DEAR CLAUDIA

Australia, 1999, 104 minutes, Colour.
Bryan Brown, Aleksandra Vujcic, Deborah Mailman, Ken Radley, Kim Hillas.
Directed by Chris Cudlipp.

Dear Claudia is a romantic comedy starring Bryan Brown as a flying postman. He lives a rather lonely existence, relating to his friends at the post office, to his clients. He looks on at the rather vivacious Claudia.

The film then focuses on the two characters, Claudia asking for a lift in his mail plane - but she has gold hidden in the plane and they crash and are marooned. The film focuses on each of the characters, their interactions when marooned on the island. They don't seem to hit it off. What changes their attitudes is that they start reading the mail, and the impact of the letters, joyful and sad, on their own existence on the island.

The film was written and directed by Chris Cudlipp, a director of television commercials. This was his first feature film.

1. An entertaining romantic comedy? Credible? Characters, events, the crash, marooned?

2. The small-town settings, the post office? The aerial scenes? The island - and the tropical atmosphere? Musical score?

3. The credibility of the plot, each of the characters, their chance encounter (calculated by Claudia), the crash and their being marooned? The credibility of their behaviour on the island, in themselves, towards each other?

4. Bryan Brown's style as Walter? His relationship with his workmates? His lonely life? Not relating well to people? His job, flying, delivering the mail? His observing Claudia - and her seeming to be in another world?

5. The introduction to Claudia, vivacious and exuberant? Her presence in the town? Relationships? Her not treating Walter with any kind of favour?

6. The shock to Walter of Claudia's asking for a lift? His acceptance? Her hidden agenda, the gold in the plane? His being unaware? Their discussions, relationship?

7. The difficulty with the plane, landing on the island? Their having to make do, Walter and his practical ability, Claudia and her antagonism? The tension between the two?

8. Their relationship, having to cope, deal with one another? The old-fashioned screwball comedy clashes between them? Practicalities, impracticalities?

9. The decision to open the mail, the reading of the letters, the contents of the letters, serious, comic, hopeful, fearful? Walter and his response to the letters and the problems? Claudia and her responses? The letters bringing them together?

10. The future for each of them, the rescue, after the rescue? Continued relationship or not? Claudia and the gold on the plane? Walter and his job?