I OWN THE RACECOURSE

Australia, 1985, 90 minutes, Colour.
Gulley Coote, Safier Redseposki.
Directed by Stephen Ramsay.

This film is based on the popular children's novel by Patricia Wrightson. It is designed for family audiences and is set in Sydney suburbs.

Tie file focuses on Andy, a boy who is in some ways intellectually retarded. He is played by Gully Coote. In a children's game, where they decide they will own things, he buys a racecourse from a drunken tramp (interestingly played by Norman Kaye). The staff at the racecourse, especially the kindly Bernie, played by Tony Barry, join in the pretence. However, the police are not so co-operative. There are humorous adventures, the friendship and help of Andy's group of young friends. There are also some comic robbers played, Laurel and Hardy-like, by screenwriter Bob Ellis and one of Australia's leading poets, Les Murray.

All in all, the film is very enjoyable - although it often fails to mate capital out of the funny or exciting incidents that it presents.

1. An engaging family film? For younger audiences?

2. The atmosphere of the Sydney suburbs, the streets, houses, the racecourse? The musical score and its contribution?

3. The plausibility of the plot? Andy's owning the racecourse? Everybody joining in? A children's fable set in suburbia?

4. Andy: age, place at home, relationship with his mother? Slow-wittedness? Friendship with the other boys? Their help, toleration? The skateboard, the crash with the escaping thieves? The police and their taking a dim attitude towards him? Lewis and the file on Andy? The boys and their game of owning places? Andy and his buying the racecourse from the tramp? Taking the money out of his bank? Going to the racecourse, friendship with Bernie, doing work around the place? Bernie and his friendliness, giving advice, covering his mistakes: the stray dogs, the streamers, loosening the bolts for the rabbit on the greyhound course? The man at the gate and his letting Andy and his friends into the races? The staff and their co-operating? Andy's understanding of owning the racecourse, payments, fairness? The thieves and their confidence trick - and his reporting them? The police and their attack on the vandals? Connelly and Marsden and their concern? The meeting and the discussions about buying back the
racecourse from Andy? The humour of his going to Luna Park and putting a down payment on Luna Park? Pleasant young man, slow, a boy in suburbia? Friendship?

5. The group of boys in themselves, hanging around, going to Costanzo's? Their activities, games? Joe's concern about Andy? Terry and his offhandedness, Lexis's daughters and their getting information? Mir going to the track, the streamers for Joe's birthday? Their seeing Bernie about the situation, the tricking of Lewis to help? Good friends? Lewis and the police force, toughness, keeping the file, The bigotry towards Costanzo, girls at home, phoning through, taken in, the bomb scare? The pleasant police?

7. Bernie and his friendliness, helping, device? Connelly and Marsden? Covering for Andy? Talking with the workers? The visit by Lewis? 'The humour of the final plan?

8. Connelly and his ownership, the vandals, exasperation, the meeting at the end? The destruction of his Clock? Marsden and investigating the vandalism? The staff?

9. The old tramp, his drinking, owning the racecourse, taking the $20? Being accosted by the boys?

l1. Costanzo and his milk bar, the treatment from the kids, prejudiced against foreigners, Lewis's bigotry?

12. The robbers and their van, taking the television sets, planning to dope the horse, their being taken in by the police?

13. A story of suburbia, goodness, hard life, games and reality, friendship?