THE MONKEY’S MASK

Australia, 2000, 93 minutes. Colour.
Susie Porter, Kelly Mc Gillis, Martin Csokas, Abbie Cornish, Jean- Pierre Mignon, Caroline Gilmer, Chris Haywood, Deborah Mailman.
Directed by Samantha Lang.

The Monkey’s Mask is based on a poetic novel by Dorothy Porter. The screenplay, by Anne Kennedy, incorporates some of the poetic expression from the novel.

Audiences will find aspects of the film very strange, in the central character’s comments which are poetic as well as being invited into the whole world of the poetry scene in Sydney, in the cafes and clubs as well as at the university. Much is made of the role of poetry.

However, the other aspect that might startle some audiences is the nature of the relationship between the central character, a private detective for missing persons, and the university lecturer that she encounters. There is a strong lesbian atmosphere about the whole film. Some of the scenes of the relationship are quite explicit.

Susie Porter is very comfortable in the role of the detective. She is young, insecure, sometimes brash, eager to get her work done, emotionally involved with the university lecturer, encountering the lecturer’s husband. When the missing person she is looking for (and is played by Abbie Cornish early in her career) is found murdered, the film becomes a murder mystery with the detective having to do detective work.

Kelly Mc Gillis (Top Gun, The Accused) is quite regal in many ways as the self-confident lecturer, who has bought her husband and keeps him on a leash (he is a lawyer and skilful at his work, confiding in his wife – a striking performance by Martin Csokas).

The film shows a great number of characters from the poetry world, a range of poetry readings as well – some of which are quite blunt in their expression.

There are a number of Australian character actors in supporting roles including director Jean- Pierre Mignon as a poet, Caroline Gilmer as his wife. Chris Haywood appears briefly as Susie Porter’s father.

The film was directed by Samantha Lang, who had made quite an impact with her 1997 film, The Well.

Some have considered the film very pretentious – and there are certainly some grounds for this kind of comment. However, it is an adventurous production both in style and theme.

1. An offbeat film, the range of audience response, the questions audiences would ask?

2. The call of mystery, detective work? The private investigator? Audience interest in the puzzle? The solution?

3. The film as a love story, Jill and her lesbianism, her range of friends, her relationships? Her seeing Diana in class, her reaction, listening? The attraction? Following Diana? The invitation to the meal? The discussions – blunt? The beginning of the affair, the frank and explicit sequences, the effect for Jill’s love for Diana? Did Diana love Jill? Use her? Diana and her contribution to the detective work? Jill and her work as a private eye, following through to solve the mystery of Michelle’s death?

4. The role of poetry, the original book in itself? Modern poetry and its style, language, freedom in expression? The stylised presentation of this poetry? The male poets? The quotations from the poetry, the various poetry readings? Videoing the readings, the readings in the clubs, the reading at the bookshops? This poetry world? Enclosed, hothouse, the sexual seething? The poetry world of academia, Diana and her lectures? Her advice to students? Jill’s narrative poetry? Her reaction to this poetry world – a mixture of fascination and the lowbrow?

5. The different chapters for the film? Their effect and focus? The new job, the full moon, relating to an intellectual, verse and Jesus, Brisbane, the monkey’s mask?

6. Michelle and her poetry, blunt expression, sexuality, love? Her appearance? Her being filmed? The different responses? Her friends? Her father coming to hear her? Her relationship with Bill, with Tony, with Diana? Seductive, used as a sex object? As seen, going off in the car, missing? Her death, strangulation, the photos and the violence? The reaction of her parents, her father not able to cope, her mother hiring Jill? Their grief? Letting Jill go after the discovery of the body? Rehiring her to solve the mystery?

7. Jill, at home in the Blue Mountains, coming to the city, the background of her life, her work as a private investigator – how credible was she? Needing the job? The story of her parents, her meetings with her father? The photo, her inquiries, going to the lecture, listening to Diana?

8. Diana and her character, intellectual, artistic, her imagination? Knowing that Jill was at the door, her performance? Invitation to the meal, questioning Jill? The infatuation? The lesbian undertones? Taking Jill home, the sexual relationship and its effect on her, the explicit scenes? The effect on Jill?

9. The news of the death, Jill asking Diana, accosting Bill, the religious background of his poetry, his infatuation with Michelle, her seductive approach, changing his writing? The effect on Bill – and the explosion and his death?

10. Tony and the relationship with Michelle, his wife and her tolerance, the agent and managing? The bookshop, the reading – the eccentric reader? Jill going to Brisbane, the discussions with Tony, the background of his wife, permitting his relationship with Michelle? Tony’s wife, her discussions with Jill at the toilet, the warnings, that she was out of her depth? Her being seen on some of the video footage?

11. The husband, his relationship with Diana, the introduction to Jill, his reaction to her presence, the meals, the ménage atmosphere, at the house, his age? Being bought by Diana? His strong career, the Darlinghurst courts? Sharing with Jill? His estimation of Diana? Sharing his cases with her? Diana wanting him around, the effect for Jill of seeing them together in the restaurant? His meeting Jill, on the rocks and the surf? The seduction attempt, his bluntness? Jill understanding what had happened? His role?

12. Diana and her celebration, going to Los Angeles? The revelation of her other relationships, her control?

13. Jill, the film, going to Michelle’s father? Her relationship with the police, their taunts, the sexual comments? The police inspector, his not liking Jill? The police watching the footage? Learning what had happened?

14. How well did the film work as a private eye story? How well as a romance and a relationship film? How much is the film about poetry?