DOUBLE DEAL

Australia, 1983, 90 minutes, Colour.
Angela Punch- Mc Gregor, Louis Jourdan, Diane Craig, Warwick Comber, Peter Cummins, Kerry Walker, June Jago, Bruce Spence.
Directed by Brian Kavanagh.

Double Deal is a popular and glossy romantic thriller. It has an international star with Louis Jourdan (Can Can, Gigi). It has a strong Australian cast led by Angela Punch Mc Gregor (The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, Newsfront, Annie’s Coming Out). Character actors Peter Cummins, Kerry Walker and Bruce Spence are in the supporting cast.

The film has affluent Melbourne settings – just a pleasant background for this kind of glossy novel kind of film. Direction is by Brian Kavanagh who made A City’s Child and the film version of the Michael Gurr play Departure. However, his career was stronger as a film editor.

1. A satisfying thriller? Romance? Glossy, novelettish?

2. Panavision colour photography? The world of fashion, affluence? The use of Melbourne locations? Victorian, countryside?

3. The international star and his presence? The Australian stars? Cameo performances by character actors? The strength of the cast? The contribution of the musical score by Bruce Smeaton?

4. The plot, the title? How predictable? The twists? Situations, characters, motives and double dealing?

5. The effectiveness of the screenplay and its structure: the introduction to the characters, pieces presented, clues, rousing curiosity? The smoothness of the situations and twists? Revelation?

6. How credible the world of the film? The novelettish atmosphere?

7. Christine: in herself, fashions, as wife, socialiser. flirting? Decorum? Her love for her husband? Depression? Friendship with Doug? Going to the astrologer - and the clues in her forecast? Dreams? Her background and visit to her mother, grandmother? Type? Her story?

8. The credibility of the young man, the introduction to him, audience curiosity? Making love? The swimming? Motor bike? Encounter with Christine? visit to the house? Taking her away? The papers? The robbery? The adventure for kicks? The ransom? Leading to violence, murder? The rescue? The train ride?

9. Peter and Louis Jourdan's smooth style? Businessman, behaviour at the party, reaction to his wife, home sequences? the kidnap and his reaction? Smashing the furniture? Relationship to his secretary? The plot? The head? The shooting and the acting? The train ride?

10. The secretary and her prim style, ideas, the head in the box, letting her hair down. the opal, the sauna and the relationship with the young man - and the irony of the sauna breaking?

11. The young man and his shooting the rabbit, the seduction of Christine, the clowns and the robbery, the opal and the ending?

12. The sketch of the astrologer - with the comic touch?

13. Bruce Spence's comic style, his girlfriend?

14. Peter Cummins' amusing cameo as the detective - his character and style, hat, nasal spray etc.?

15. The overall effect of the glossy thriller?