HEATWAVE

Australia, 1981, 91 minutes, Colour.
Judy Davis, Richard Moir, Chris Haywood, Bill Hunter, John Gregg, Anna Maria Monticelli, John Meillon, Dennis Miller, Peter Hehir, Carole Skinner, Gillian Jones, Frank Gallacher, Don Crosby, Lynette Curran.
Directed by Philip Noyce.

Heat Wave is a strong piece of Australian cinema – and showed the vitality of the industry in the early 1980s. This was the period of Gallipoli, Breaker Morant, Mad Max.

Philip Noyce had made some short films and then a short feature, Back Roads, before he became celebrated for Newsfront. In the 1980s he made a number of miniseries for television including Cowra Breakout. He then made Dead Calm and was welcomed to the United States where he had a hit-and-miss career including such hits as Patriot Games and A Clear and Present Danger. After 2000 he made two films in Australia, the award-winning Rabbit-Proof? Fence and a remake of Graham Greene’s The Ugly American.

The film was based on actual events in Sydney, especially a campaigner against corruption and building rackets in Sydney. The theme was also treated in The Killing of Angel Street, directed by Donald Crombie.

Judy Davis was emerging as a strong personality on screen after her success with My Brilliant Career and Hoodwink. She was soon to make A Passage to India and begin a career that moved between England, the United States and Australia. The film has a very strong cast of Australian character actors with Richard Moir in the lead.

The film is an interesting example of a shift from period films in the Australian industry during the 1970s to more contemporary stories during the 1980s.

1. The focus of the title? Symbol? Atmosphere and mood? Its meaning for the atmosphere of Sydney, for the plot of corruption?

2. The work of Philip Noyce? His locating his films solidly in Sydney locations? Social interest? Building industry, big business, the law, police, business and political corruption? The film's contribution to Australian awareness of inner city problems?

3. The visual presentation of Sydney: locations, the inner city, high-rise buildings, building plans for the future? The harbour atmosphere? King's Cross? The presentation of the heatwave and the way that it was suggested? How effectively? The atmosphere of heat for people, sweat, clothing, remarks etc.? The final climax with the change of weather? The use of colour, light and shadow? The range of decor and moods: inner city housing, the homes of the wealthy with their harbour views, lavish offices etc.? King's Cross nightclubs? The cinematography and its suggesting the uncertain atmosphere of the heatwave: the roving camera techniques, the continuous tracking, the shifts of angles, the shift from slow motion incidental sequences with ordinary speed? The importance of the editing for the pace and mood? The puzzle effect?

4. Audience interest in, involvement with and following of the plot and its detail? The range of characters, the social themes and issues, the human issues? The variety of pieces presented, some often briefly? The roving puzzled mood? The expectations of the plot – in terms of personal clash, violence, resolution of problems, murder mystery? The film's working by suggestion? The variety of viewpoints presented – and the audience not being able to identify with any one viewpoint?

5. The point of view of the film on inner city development: Sydney's growth, government administration and permits, business deals and finance, the financial world and loans, closing in on speculators, the role of the law and the letter of the law, the role of builders and the unions, architects and designers? The range of power struggles? The importance of protest against the imposition of power? The values of those in power contrasted with the values of the protectors? The individuals within this social situation? The presentation of the pragmatic and the corrupt versus the naive and the idealists? The final impression from the film – the destruction of the Eden project, the fall of so many, the eruption of violence? Disillusionment? The finding of Mary Ford's body – by the audience?

6. The initial focus on Mary Ford and her relationship to Juanita Neilson and the protest movements in Sydney in the '70s? Her role at the centre of protest, her chairing of meetings, her knowing of so many people-including the builders and architects, the pressure she was able to exert, her own office and her work on The Insider, her reaction to threats? Her personality, friendship with Kate, her presence at the meetings and the siege of the building by the demonstrators? Her confrontation of Steven in his office? The atmosphere of her disappearance and Kate's discovery – the cigar and the kettle? The speculation about what happened to her? Newspaper items, discussions by taxi-drivers etc.? The loyalties she fostered? The fears for her life? The irony of the newspaper headlines and the audience's discovery of her body? The irony of her corpse being the reason for the hold-up and destruction on the Eden project? Dramatic irony?

7. The presentation of the protectors at the start: the people in the house, the camera ranging over the group of people? Kate and her presence? The old lady and her friendship? Nary and her strength? The stones, the chase on the roof, Kate's speech – and its transition to television with the bleeping of her expletives? The henchman chasing her on the roof? The business people in the crowd watching? Kate's presence with Mary in Steven's office? Her presence at meetings and organising votes – in support of Mary? Her help with the paper? Kate's visiting people to ;get their support, especially Mr Taylor? The fire and the destruction of the homes? The preparation for the New Year protest and people backing out? The old lady and Kate being present? Disappointment? Themes of the rights of the ordinary citizens to demonstrate, to have their own homes? The values of the protectors – being evicted, wanting more money for their homes etc.? The need for progress in the inner city – and the victims of progress? The role of the unions in support of the protectors? How accurate a reflection of development in Sydney during the '70s?

8. The presentation of the police: their control of demonstrations, corruption, the interview of Kate with Mick about Mary Ford's disappearance, the innuendo in the questions? The arresting of Kate, the interrogation and putting answers when she did not supply them, seeing the police at the King's Cross party at the end? The film's viewpoint in attacking the police and their links with business interests?

9. Thugs and their bashing protectors, the thug with the moustache and his chasing Kate on the roof, his smoking cigars – the cigar butt at Mary Ford's? The Cave and his presence there? The business henchman? His bashing of Steven? Terrorising Kate in her home? His presence at the final shootout? The group of thugs and their link with Selko enterprises? The types at King's Cross, the nightclubs? Their protecting their bosses, bodyguard work?

10. Judy Davis as Kate Dean: her cinema presence? Her being present in the inner city though not originally from there, two years' presence giving her a right to protest? The details of her story e.g. her father possibly raising the bail? Criticisms of her being trendy? Her presence at the initial protest, her clash with the thug on the roof, her presence at the meetings and the passing of resolutions, her confrontation of Steve in his office with Mary Ford, her throwing the hors d'oeuvres over Peter Houseman, her discussions with Mick at the union building, being interviewed by the police at his home, discovering that Mary had disappeared, the discussions with the police? Her clashes with Steve West? His meeting her at the bookshop? The meal and her antagonistic reaction? Her trying to get the support of the people in the area, especially for the New Year's Eve meeting? Her disappointment with the union's backing off? Her raiding Peter Houseman's office and being caught? The drink with Steve West? Her being attracted by him and yet not sharing his point of view? Their discussions together about idealism and wanting to change the world? Her taking him to The Cave and rescuing him from the bashing? Their night together – the credibility of the relationship? The arrest and her reaction on the courthouse steps (an incidental remark about the demonstrators of the past being the lawyers for the Establishment in the present)? The fishing out of the body from the harbour and its not being Mary? Her decision to seek out Barbie Taylor? Her violent attitude towards her – in contrast with her discussion with her father and her presence at his funeral? The build-up to the bashing by the thug, her getting the gun and going to The Cave? Her being chased by Steve through the revelling crowds? The shooting – Barbie doing it for her? Her disillusionment at the end? A woman of dreams, vision? Idealism? A credible portrait of an inner city protector?

11. Richard Moir's style as Steve West? His presence throughout the whole action, his being centre to the whole film? His not saying so much but appearing, roaming, dreaming? His intensity? His reaction to Kate's performance on the television? Meeting her in his office – his going to the meeting and being talked down? His fascination with Kate, especially at the party with the accident? His relationship with his wife and their place in society, the discussion about the opera? America, his changing his ideals? His creativity with his work? His relationship with his business partners? The significance of the Eden dream? The visualising of the model and the later explanation of it emerging from the tree model? His working on it for so long? Robert Duncan and his support – the tensions in their relationship? The meeting of various families especially at Houseman's? Houseman and his support, the union threats and the need for compromise? The meetings and discussions e.g. on the Housemans' beach? The press conference after the fire? Steve's roaming and wandering away? His relationship with Philip Lawson – their initial run in the heat? Philip and his smoothness, the excuses, the changing of plans? Freddie Dwyer and his pressurising Steve and asking questions? The lead over Selko and the deaths? Dick Molnar and his proposal about the entertainment centre? The scenes of Steven at work, his hopes, defending his work, trying to do the required changes, the visit to the building site, discussions with the workers, wandering the site? His fascination with Kate, seeing her at meetings, at the party, his visiting the bookshop, the drink together, going to The Cave and his being bashed? Their night together and his needs? Wanting her out on bail? The brittle relationship with Vicki and her presence? Her note and her leaving him? The visit to the harbour to identify the body of Mary Ford? His being called to Philip Lawson's house after his murder? His chasing Kate through the King's Cross crowd? His witnessing the violence? His seeing the police and Freddie Dwyer at The Cave? His understanding all that had happened? How credible a characterisation? The idealist architect in a corrupt world? His future?

12. Peter Houseman and his Cockney flair, style? Manner of speaking, his wife, – family? Playing Santa Claus, his scholarship? His being humiliated by Kate? His pushiness, the decor of his office, his enjoying money? Holiday beach? His plan for a brochure for tourist resorts? The closing in of the power people and his having to sell his interests? The press conference and his anger? The Christmas clash with Philip Lawson? Discovering Kate in his office – and the transition to his being ousted and packing up and getting out of the country? The comment about his selling used cars? His being a go-getter and a wheeler-dealer – and yet his being victimised by the shrewder people?

13. Philip and his running with Steve – and getting in the door before him? Smooth talk, enjoyment of power? His clash with Peter Houseman? The link with Selko Enterprises? The brutality of his murder?

14. Robert Duncan and his missed chances, ambitions as an architect, watching Kate Dean protest, his talks with Steven and paying his wages? The growing pressure, compromises? His finally being betrayed by the business interests?

15. Victoria West and her style, manner, skills, supporting her husband, at home in society, sharing her husband's interests – being humiliated and her leaving? Her dignified manner of leaving and her wishes to cope?

16. The background of the unions – Mick Davies and his presence at meetings, the offices, discussions with Mary Ford, with Kate, the pressures of rival unions and amalgamation, the various deals done? The film's comment on the role of unions?

17. Dick Molnar and his ominous presence at so many gatherings, his offer to Steven West about his entertainment centre, the interview with him at The Cave and his controlling Barbie Taylor, drugs? The lewdness of The Cave? His presence at the Christmas Party of the Housemans? The photo with Barbie Taylor and its being torn? The irony of his being behind Selko Enterprises? The thug that he employed – and the implications for Mary Ford's disappearance? The ugliness of his murder?

18. Mr Taylor and the pressure on him to move, his owning his own home, the terms for moving, his talking to take and explaining his life? The fire and his death? The funeral and the clash with Barbie? Barbie and her drug-taking, sexual acts at The Cave, the time with Steven and slapping him? The clash with Kate? The final confrontation and her killing Molnar?

19. The glimpse of the press with Freddie Dwyer, his being after a story, his following Steven West and Kate? The fishing of the body from the harbour? His callousness and presence at The Cave at the end?

20. A mosaic of Sydney life? The moods? The lack of clarity? The spiraling violence? The background of business, building work, the workers, dirty tricks, games people played with one another, pressures? Ideals? The contrast of Sydney life and its possible freshness with big business offices and the lewdness of The Cave?

21. The irony of Mary and her corpse being the cause of the blockage?

22. The quality of the film? Its place in the Australian renaissance? Its contribution to awareness of social issues?