THE BIG STEAL
Australia, 1990, 98 minutes, Colour.
Ben Mendelssohn, Claudia Karvan, Steve Bisley.
Directed by Nadia Tass.
The Big Steal was written by David Parker and directed by Nadia Tass, the team responsible for Malcolm, Ricky and Pete and Amy. The Big Steal received nine AFI award nominations, including best film, screenplay, actor, actress, supporting actor and actress.
It is a Melbourne story, focusing on 18-year-old Danny, played effectively by Ben Mendelssohn (The Year My Voice Broke, Return Home). He wants to take Joanna out and promises to take her in a Jaguar. He buys a Jaguar from a shonky dealer, expertly played by Steve Bisley. Once the shonky deal is exposed, Daniel and his friends try to do something about it - with amusing results.
The film is in the vein of the American youth films of the '80s - but has a humour and warmth that makes it different.
1.Pleasing Australian comedy? Youth, cars, relationships? The Australian atmosphere and humour?
2.Melbourne locations, the use of the city and suburbs? The musical score and the range of songs?
3.The title and expectations, tone?
4.The voice-over signalling Danny's hopes, achievement? The end jokes about where everybody ended up, especially the Johnsons trying to avoid the Clarks?
5.Ben Mendelssohn as Danny: screen presence and personality, age? His parents and their niceness - and their vagueness? At school, his friend proposing to Joanna for a date, his watching Joanna, rushing up the stairs to catch her at the lift, inviting her out, the spur of the moment promise about the Jaguar? His friends Mark and Van? Sharing experiences with them? His 18th birthday, the cake, blindfold out to the Cedric? Taking it for a drive, sliding down when the girls were looking? His decision about trading it in, going to the car sales, seeing the Jaguar of his dreams, his interactions with Gordon, Gordon's shrewdness and salesmanship, going for the ride, examining the engine? Van examining the engine and giving the go-ahead? The dramatics with Gordon and his staff pressurising Danny? His asking his mother about selling the car, his father hearing the news and going out to scream, yet saying he was very hurt? Arriving to take Joanna out, the first meeting with Mr Johnson and his threats, the disco, Pam and her arrogance, Joanna and her charm and courtesy? Eating the fish and ships, talking? The drag race, the collapse of the car, Joanna squirted with oil and angry? Ringing his father to come and get him? Sitting in the car, acknowledging that it was all his fault, his father's support, determined to get out of the trouble? At work at the car-park with his friends? Classes, designing the poster, luring Gordon into the car-park? The changing of the engines - and hiding in the car? The megaphone and calling out to Mr Johnson? Coming to see Joanna, Pam arrogant again, the fire extinguisher and the foam, wrapped in the blanket, caught by the Johnsons, hitching a ride? Joanna bringing his clothes? Going to the car yards, his getting in the window to rescue Mark, getting out, the chase with the caravan, tricking Gordon and the pursuers? His love for Joanna? The end? Their marriage? Danny as a personality and a type?
6.Danny's parents and their personality, style, eccentricities? At home, Danny's birthday, their code of language between themselves - `Daniel the lion tamer, Daniel our son', etc? Dad and his visions? Mother playing Scrabble? Father hurt about the car, his scream? The friendliness with the neighbours? Their decision to help Danny and their phone calls to Gordon, Mother's visit? The relationship with Desmond Johnson? The upheaval, staying put while everything was happening outside? Their support for Daniel and Joanna? The end - and their haunting the Johnsons?
7.Joanna as an attractive heroine, her prissy friends, especially Pam? Not interested in cars? Popular at school, boyfriends? Deciding to go out with Danny? Not interested in cars? Her father and his domineering attitude, offhandedness? At the disco, not going with Pam, eating fish and chips with Danny, chatting with him? The drag race, squirted with oil? Not speaking to him at school, responding to his appeal on the megaphone? Daniel's visit, ousting Pam? The squirting, the bond of friendship, Danny wrapped in the carpet? Helping him with the clothes? Meeting Danny's parents outside the window? In the chase? The finale?
8.The Johnsons, newly rich, the house, his plumbing background, the father's threats, shouting against Danny, the disappearance of the car, his confrontation of Danny's parents, arguing with the police?
9.Van and Mark, friendship with Danny, at work at the car-park, helping him with the car, Mark as the intellectual, Van as the ladies' man (especially with Pam)? The visit to the car sales yard, swapping the engine, Mark disguised, dealing with Gordon? The threats, being abducted? The rescue? The chase - and the humorous comments at the end about their futures?
10.Gordon as the smooth-talking salesman, his attitude towards the secretary - and the massage sequence? Sweet-talking Danny, the ride, the prices going up, getting the staff to come in and put on the drama to persuade Danny? His insolent attitude about the engine going wrong, not being fixed for a year? Victim of the boys - getting the free ticket, parking the car, going to the mud wrestling, getting his camera, his drinking, the transvestite sequence, going through the red lights, caught by the police? His deal with the police and his suspicions? His wrong conclusion about Johnson and the car deals? Taking the car and spraying it? The confrontation with the boys, the chase, crashing against one of his henchmen? The finale and the attempt to intimidate Johnson - and their all being chased away? The sketch of the henchmen, toughs, mechanics, sales types? The post script about his time in Pentridge?
11.The blend of the comic and the romantic in Melbourne?
