THE BEST OF FRIENDS

Australia, 1981, 97 minutes, Colour.
Angela Punch Mc Gregor, Graeme Blundell, Ruth Cracknell, Henri Szeps, Graham Rouse, Mark Lee, Serge Lazareff, Moya O’ Sullivan.
Directed by Michael Robertson.

The Best of Friends is a pleasant Australian attempt at a romantic screwball comedy. Publicity suggested it was in the vein of the George Segal /Glenda Jackson comedies like A Touch of Class. It is not in the same league - although it has some entertaining touches. It echoes more of the screwball romantic comedies of the 30s.

Graeme Blundell, who had been Alvin Purple, is at home in this kind of role - though there is more pathos in his performance. Angela Punch Mc Gregor seems to enjoy herself in a comic rather than a serious role. There is entertaining support from Ruth Cracknell and a very good cast. Sydney looks beautiful. There are light songs and music, an atmosphere of Sydney sophistication and affluence. The theme starts frivolously but moves to a more serious tone. (Of interest is the religious back grounds of the families and the emphasis on the hero's Catholicism with sequences filmed in St Mary's Cathedral and in the Villa Maria Church. There are some pokes at sectarian bigotry as well.)

1. A pleasing Australian comedy? How much does it owe to the screwball comedies of the 30s? The romantic battles of the sexes? Its parallel with these models, imitations? Too derivative? Original touches? The Australian setting? The perennial enjoyment value of this kind of comedy?

2. The use of Sydney: homes, offices, restaurants, beaches? The atmosphere and feel of Sydney? The modern, affluent and sophisticated city? The jaunty score? The songs?

3. Tom and Melanie as an odd couple? The contribution of the stars and their verve? How much flair for comedy? The nature of friendship, love - sparring, clashes, reconciliations etc?

4. Themes of friendship and the references to the title? Friends and the ability to talk together, laugh together, the quality of the bonds? The lack of commitment? The humorous irony of the credits with the children miming relationships - and Tom being left out? The importance of memories about friendships? The change from friendship to love? Melanie's point about loving and being in love? Commitment and freedom? Preparation for marriage? Understanding the mannerisms of the partner? Lovers and living together, knowing well, likes and dislikes, tension?

5. Melanie as television personality, her friends and co-workers? Popularity? Skill at her work? Her loneliness, lovers? Temper and temperament? Her reliance on Tom? The outing and the drinking? The night together? The morning after and the effect on her? The drive and her wanting to break the friendship? Her refusing to marry? Her jealousy of Tom and her reactions to Grace? The discovery of the pregnancy, her immediate reaction and joy, puzzle? The build-up to telling Tom in the park? The visit to St Mary's Cathedral and the discussions about marriage and bringing up the child? The visit to Father James? Her refusing to let Tom move in, his moving in? The ups and downs of their different style - his neatness, making breakfast, tidying the house, punctuality and her reaction to this? The irony of the encounters with Grace and Bruce? The toy shop sequence, Tom's proposal and her decision to marry?

6. Tom and his background, his work and his friends, the visits to Melanie, the dinner, the night and the effect on him, the aftermath, his proposal, their separation? His reaction to the baby? The visit to the Cathedral and his wanting to marry Melanie? Moving in? His fussiness? The outing with Grace and Melanie pouring the champagne over her? Bruce's visit and Tom's exercises?

7. The background of their parents? Their knowing Melanie and Tom from childhood? Iris and her pushiness, melodrama, feeling betrayed, her bigotry against Catholics, her snobbery about Tom being an accountant? Patrick and his wife and their Irish background, his deafness and the jokes, their Catholicism, the reference to Father James? The contrast between Presbyterian and Catholic? The comedy in the visit, the tension, the morality issues, the dinner, the prawns being off, their not eating their meal? The attitudes and the various changes - especially Patrick's understanding? Their becoming friends for the wedding? Melanie being late and Iris being concerned? Their all joining in to help the two get married?

8. The proposal in the toy shop, the fight, their telling each other off and their likes and dislikes, the wedding and Melanie's mood, Tom being late with the broken-down car? Her collapse? The break in the hospital? The singing telegram?

9. The joggers and their plan, the acting with the ring and Tom's losing it in the water, her final acceptance of the proposal? His conditions? The humour of the wedding and the ambulance?

10. The background of the television station friends and their help? Meals out, etc? Colin and the discussions about marriage, annulments, sex? The support of Tom by his friends?

11. Father James and his help, his discussions with Melanie, his genial conduct of the wedding, his collaboration with the jogging plan? The background of Catholic-Presbyterian? tensions and situations?

12. Bruce as the ordinary young man, his going home to his mother, the proposition by Melanie, his being ousted from the house, presence at the wedding? Grace and the champagne? Her presence at the wedding?

13. The comedy with the censorious waiter? The lady assistant at the toy shop? The old man and the nuns in the Cathedral? The contribution of comic touches?

14. The frivolity of the opening? The casual approach to life, relationships? The reflection of Australian city mores? The situation of love, the pregnancy, responsibilities? Marriage and commitment? The nature of friendship? A comedy with the serious touch?