A DANGEROUS SUMMER
Australia, 1982, 88 minutes, Colour.
James Mason, Tom Skerritt, Ian Gilmour, Wendy Hughes, Ray Barrett, Kim Deacon, Guy Doleman.
Directed by Quentin Masters.
A Dangerous Summer (originally The Burning Man) is a film which might have been. Ambitious in cast and production values, the final result is a truncated effort. It is difficult to know where the blame lies. During production, Ian Gilmour was injured and many sequences had to be delayed by some months. Perhaps the producers gave up.
The cast is potentially strong: Tom Skerritt (M*A*S*H, The Turning Point) is the token American. James Mason has a pleasingly suave role. Wendy Hughes appears to advantage but then is murdered. There is strong support from Ray Barrett, Kim Deacon and Guy Dolman. James Mc Elroy produced, the screenplay is by writer David Ambrose and director Quentin Masters (who spent some time making features in England). The main attraction is the spectacular Panavision bushfire footage which was authentic material integrated into the plot.
However, the final result is a kind of whodunnit or whydunnit set in Sydney and the Blue Mountains with spectacular bushfire footage.
1. An Australian thriller? Entertainment value? Authentic atmosphere of the city, Blue Mountains and bushfires?
2. The production values: colour Panavision photography, the mountain settings, the city, the beach (and the special effects for Sophie's death)? The spectacular bushfire material and its integration in to the film? Special effects? Musical score?
3. The thriller genre and the conventions used? Double-dealing in big business, insurance detection, the noble hero, the suave villain and his seduction of the hero's daughter, murder and mayhem, confrontations? Types and stereotypes?
4. The plausibility of the plot: the American architect, his being used by his wheeler-dealing partner, investigations and murder, the fires and the spectacular bushfire, romance? Sufficient for this film?
5. Howard Anderson as the American, reasons for coming to Australia, partnership with Julian Fane, his integrity with his plans and his project? Love for his daughter? His suspicions after the fires? Attitude towards Steve? The interrogation by George Ingels, by Sophie McCann? The suspicions, the confrontation with Fane, the return to the Blue Mountains, the final confrontation with Steve? The attempt to save his project? The total destruction?
6. Steve Adams as a credible villain? Smooth-talking, relationship with Maggie? Audiences suspicious of him? His relationship with Fane? His violence, the stalking of Sophie and her murder? His presence on the site? The final burning? The suspicious behaviour and the way that it was signalled?
7. James Mason and his suave style as George Ingels and his investigations? His presence on the site before the burning - credible? Audiences anticipating more from his character? Sophie McCann? and her investigations? Computers? Help from her friend? The sexual ambiguities about herself and her room-note - but little made of them? The beach scene, Steve stalking her, the violence of her death at the beach? More expected of her character?
8. Julian Fane and his wealth, yacht, big business in Sydney, double-dealing and deceit?
9. The background of the people in the Blue Mountains, the way of life in the town, Webster and his care for putting out bushfires?
10. The conventional action sequences? The impact of bushfires, the inferno with the apocalyptic touch, the destruction? Spectacular visual effects?
11. A curious contribution to the developing Australian industry? A satisfying thriller?
