MALCOLM

Australia, 1986, 90 minutes, Colour.
Colin Friels, John Hargreaves, Lindy Hayes, Chris Haywood, Charles Tingwell, Heather Mitchell.
Directed by Nadia Tass.

Malcolm is a surprisingly enjoyable comedy. Made on a small budget in Melbourne by husband and wife team, photographer and script-writer David Parker and director Nadia Tass, it was an international success as well as a winner at the Australian Film Institute Awards, 1986.

Colin Friels gives an excellent performance as the ingenious with machines but socially retarded Malcolm. The part was based on Nadia Tass's brother - to whom the film is dedicated. He is excellently suppor6ted by Lindy Davies and, especially, John Hargreaves as an ocker crim. Chris Hayward leads an interesting supporting cast.

The film uses the inner suburbs of Melbourne excellently, focuses on a wide range of humorous and clever technology. This comes to a peak in an attempted robbery as well as a successful robbery using ash cans. The escape is on Malcolm's home-made tram.

The film is an enjoyable character portrait - but is also entertaining as social comedy and combines well the elements of the caper genre. There is a pleasing and apt musical score.

1. The impact of the film? Success? Enjoyable? Modest? Award-winning?

2. The use of Melbourne, the city, the suburbs, the streets, homes? Authentic atmosphere?

3. The machines, the ingenious inventions, imagination, special effects, the delight in the technology? Its use? The range of the musical score - and the jaunty music for the machines?

4. The focus on Malcolm: based on a real character? Plausible? At work, his family? The relationship with Frank? Julie? Committing the robberies? Blossoming?

5. Colin Friel's presence and performance as Malcolm: appearance, manner? Walking? Talking? Thinking, direct address? The background of his mother and her death? His story? His money? The toys and the inventions? At work, making the tram, confrontation with the boss, getting the sack? His inventions eg the getting of the letters, the truck for the milk collection? His relationship with the cockatoo Arnold? Mrs T. and her help? Getting the boarder, the interrogation of Frank, the first dinner and his awkwardness, Julie's arrival and his interrogation? His changing because of them? Outings with them - his awkwardness? The attraction of the girl across the street, taking her out, talking about trams ( and the irony of Frank and Julie and the sexual encounter in the next room)? Malcolm's east in relating to machines - substitute for human relationships? His going to the café, seeing Frank fight for Julie - his laughter on the return home? Julie's story about Frank's father, its sad and morbid touches - and his asking about the head going back on for the funeral? Malcolm's modesty especially in regard to Julie? The gift of the television? The walk and Frank and the hold-up - and his being hit on the head? The car and its being able to split, Frank's enjoyment of the ride with Malcolm? Taking Julie? Into the bay? The robbery and the hold-up? The police and the puzzle? Malcolm's use of cameras and television? The preparation for the main robbery, the ash cans? The chase in the ice cream truck? The escape on the tram? To Portugal? The slow-witted man, in Australian society, his goodness, his directness of manner? His blossoming? How seriously should the character be considered? How comically?

6. The backgrounds of robberies? Frank in prison? His friend? Robbing the warehouse, eluding the police and putting them on the raised stand? Malcolm and his learning the language of hold-ups? The remote-controlled hold-up and is humour? More interested in the ingenuity than getting the money? The placing of the ash cans, the security guard, the vans, changing vans, the escape, the tram? The future in Portugal? Pace, editing? Score?

7. Frank the ocker conman, the arrival, response to the interrogation, the meal and going to the pub, suspicious of Malcolm and his goodness, always looking at the race form, his relationship with Julie, bringing her home, going to the pub, his friend - and the laughter about the hold-up in the street? Fighting in the café for Julie? The gift of the TV? The car ride and its splitting? The build-up to the robbery? In action? The ocker type? The Australian type - and a capacity for humour and feeling?

8. Julie and the relationship with Frank, waiting for him to come out of prison, her friendship with Malcolm, becoming a boarder, the modesty question for Malcolm, friendship with him, her job, the fights? The visit to the girl across the street? The outings? Discussion with Mrs T? The story of Frank's father and its emotion? Her decision to participate in the robberies? Her efficiency in delivering the ash cans? The getaway? The evening with Malcolm - innocence? A friendly character, friendly ocker style?

9. The girl across the street, her attraction towards Malcolm, her mother? Language problems, religion? Going out, Malcolm talking trams?

10. Mrs T., her friendship, the advice about the boarder, help with the meal, talking to Julie? The tam conductor letting Malcolm on the tram? Various friends?

11. Security guards, police, poking fun at authorities?

12. The theme of machines, substitute for human relationships? The possibility of a man like Malcolm blossoming