HOSTAGE: THE CHRISTINE MARESCH STORY

Australia, 1983, 90 minutes, Colour.
Kerry Mack, Ralph Schicha.
Directed by Frank Shields.

Hostage is based on a true story, the story of Christine Maresch who had married a German, Walter Maresch. The characters are played by Kerry Mack and Ralph Schicha.

The film tells the story of Christine and her discovery that her husband is a neo-Nazi. The bulk of the film is the reaction of the husband, the flight of the mother and child, their being held hostage.

The film is brisk in its action, has a touch of exploitation – but, on the whole, is melodramatic and exciting.

The film was directed by Frank Shields. He went on to make a couple of other thrillers including The Surfer and Fatal Sky.

1. An interesting and exciting melodrama? Australian background? European connections? Asian sequences?

2. The credibility of the plot? Based on an alleged true story? The credibility of the characters? In Australia? Situations? In Europe? Credible material - presented credibly? Or sensationally?

3. Authentic atmosphere? The New South Wales locations? German locations? The use of Broken Hill and western New South Wales for the Turkish sequences? The comparisons with other films of Europe and Turkey? The presentation of Europeans in Australia? Language? Sub-titles? Comparisons of lifestyles?

4. The title and the focus on Christine Maresch? The flashbacks explaining her younger days? Her walking the roads, hitchhiking, her belonging to the counter-culture of the carnival? Her flirting? Gary? Her sense of fun? Her finding a place with the family? Friendship with Freda? The background of her home life, her mother - and her mother's criticisms? The possibilities for her life? Teenager? The contrast with the circus and carnival atmosphere and Wollongong, its industrial look, suburban home?

5. The friendship between Christine and Freda? Freda’s support, especially on the return to Australia? Flirting with Gary? His womanising and Christine's reaction? The encounters with Walter, his silence. surliness, attractiveness? His eyeing Christine? Gentlemanliness? The sequence with the puppet? The punching? Indications of charm and violence? The proposal and the ring? The possibilities of a happy life - romance, his singing? The build-up to the shooting and the change in attitude of Christine? Her feeling responsible?

6. The shooting, the hospital, the priest - and the credibility of his suggesting the promise to marry? The marriage? Christine's mother and her criticisms, wanting an annulment? The birth of the baby and Christine's joy? Amanda - and the significance of her name? Life at Wollongong? Suburban life and its quietness? Christine's mother, meals, television, criticisms of Walter? Walter and his charm, violence? The German background? Odd behaviour? Secret meetings with his friend? His working? The passing of two years? The fire, the television? His reaction? Christine and the break with her mother? The present of the car?

7. The motives for Christine staying with Walter? Her believing him? How strong a character, how weak? The decision to go to Germany? The arrival, her feeling in a strange land? The visual images of Hitler and the Nazi rallies and the transition to the modern neo-Nazis? Their salute? Walter as a neo-Nazi? Christine and her reaction? Walter's family and the support of his sister? The enjoyable sequence in the beer house? Her wanting an abortion, Walter's not wanting it? His demands and brutality? Heidi and Christine's appeal, the trip to Holland, the bewilderment of the abortion, the hospital sequences and the effect on Christine's emotions, mind? Walter's reaction? Amanda and Christine's trying to survive in Germany - the reaction with the pills, the treatment? Christine's being forced into the bank hold-ups? The possibility of returning to Australia? The effect of the European experience on her?

8. Walter and the neo-Nazi group, his beliefs, his reaction to his father and wanting to succeed where the old generation had failed? The old brigade of Nazis? The credibility of such movements? Walter's father not wanting his son to be a neo-Nazi? The meetings, the interviews? His wanting to prove himself? The rehearsal for the bank robbery? Wanting Christine to participate? The hold-up and Christine's blurting the English? The group wanting him to leave? The help for him to leave?

9. The bank sequences: the plans, the timing, the execution? The later robbery in New South Wales - the Bonnie and Clyde touch?

10. Leaving Germany and going to Turkey? The isolation of the village, the fat man, his wanting Christine for his wife, the fight, the Turks stoning the cars, the bashing of the windshield, the slitting of the neck, the victim being run over, the car exploding? The violence of the sequence and its impact? Melodramatic - effective? The Turkish-Iranian? border and the decisions about returning? The decision by Walter to stay with Christine and the return to Istanbul?

11. Christine considering herself even with Walter? Istanbul and the reconciliation? The sensual relationship between the two? and its being a factor in reconciling them? The return to Australia?

12. Christine's relief at her return? The reappearance of Walter? His relationship with his children? His son? The rape? Freda's help? The police and their questioning? Walter hiding the family with his friend? Robbing the bank? Tying up Christine? The gun? Using Amanda? The boat and Walter's dream to escape? The firing of the arrow? The heightened melodrama with the mutual shooting at the end? Christine rescuing Walter from the Water? Coming ashore at the beach with the shooting?

13. The picture of Christine - her having to grow up? The adequacy of her background? The attraction to Walter, the love, the guilt, justice, Amanda? The exhausting experience?

14. How accurate the picture of Walter? Migrant, neo-Nazi background, relationship with his father? Neo- Nazis in Australia? His ambitions? Trying to prove himself? Madness? Passion for Christine and his treatment of her? Shooting, marriage, Europe? Helping her in Turkey? The confrontation in Australia? The final melodrama? His subsequent imprisonment? His denial of this story - saying that it was arranged to save Christine if he were to be arrested?

15. The sketches of the minor characters - Freda, her family, Gary? Christine's mother? Walter's family? Heidi? The neo-Nazis?

16. The impact of the film in terms of broadening Australian horizons? Australian isolation? Europe? Asia? An effective melodrama ?