SPOTSWOOD

Australia, 1991, 90 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Hopkins, Ben Mendelssohn, Russell Crowe, Alwyn Kurts, John Walton, Toni Collette.
Directed by Mark Joffe

Spotswood is a delightful film. It is set in the Melbourne of the 1960s, an inner industrial suburb. It shows us a rundown moccasin factory and the attempts of an efficiency expert to instigate change. But this Spotswood never really existed. Rather, it is a charming fantasy world where everyone is nice (except for the wheeler dealers and the ambitious, the lying negotiators who obviously grew older and became the tycoons and bankers of the '80s) - and where the best of the Australian spirit and mateship is on display.

The film is an attractive parable for recession times, where economic rationalism is not glorified and people, pride and employment are more important than production.

The film is reminiscent of the Ealing comedies of the '50s, like The Man in the White Suit. Audiences will enjoy the one-liners as well as the gentle and satirical comedy of the situations and the wide range of eccentric characters. The star, Anthony Hopkins, looks bewildered by all of this, but we know that he's going to succumb to its humanity. Ben Mendelssohn (The Year My Voice Broke, Return Home, Big Steal) portrays yet another gawky adolescent very well. The supporting cast is excellent, led by a wonderful Alwyn Kurts as the factory owner. The film was direction by Mark Joffe (Grievous Bodily Harm, The Great Bookie Robbery, Cosi, The Matchmaker).

1. An attractive Melbourne comedy? The light touch? Gentle spoof? A comedy about little and ordinary people?

2. Melbourne, the inner suburbs, houses and streets, cinemas, factories, the railway lines, the bay? The sense of period? The attention to detail for the period? The musical score?

3. The title, the focus on the suburb? Spotswood as a particular state of mind? A happy never-never land of industry? The place, the homes, the factory and the people?

4. The film's 1990 reflection on Australian industry and its history? '60s and modernisation, modernisation at all cost, efficiency, time and conditions for efficiency? Exports and international money? Time and motion experts, efficiency experts? Memos? The role of the unions, demonstrations against layoffs? Angry vandalism? The sharpshooters? The old lazy-seeming ways, factory loyalty, purpose in industry and productivity by satisfied workers with pride?

5. The optimistic Australian spirit, the contrast with later decades, modern tough times, selfishness? The optimism about the old days, the quality of work, individual and group involvement in a project, families, sense of loyalty, tough political attitudes but with humanity? The contrast with the '90s?

6. Mr Ball and his age, his manner, the old style gentleman, his wife and his treatment of her, the early nights, the fairy cakes with port etc? In the office, his desperation for the factory, inviting in Mr Wallace? His knowing the workers for so many years? His hopes for change? Pride in his product - despite its being outdated? The ways of keeping accounts and orders? His being invited to the slot-car social, the prepared speech, the initial hesitation, the delivery, the response and his being pleased? His finding it hard to sack people? The discussions with Wallace and his explanation about old loyalties? His liking Carey and giving him jobs? His wife, their obnoxious daughter - wanting to be a model, working in the factory, avoiding being with her parents, her behaviour at the social? The joy in being able to save the factory - and the enthusiasm for new ideas?

7. Anthony Hopkins as Wallace: his job, sense of bewilderment, unsatisfied in himself? The tensions with his wife? His work with Finn, tough stances, corporate takeovers, negotiations, reports and their being leaked - by Finn for his own purposes? The ugliness of the demonstrations, the pressures? The vandalising of his car? His getting to like the people, his response to their invitation to the slot-car rally, the growing enthusiasm, involvement and success? His change of heart, visit to Mr Ball? Kim and the information - and the gentle but ironic giving him a new job with Finn? His opting out of the economic rationalist approach?

8. Wallace and his work, looking up Spotswood, the visit after being lost? The parking, the people, their casual approach, Robert guiding him around the building? Mr Ball and the courtesies? His shock, and the efforts to get the accounts, the discussions about new equipment - and even the change of paint on the walls? At home, his relationship with his wife, tensions? The tensions with the company take-over, his trying to handle them, playing the piano? Caroline, her hopes, decision to leave - and then staying? The destruction of his car, the group fixing it for him, delivering it? Everybody so nice? His response and the change wrought by the stock-car competition? His working with Carey, sharing his hopes? The new plan, saving the company, diversifying - with a sense of realism? His wife's pride and his saving his marriage?

9. The portrait of the factory, the range of types, the old, the old methods, poor equipment, stock rooms? Gordon and his talking about cars? Robert and his niceness? Kevin and Ron and the routine of the place? The ladies and their work, talking, tea breaks? The secretary? Lunch and the change to separate booths and its failing? Working the equipment and the engines?

10. Carey and his distributing the leaflets for the social, his wanting to take Cheryl, the dog and losing all the leaflets? The night out and not many turning up? Mr Ball arriving with his wife and Cheryl, his giving the speech, the response? The build-up to the race, preparing the cars, the accident, the decision to ask Wallace? The excitement of the slot-car race, the win?

11. Carey as a genial young man? His friendship with Wendy? At work, riding the bikes, hopes, wandering around the streets, the waterside? The humour of the opening with the dance and Fletcher and his man-about-town attitudes - and the reality? Driving home? Carey and his poetry, his younger brother and his mocking him (while measuring the house)? The infatuation with Cheryl, the job with Mr Wallace, answering the communications link with Cheryl, wanting to take her to The Sound of Music? His aunt and uncle bringing the suit for his new job? Working with Mr Wallace, getting the information, Kim spreading rumours, the alienation? His relationship with his father, scenes at home with his mother and brother? With his uncle? The complaints? His abandoning Wendy, her rejecting him, the visit to her house? The end - after taking Cheryl to The Sound of Music and her going off with Kim? The reconciliation with Wendy? His father's hopes for him and his future? The genial nice young Australian?

12. Wendy, tough times at home, treatment by her father? At work, sensible, orderly? The bike rides? With Carey by the water? Her telling him off? Coming back to him at the end?

13. Cheryl, stuck up, different from her parents, wanting to be a model, her style around the office, avoiding Carey? Slipping out of the social, using him against Kim? Going to the movies - and abandoning Carey?

14. Finn, his work with Wallace, unions, reports, leaks, manipulation, the board? The reaction of the workers and their violence? His union deal? Not understanding Wallace? Gaining Kim?

15. Kim, thinking himself above everyone else, smart, going into the files, standing up Cheryl, anti-Carey, spreading the rumours, ingratiating himself with Wallace and giving him the files? The clash with Cheryl - and then taking her from Carey at the movies? Being left with Finn - and a selfish manipulative future?

16. Robert, the uncles and the men at work, the differing personalities, one-liners, humour? Their love for the slot-cars? At work, engines, the new equipment? Their fixing Wallace's car, courtesy, going to ask him to race with them? The enjoyment of the race? The impact of their getting the sack? Robert at home? The support of the family? Their being rehired?

17. The ladies, their place in the factory, talk, work, the separation, breaking down the barriers?

18. The glimpse of the effect of corporate deals on the workers, demonstrations, violence? Wheeler-dealing? The role of corporations and the unions?

19. A sense of Australian niceness, optimism - a vision of the qualities of being Australian, ordinary, egalitarian, courteous? A nice parable for difficult times?