HIGH TIDE

Australia, 1987, 104 minutes, Colour.
Judy Davis, Jan Adele, Claudia Karvan, Colin Friels, Frankie J. Holden, John Clayton.
Directed by Gillian Armstrong.

High Tide is a fine film from Gillian Armstrong (Singer and a Dancer, My Brilliant Career, Starstruck, Mrs Soffel, Little Women, Oscar and Lucinda). Gillian Armstrong also directed several documentaries about young women and girls growing up - which is in evidence in this film about women. In fact, it is a woman's film: producer, director, writer (Laura Jones) and the principal characters.

The film was made in Eden, New South Wales, and uses the town and the beach locations well: realistically as well as symbolically. Judy Davis won the award for best actress of 1987 in the Australian Film Institute Awards. Jan Adele won Best Supporting Actress and Claudia Karvan was nominated for her role. The men have much smaller roles but they include an effective performance by Colin Friels, Judy Davis's husband, John Clayton and Frankie J. Holden.

The film is a slice of life, highlights the quality of relationships, opportunities lost and found. It is full of symbolic and realistic detail and audiences will understand the nature of relationships - and ordinary people. There is a moment towards the end when the audiences fear that all will be lost but the director brings the film nicely to a positive ending.

1.The popularity of the film, acclaim, awards? A film about ordinary people? Relationships?

2.The perspective of women: in the production and direction, performance, characters?

3.Eden and the use of town locations, the coast and the beach, the caravan park, the road, the garage, the clubs? Authentic atmosphere? The style of filming the town: views, action within the town? Australian theme of beach, coast, surfing, water?

4.The musical score and its style? The mood for the main characters? The rock music, the country and western style, the golden oldies?

5.The title: waves coming in, going out, characters drifting, the symbol of life, coming to land? The title as applied to Lilli, to Ally?

6.The introduction to Lilli: in the dance troupe, the wig, movement, the dressing room, practical jokes, the crowds, her having to stay behind in Eden? Adrift?

7.The introduction to Ally: drifting literally, her age, home, boyfriend and the kiss, the grandmother, going to the club, singing along, relationship with Colin, watching Lilli?

8.The intercutting of the two women? When did audiences suspect a relationship? With her grandmother: the three generations? Like and unlike?

9.Lilli, on the beach, drinking and wandering, in the shower block, talking with Ally, Ally helping her home, the hand and the fortune telling, the next morning and sober?

10.Lilli and her situation: the car, the caravan park, the car fixed, the money? Seeing Bet? Realising that Ally was her daughter? The arguments, her looking at Ally shaving her legs and watching her, meeting Mike again, talking with him, the meal, sharing stories? Discussion with the manager about a job, the striptease, Mike in the dressing room, the stripping, the night with Mike? Her future?

11.Her arguments with Bet about Ally, her memories of John?

12.Bet in herself, John as her son, her memories and angers, his death, the arguments pro and con, Lilli saying that she had not helped her? Ally and her strictness, not going to the disco, changing her mind? Her work at the factory? In herself, an older woman, singing, the clubs, drinking, relationship with Colin, wanting to live with him, the night with the singer?

13.Lilli and her telling Mike the truth, their comparing their marriages, children taken by parents? Reasons? Making the best? Plans to leave? Lilli seeing Ally, giving her the gift, the meal, on the beach, talking to Ally about finding her, the weeping and the explanations, the talk with Bet? The final striptease night, Ally watching? Getting the car back? Meeting her, deciding to leave, the drive, in the cafe, going outside, looking through the window - and the camera moving with Lilli and the reuniting of mother and daughter?

14.Ally, the surf, wandering, the surfboard, her friends and fights, her father's surfboard, the photos? Her arguments and fights with her grandmother? Drifting? Lunch with Lilli, Mike telling her the truth, running, talking to Bet, to Lilli, the explanations, her need for love, sad with her grandmother? The decision to go, the factory farewell, waiting in the cafe? The happy ending?

15.The sketch of Mike: the raffle, winning, his boat, the meeting and sharing, the meal, his hopes, painting? His mother and Fiona? At the club, the night with Lilli, winning the money, the holiday, plans? Talking to Ally in the shop?

16.Colin and his love for Bet, being there, strictness, his anger with the singer and bashing his car? Reunited?

17.A slice of life? Wandering and drifting people? Relationships?