WHO KILLED JENNY LANGBY?

Australia, 1974, 56 minutes, Colour.
Julie Dawson, Peter Cummins.
Directed by Donald Crombie.

Who Killed Jenny Langby is considered one of the best Australian documentaries. It was made in 1974 by the South Australian Film Corporation. Behind the film was journalist and film-maker Anne Deveson. She focused on ordinary families and the social concerns and their disastrous effects in the average Australian family. She appears in the film as a TV reporter.

The film was co-written and directed by Donald Crombie. He was to join with Anne Deveson for another excellent short feature, Do I Have To Kill My Child? (1976). Crombie was to make Caddie, Cathy's Child and a number of other well-known films.

Julie Dawson is excellent and convincing as Jenny Langby. Actor Peter Cummins is very good as her husband Frank. In fact all the performers do very well - convincing us that they are real people being interviewed for television.

The TV in-depth study format (like Four Corners etc.) is an excellent way of portraying the Australian scene as well as asking challenging questions. The influence of such English documentary-makers as Ken Loach is to be seen in Jenny Langby.

1. The impact and quality of this documentary? Short feature? Its reputation in the '70s? Influence on documentary film-making?

2. The work of Donald Crombie and his career? His concern about ordinary people? His ability to focus on women's themes? Anne Deveson and her background, interest? Their collaboration with Do I Have To Kill My Child? A blend of insight, emotion, challenge?

3. The work of the South Australian Film Corporation? Working for government departments? The film for the television audience - interest, challenge? Abilities in communicating and evoking response?

4. Production value: the blend of black and white and colour photography? The use of television interview techniques? Talking heads? Glimpses of ordinary household life, work? The style of television documentary reports? Editing, pace? The persuasiveness of the acting? Yet the film being written and acted by professionals?

5. The structure of the film: the report of Jenny Langby's death, the funeral (and its recurring throughout the film), the suicide attempt and its aftermath, Anne Deveson's inquiry, the range of interviews, their being intermixed? The background of television reporting, English documentary-making?

6. The quality of Anne Deveson's presence, probing?

7. Authentic atmosphere: South Australia, Adelaide: homes, hospitals, workplaces, pubs, railway stations etc.? The characters as typical - in appearance, manner, behaviour, articulate and inarticulate, incidents? Audiences identifying with them, their attitudes? The highly dramatised characters and events - but with little sensationalism?

8. The quality of the acting and presence of the performers?

9. Julie Dawson as Jenny: her presence, appearance? Her pleasant manner, character? Deterioration? Her story: marrying at 16, relationship with Frank, pregnancy? The perennial clashes with her mother? Expecting her child? The happy early years? Five children? The distance from Frank as the years went on? The relationship with each of her children? The air of unreality? Her protectiveness of Peter? Her not wanting to know harsh reality? The outing to the hotel and her disappointment at no dancing? Lack of money and her having to make ends meet? Shopping in the supermarket? Preoccupation with Raelene's asthma? The visit to the social workers and her unwillingness to talk with them? Wanting to keep up good appearances? The credibility of the attempt on her life? Her love for her husband, patience with her children, a woman of ability? What overwhelmed her? The final straws on the day before she died - Frank's loss of work, Kevin's arrest? Raelene's asthma ? The unnecessary death?

10. The comparison with Frank: ordinary, friend of Mick, Jenny pregnant, his marrying her, love for her, the kids - and his comment on Jenny's not taking proper precautions? His work, ultimately getting the sack? People seeing him as a bludger and no-hoper? Bonds with his mates, friendly? The pub scenes? His talking to Anne Deveson in the pub? His openness, offhandedness, not appreciating what had happened? Coming home late for meals? Getting ready, shaving and the outing with Jenny? His exasperation with her? His not relating well with his children, his criticism of Suzanne's companies? His not coping with the kids? The impact of Jenny's death, blaming himself, Mick clashing with him? The social worker, the friendly neighbour? His reunion with the kids at the end - the visit to Kevin in prison? The statistic - 30% possibility of success?

11. Suzanne as the older child, relationship with Kevin and clashes, her boyfriend. the interview in the mall, her pregnancy, moving in with the boyfriend? The inevitability of the process happening over again? Kevin, wagging school, his mother not acknowledging the truth, his father not knowing. grandmother's comments? Going to prison - and asking his father for smokes? Peter and the accusations of his being a sissy, his reading, his father wanting him to play more sport, his grandmother's criticism? His mother wanting him to be a doctor, his wanting to be a History teacher? Raelene and her asthma? The baby? The effect of their mother's death, the funeral? The aftermath in the home, being looked after by the neighbour? Wanting their father?

12. Jenny's mother and her presence in the home. her blaming Jenny's birth for her bad back, her continual ill-health. considering herself too sick to help, continually critical of Jenny, favourable towards Frank? Watching TV? Looking at Jenny, fighting with her - on the day before her death? Her reaction to the children? The effect of her on Jenny? Her love for Mick? Mick and his presence at the funeral. the clash with Frank afterwards?

13. The social worker, the interview, the inability to help. trying to cope practically after the death?

14. Anne Deveson's questions, perceptiveness, probing nature?

15. The sadness of the situation, its ordinariness? People being able to see the crisis or not? Ability to intervene or not?

16. The picture of Australian men and women. the Australian family? Love, affection, distance? The repetition of patterns from one generation to the next? The Australian man and his mates? The lonely wife - late meals, watching television?

17. Who killed Jenny Langby? All to blame, including Jenny? Australian society?