THE OTHER FACTS OF LIFE
Australia, 1985, 50 minutes, Colour.
Ken Talbot, Dandy Raymond, Sheila Florance, Richard Moir, Dennis Miller.
Directed by Esben Storm.
The Other Facts of Life is a very entertaining children's telemovie from the Winners series, a series of eight telemovies for children backed by the Australian Children's Television Council. This film was written by Morris Gleitzman, author of a number of television comedies, and directed by Esben Storm (27A. With Prejudice, In Search of Anna, Stanley). The film focuses on a Sydney suburb, an affluent family and the young boy who is preoccupied with world problems and becomes a juvenile Gandhi in his suburban protest. The film is both humorous and serious.
Ken Talbot is very good as Ben and there is a fine supporting cast led by Dennis Miller as his father. There are a number of guest stars including Sheila Florance as Esme, Richard Moir as the Chaplain, Candy Raymond as a neighbour. An excellent children's telemovie - for enjoyment and reflection.
1. The impact of the Winners series? Television for children? Comedy, the serious? The emphasis on personal achievement?
2. Sydney locations, the suburbs, the city, shops, theme? Market, the bay scenes? Atmosphere? Naturalism?
3. The title and expectations? Children and the facts of life, parents' expectations about sex? The irony of the search for information about world problems? The reaction of parents, their failure?
4. Family life and affluence: Ron and his meat markets. jokey style, hard work, coming home late, opening more shops? With Wal and his employees? Friends? The opening of the new meat market? His love for his wife, children? Cleaning his car - and the activities of suburbia? The swimming pool, the barbecues? Puzzle about Ben and referring him to his mother? The barbecues, the meals, talk? Ben and his shaving his head, anger, trying to cope, ignoring? The pretence about his mother's illness? The deal with the meat manager on the bay and Den as a corpse? Ben on television, his stunt at the opening of the meat market? His collapse, hospital, telephoning and wanting to return to work? The family demonstrating against him? Going on the holiday? The portrait
of a suburban father? Di and her love for her husband, concern about his health, worry about the National Geographic, sex, referring Ben to his father, her tennis-playing and discussion with her friends, reaction to Ben, pretending that his father was ill? The girl and her punk style, outings, boys? Suburban family?
5. The friends: Wal and his background as a butcher, his girlfriend and her husband, tennis games, meals, advice - especially about ignoring Ben? The stories about their own children and coping? Their lack of concern about world problems?
6. Ben and his age, reading, the National Geographic, asking for more facts, his concern and questions, wanting people to take life more seriously? Puzzling about how Australians could live as they do in the face of world problems? Talks with his mother and father and no satisfaction? Shaving his head, becoming a small Gandhi? The barbecue and reactions? Food, placards in shops, sitting with the sausages round his neck? Slogans and questions? The school and the minister giving him vapid answers? Esme and her friendship, the battery-charged chooks, the freeing of the birds, the throwing of the eggs at the police, television coverage and his questions? The police bringing him home - and being persuaded by his information about the issues? As a corpse in the bay? His reaction to his parents' stories about their illness - and seeing them as liars? The continued references to the various world problems?, Finally in the butcher shop and shocking the people at the opening? His father's health? Concern? The demonstration with the rest of the family about his father - his coffin and dying? The holiday and wanting to go to Bangladesh? A figure of contradiction and challenge? The message behind this portrayal of Ben?
