DIMBOOLA

Australia, 1979, 94 minutes, Colour.
Bruce Spence, Natalie Bate, Max Gillies, Bill Garner, Tim Robertson.
Directed by John Duigan.

Dimboola is famous as a jolly, vulgar piece of theatre restaurant - participative entertainment. Jack Hibberd's play is now a comedy of three days in a country town (viewed by journalist Vivian Worcestershire-Jones? (from guess where?) - and ourselves from similar/different angles). There is a wedding and reception plus the preparations, problems and Australian (very) traditions and rituals.

Beautifully photographed in Panavision, made by serious director John Duigan, engaging music by George Dreyfus, the film is firmly in the ocker comedy heritage: Alvin Purple/Don's Party. Showing us ourselves humorously, coarsely and with subtle critique (more on reflection after than during), it is a matter of taste - but check your memory on your last wedding reception.

1. The ocker comedy tradition? Broad humour, mockery, lovable Australian ugliness? The interplay of humour, stupidity, satire? Genial crudity? The impact for Australian audiences? Non-Australians?

2. The reputation of the original play? The music-hall background, audience participation? A satisfying adaptation? The expanding of the plot and extending it over several days?

3. The use of Panavision, colour, D1mboola locations, the presentation of the town? landscapes? Interiors and exteriors?

4. The contribution of the score? The band and the band themes? The songs and the humorous singing? The flavour of the songs sung by the three girls? The humour of the rock interlude at the wedding? 'Red River Valley', 'Animal Crackers', traditional waltzes?

5. The structure of the film: three days in Dimboola: the preparation for the wedding, the bucks' party and the shower tea? The conflict and the breaking of the engagement and its reparation? Problems? The marriage and the wedding reception? The finale in the motel and the 'no worries' comment?

6. The insertion of the character of Vivian Worcestershire-Jones? Seeing Dimboola through his eyes and comments? The focus on his arrival and highlighting the countrified nature of Dimboola and its people? His encounter with the various people and their reaction to him as a Pom? As a writer, observer, reactor? The culture clashes? His participation In the various events -from the disguise for the shower tea, to the observation of the bucks' party, to the reconciliation, to the wedding and its reception? His farewelling the audience at the end? How entertaining a character? The humour of his name? His observation on Australian men and their behaviour and customs? Australian women? The humour of his disguise as a women, the comic sequence of his striptease? His friendship with Maureen and making a pass at her? Dancing at the reception? The encounter with Shirley before he left?

7. How humorous and insightful the social observation? The country town, its people, its ways? The contrast with city life? Crassness and crudity? Genial customs? How typical? Australian? The final comments on Dimboola?

8. How successful is broad genial humour for gaining audience identification? Audience reaction to the image of the ugly Australian? Response to satire?

9. The portrait of Morrie? His appearance, height, manner of speaking? Bruce Spence’s particular comic style? His love for Maureen? The friendship with Dangles and working with him? The mates, the young men of the town? Seeing him at the station, at Vivian's arrival? His relationship with his parents and the question about Bayonet? The bucks' party and his drinking, the stripper, the photo of the intercourse? His being covered in gold? His passing out? The morning after and the encounter with Maureen? Her breaking things off? Her reaction to his explanation and his inability to give it? The parents and their reaction? The encounter with Father Patrick? The response to the reconciliation and the going ahead of the wedding? His participation in the wedding, rehearsing his speech outside and its being broadcast, the actual speech itself after his falling into the cake? His enjoyment of the wedding reception? The 'no worries' at the motel? An ocker type, how humorously presented? How sympathetically? An ordinary Australian young man from a country town?

12. Maureen and her personality? Strength of character, the opening with Morrie in the car, her presence at the shower tea and the receiving of the gifts and Vivian's intrusion? Seeing her at work at the paper? Her bond with her parents? The interview with Vivian? The discussions with him and his making a pass at her? Friendship with Shirley? Her reaction against Morrie and his behaviour, her being persuaded to reconcile by Father Patrick? The wedding, the reception and her fierce loyalty and pride with Morrie?

11. The portrait of the two parent groups? The Delaneys as country people, their discussion, the pig in the bedroom? Morrie's parents and the discussions about Bayonet? His mother's drinking and the talk about the fling - in comparison with the bucks' party? The father and his anxiety? The humorous sequences of the tests? The presence of both parents at the wedding, at the reception, the various speeches especially Maureen's father and his conventional Australian cliches?

12. Dangles as an Australian ocker type? Working with Morrie? The bucks' party and his organisation, paying the stripper, being dressed in the ballet tights? His being a ladies' man and going off with the three girls down by the river? Advances to Astrid? The reaction of Morrie after the bucks' party? Presence at the wedding? His rejection by Shirley and going off? The various other mates and their presence at the bucks' party - especially the big man and his fighting and knocking people out?

13. The woman of Dimboola: Shirley and friends, with Maureen, relationship with Vivian? The three girls at the cafe, their work, their singing rehearsals? Their attitudes towards sex, the evening out with Dangles? Morrie and Maureen discussing the breaking of the engagement? Presence at the wedding? At the reception? The end and their reactions?

14. Bayonet as a character and his appearance, scavenging? His reputation? Singing? The arrival on the bike, the invasion of the reception? Sitting on the roof at the end?

15. The satire an religion: the vicar and his primness, presence at the gambling, his courting the middle-aged woman, pushing her on her bike, his watching Astrid dance and the reception?

16. Father Patrick and his gambling, friendship with the people in the town, his part in the reconciliation, conducting, his drinking at the reception and his speech, the collapse?

17. Astrid and her selling the papers, her relationship with the Chinese boy, her dancing at the reception? Her father and his being the MC?

18. The hotel at Dimboola, the people at the bar, the woman at the piano and her songs and style?

29. The doctor and his smoker's cough, the nun, the conducting, his sleeping during the wedding? The good news during the reception?

20. The set piece of the shower tea, Vivian's presence and notes, being exposed? The set piece of the bucks' party, the shed, the drinking, the stripper, the boys watching, her being paid extra? visit to the bar at the hotel? The set piece of the wedding and its conduct? In the Church, people's reaction and humour? The focus on the reception with the people, the way they were dressed, the music, the rock music to the
traditional songs?

21. A portrait of Australian society?

22. Themes of love, marriage, sexuality?

23. Australian mateship, drinking, Vivian's comment on the Australian male?

24. A successful blend of entertainment and social comment?