TURTLE BEACH
Australia, 1992, 85 minutes, Colour.
Greta Scacchi, Jack Thompson, Joan Chen, Art Malik, Norman Kaye, Victoria Longley, Martin Jacobs.
Directed by Stephen Wallace.
Turtle Beach opened in 1992 with a great deal of publicity and controversy, criticisms from the Malaysian prime minister about Australia. The film was based on the novel by Blanche D'Alpuget, who lived in Malaysia during the period of the movie. It is a fiction rather than a documentary. It needs to be interpreted as a fiction rather than as presenting history accurately. For example, one of the criticisms was that the massacre presented of the Vietnamese boat people did not occur. However, the screenplay refers to Malays towing boats out to sea for people to die. This seems to be true.
In itself, Turtle Beach is an interesting film. However, it has a comparatively brief running time for a movie based on a novel. This means that characters are not explored in depth, often a line (which the viewer may miss) suggesting a facet of personality. It means that the motivation of the characters is not always immediately clear and some episodes seem rushed.
However, it is helpful to have some images of the boat people of the '70s and a reminder of living in the refugee camps like that of Bindong, dramatised here.
Greta Scacchi gives a strong central performance. Joan Chen is enigmatic as the Vietnamese prostitute who marries the high commissioner. There is a goo supporting cast led by Jack Thompson. Direction is by Stephen Wallace (Love Letters from Teralba Road, Stir, The Boy Who Had Everything, For Love Alone). The screenplay was written by Anne Turner (director of Flesh on Glass, Celia, Hammers Over the Anvil).
1.Impact of the film? Public controversies in Australia and Malaysia?
2.A historical drama rather than a historical documentary? Validity rather than accuracy? The perspectives on Malaysia? The Australian point of view?
3.The novel and its adaptation, brief running time, delineation of characters, situations, plot connections?
4.The Thai locations standing in for Malaysia? The atmosphere of the country, the countryside, the crowded cities, markets and bazaars, religious festivals, the sea and the beaches, the islands? The refugee camp? The musical score?
5.The prologue, the 1969 riots, the Malays and their antagonism towards the Chinese and Indians, the torture, the beheading? Judith and her taking of the photos? Her relationship with Richard?
6.The transition to 1979? Judith and the estrangement from Richard, his infidelity, her being with her children, taking them to school? The bickering, the opportunity for her to return to Malaysia and get a story?
7.Kuala Lumpur in 1979, Hobday and his work? Ralph and the Australian Immigration Department? The attitude of the Malay government, the Malays themselves? The people, the arrival of the Boat People and the handling of the refugee situation? The role of journalists? Tensions and atmosphere?
8.The picture of Judith: in herself, as a journalist, in Sydney, seeking out Minou? The interview at the hotel? Her going to Malaysia, arguing her case with Richard, leaving the children? The Hobday conference and the questions? Her following him and seeing him in the market with Kanan? Claiming friendship with Minou? The visit to the house? The ethics of people using one another for various purposes, including headlines and stories? Her friendship with Sancha? With Ralph, the croquet games, the discussion of the boat people and Bindong? The socials, Minou and her escaping to Turtle Beach, Judith going with her? Her going to Bindong and photographing it? Ralph's anger? Going to the beach, the arrival of the boat, the horror of the massacre? Minou and her story of prostitution, going to the baths, Judith listening to Minou's story? Hobday and the domestic tensions and Minou's reaction? Going to the Hindu festival, the mutilations? The attraction towards Kanan, the affair with him? Richard and his phone calls, the threats for custody of the children? The parallels with Minou leaving her children in Vietnam? The visit to the island, the blackmailing of Ralph? The photos? Their effect? The return to Turtle Beach, Kanan advising her not to go? The villagers, the threatened massacre? Minou's self-sacrifice? Rescuing the children? Her angry reaction to Kanan about Chinese traditions and self-sacrifice? The Malays satisfied with Minou's self-sacrifice? Her return to Australia, the press conference and her tribute to Minou? Her future? Settling down with the children?
9.Minou and her personality, style, the visit in Sydney, provocative? The prostitute? Married to the high commissioner? Having to leave her children behind? The premonition of her drowning - and her not swimming? In Sydney, at her house? Socialites snubbing her in Kuala Lumpur? The contact with Kanan? The paying of the Chinese searcher, the information about her children? Her retreating to Turtle Beach, contemplating, hoping for children to arrive? The boat people? The horror of the massacre? Eluding the embassy bodyguards? Her relationship with Hobday - as a prostitute, calling him `Daddy'? The erratic emotional sequences? Her talking to Judith, explaining her life as a prostitute? Blackmailing Ralph to get to the island? Faith that her children would arrive, the boat, the reconciliation with her children - and her self-sacrifice and drowning?
10.Kanan, the Indian in Kuala Lumpur, his parents and their suffering, his relationship with Hobday, helping Minou? Interest in Judith, the festival and the mutilations? Their affair? His being involved in the black market and Judith's reaction? His advising her not to go to Turtle Beach, his standing back in dismay?
11.Ralph and Sancha - the echoes of the Somerset Maugham couple, the isolated wife in Malaysia? Social whirl, Ralph and Bindong and concealing the truth? His anger at Judith going? Open to blackmail? His woman on the island, the black market, her head being shaved? His fight, rupturing his spleen, in hospital? The hypocrisy of his marriage? Sancha and her promising to bring him to health?
12.Hobday, his official role, his caution about the boat people, his marriage to Minou and its background? The range of his moods, forbidding her to go to Turtle Beach, the sexual companionship, his angers?
13.The picture of the Malaysian people, government, the police, prejudices against the Vietnamese, the village people and their massacre of the boat people at the beach, their further attack - but satisfied with Minou's self-sacrifice? Cultural background, religious background? A prejudiced picture of them - depending on which character spoke attacking them?
14.The picture of the boat people, the experience of Vietnam, Bindong as a refugee centre, its squalor? The horror of its lack of hygiene, people crowded together, the people with qualifications in their country? The black market and punishment? The boats, the suffering on the boats, being towed back out to sea, the massacres?
15.The relationship between Australia and Malaysia, the experience of Vietnam, Australia in the Asian cultural and geographical context? Not understanding customs and beliefs? Films like this offering insight to western audiences about Asia?
16.The entertainment value of the story, its style? The importance of message?
