CAPTAIN JOHNNO
Australia, 1986, 96 minutes, Colour.
Damien Walters, John Waters, Rebecca Sykes, Michelle Fawdon.
Directed by Mario Andreacchio.
Captain Johnno is an excellent Australian telemovie for the family. It won an Emmy award in 1988. It is part of the series, Touch the Sun, produced by the Children's Television and Film Foundation.
It was the South Australian contribution to the series, written by Rob George and directed by Mario Andreacchio (Fair Game, The Dreaming). Damien Walters is excellent as the young hearing impaired hero and Joe Petruzzo is effective as the Italian newcomer to the town. John Waters glowers as Johnno's father, Michelle Fawdon suffers patiently as his mother. The film is set in 1953 in Streeton, on the South Australian coast. It shows life in the small Australian town in the period, trying to raise a family, making ends meet. There is much incidental comment on Australian attitudes, especially towards those with disabilities and towards migrants,
1. Interesting, entertaining and with solid message.
2. A significant children's film? Its awards? The South Australian contribution to the Touch the Sun series?
3. The re-creation of the '50s in Streeton, South Australia-the toxin, the sea, the hotel, school, boats? The musical score?
4. The portrait of a family, of children, of love and friendship, of hurt, of growing up, of disabilities? Victims?
5. The opening with the brother and sister, playing, mischief, the townspeople, the crabs, the relationship between Johnno and his sister, their bond, his sister going to the Loreto College in Adelaide, the family not telling Johnno, his discovery, being hurt? The setting for the film?
6. Damien Walters as Johnno: his age, screen presence, hearing? At play, being the sea-captain, the bond with his sister, the other boys in the town, their touch of cruelty? Love for his mother? His father's distance, seeming to spurn him? The public humiliation in the bar? His being forbidden the bar, his being strapped? His love for the water, play, at school, 'Captain Claws'? At Mass, singing 'Adeste Fidelis'? The meeting with Tony, his encouragement? Rushing from the church after the priest looked at him? Sharing with Tony, the interest in the boat, play? The new teacher and her treatment of Johnno, her feat of the crab and destroying it, his accusing her of murder? The testing for the special school and his hearing? His fear, running away? On the island, coping, Tony finding him, the discovery of his father searching, reconciliation, staying at home? A real portrait?
7. The father and his sternness, his running the hotel, his disappointment in his son, the clients and concern about them, humiliating and punishing his son, questions about school, the upsets? His mother and her silence, her antagonism towards her husband in having to make all the decisions, tell Johnno about his sister going away? Her hurt? The farewell to the daughter? The special school? The anxiety of Johnny being lost? The reconciliation?
8. The sister, her help, the bond with her brother, not wanting to hurt him, going away? Her own friends and life?
9. Tony and his arrival, the Italian, the bus driver, the suspicious townspeople, their nastiness, lonely for his family, at Mass, fishing, trying to sell the fish, playing with Johnno, trying to get the licence, rebuilding the boat, the clash with Frank? Searching for Johnno, the map, finding him? A bond of friendship?
10. The teachers and class, the kind teacher, the new teacher and her not handling the situation well, killing the crab, her regrets, helping with the search? The boys and their mocking Johnno, his hearing aid?
11. The range of townspeople, ordinary, in the bar, fisherman? In the search?
12. The atmosphere of the town, the sea, South Australia, people, families, the world of a young boy?
