THE SOLDIER SETTLER
Australia, 1988, 50 minutes, Colour.
Jim Holt.
Directed by George Ogilvie.
The Soldier Settler is one of the best of the Willessee's Australians series made for the Bicentenary. Instead of focusing on a well-known individual, it focuses on a returned soldier from World War Two, his wife and children and their struggle to make a go of a farm allotted to them by lottery. The soldier settler becomes representative of the post-World War Two Australia.
The film is well-written by Peter Schreck (We of the Never Never) and directed by George Ogilvie (Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, Short Changed, The Place at the Coast). It has a strong cast, has a wonderful evocation of the atmosphere of 1950 and portrays vividly the struggles of the young Australian family to survive.
1. A different approach to Willessee's Australians? The symbolic individual and family? In their period?
2. The re-creation of 1950, the post-World War Two atmosphere, the railways, the farms, the small country town, individuals and their coping, the lifestyle?
3. The re-creation of the period, northern New South Wales locations, land, the farms, the town? The atmospheric score?
4. The situation of 1950, the men on the railways, their families, the lottery, the allotment of land, the conditions for loans, the families finding it too difficult, financial losses, walking off the properties?
5. The soldier and his wife, travelling to the farm, the arrival, the house and its ugliness, the bin of bottles, the newspaper-windows? Jack and his decision to cope? The mother and her weeping? The hard life, the land, the broken mill, the constant work?
6. The portrait of the soldier settler: his character, the experience of war, comradeship, willingness for hard work, bringing his family to the farm, his relationship with his wife, tenderness yet anger, the same with Jack? The money difficulties, friends leaving the properties? His having to go shearing, involved in transport work - though illegal? Trying to build, the ploughing of the fields, the buying of the tractor? The aspects of social life - the Dawn Service, at the pub, the dance? The coming of the inspector and having to fix the pump? The long sequences of fixing the pump, his reliance on his son, his hurting his hand? His anger with his son about the dog, hitting him? Apologies? The success with the water? Strength of character, hardships, hope?
7. The wife and her loyalty and love, sadness at the house, care for their children, housework, meals, hopes? The friendships, the touch of social life? Love for Jack, her regrets? The rain and having to save and cover the grain? Taking Jack's side when her husband hit him? Loyal support?
8. Jack as a young boy, his strength, his going to the house, playing with the dog and his father's anger, his father teaching him to drive and the buying of the tractor, his handling it well, his weariness in ploughing the fields, the rain and having to cover the grain, the ordeal of having to drive steadily and hold the truck with the pump, his one mistake and his father's injury, his father taking out his angers on his son, reconciliation?, A boy with strong character?
9. The sketch of friends, hard work, memories of the Railways, the need for money, loans? Life in the town?
10. The importance of the sequence of the Dawn Service, the memory of the World Wars, the loyalty of the people, their memories? The celebration?
11. Insight into a period? Insight into characters? Symbolic Australians?
