve, leaving home, his relationship with Guido, the music, the clubs, the rehearsals? Living with Guido? The discovery of the truth by Mull and her acceptance? His time at home, going to the religious meetings, avoiding the family? The impact of his mother's death?

11.Alan, his age, prim and proper, manner of speaking, glasses, his demeanour and his being proper? His studiousness? Inquiry? His embarrassment about wetting the bed and the reaction of Jodie? His reliance on Mull? His religious fervour, his scruples, money for the missions, doing penance? His going to the meetings but Mull taking him out? His mother's concern for him? His own religious tantrums? His reaction to his mother's death, gradually calming - his future?

12.The sketch of Helen, her friendship with Mull, the migrant background, the smoking, being daring, wanting to branch out? The irony of her being engaged, the preparations for the wedding, discussions about Mull not being the bridesmaid, the ceremony and the celebration?

13.The teacher, his concern about Mull and her dropping out of school, his support? Her going to see him? His background, the gay relationship? The friendliness, taking Mull to the restaurant, sound advice?

14.How typical an Australian family? Relationships, tensions, ability to deal with difficulties, inability?

15.The religious themes: the use of scripture texts, the meetings and their sternness, the father and his pressure on the children to go to the meetings, Mull critical, the mother critical? The preparation for the baptism? Immersion? The symbolism, the drama, the significance for the father, for the family? The use of music, enthusiasm, songs? The Reverend and his rousing sermons? The denunciation of immorality, homosexuality, the use of scripture, saying that the Lord was clear on the condemnations? The critique of society, no homosexuals in heaven? The theme of religion as a comfort, the `Praise God'? The range of people present in the meetings? Mull and her own religious reflections, nothing out in space, no God? Yet her reflections on religion's help for her father, going off the drink, going back on after his wife's death? The funeral and the Reverend not able to say anything? Themes of guilt, sacrifice (Alan and his giving money for Ethiopia)? Language about angels, praying that the mother would get well, the father not telling the truth about the illness? Themes of Australian religion?

16.A slice of life in Melbourne in the 1980s? How universal the themes?