GRIEVOUS BODILY HARM

Australia, 1988, 96 minutes, Colour.
Colin Friels, John Waters, Bruno Lawrence, Shane Briant, Caz Lederman, Sandy Gore, Kerry Armstrong.
Directed by Mark Joffe.

Grievous Bodily Harm is a thriller, a murder investigation (by a journalist and a policeman) which focuses on corruption in all areas of Australian society. Colin Friels gives a very good performance as the crime reporter who steals money from the scene of the crime. Bruno Lawrence is the corrupt policeman, a violent man - who gets his comeuppance at the end. John Waters is a teacher, going demented, a murderer preoccupied with his supposedly dead lover, a prostitute played by Joy Bell.

The film was made in Sydney, utilising city locations well - as well as some sequences in the Blue Mountains. The film also has a strong supporting cast including Shane Bryant, Sandi Gore, Kerry Armstrong, Kym Gyngell and John Flaus.

The film was directed by Mark Joffe who went on to direct the delightful comedy, Spotswood, and the film version of Louis Nowra's Cosi.

1. Impact of this crime thriller? The world of journalism, the police, teaching, pornography? Australian thrillers - movies and television series?

2. The use of Sydney locations, the city streets, homes and apartments? The Blue Mountains and the roads? The musical score? The creation of visual and sound atmosphere? Editing and pace?

3. The title, the focus on injury, crime? Corruption?

4. The introduction to Tom and Colin Friels' screen presence? The accident, Mick and the photo, Eddie and the money, the girlfriend, the cover? Les and the siege? The shooting, Birch and the favours, and the mutual hold? Tom keeping contact with Birch for the investigation?

5. The portrait of Tom in himself: New York, Bradshaw, Mick? The articles and exclusives? Anne: divorce, use, the relationship, hiding - and the ultimate reconciliation? The newspaper and his jobs? The encounter with Morris? The doctor and his wife? Sexual perversion? The corpse, the intrusion in the house? The artist and connections? Using Mick for information? Morris's story, San Sebastian? The Blue Mountains? Inge? The chase and the danger? Reflection? Birch holding him in jail? The compromise? The final information? The role of the journalist, scruples and lack of scruples, corruption? Tom's future?

6. Morris - in class, the photography and the sexual activity? His brutality? The headmaster? His use of Tom's book and the classroom? The video? At home? The bar and seeing Claudine? Claudine and the video? His ringing Viv? The night, pocketbooks and killing? The addresses, the artist, the visit to Barbara? Eve Spicer and the murder? Morris with Steven, with Tom? The mountains, the pursuit, the crash? The final intrusion? His death? His madness?

7. Steven and his corruption, the videos, the clients, the brothel, the death? Tom and his intrusion? Viv, her lifestyle, death?

8. Barbara, her memories, sex and freedom, supplying of information?

9. Ray Birch and his work as a policeman, the stakeout, the gunman with the girl, the hostage, his doing a job, calling on Tom's help? Getting the gunman to the door, shooting him? Tom and the cover-up? The further investigation, supplying of information, the investigation of Morris? The irony of his finishing up with Claudine? The Macabre ending?

10. The supporting characters and their filling out the background of the story? The world of the journalists, editors, reporters? The world of the police and detection? The world of education, the headmaster, teachers and students? The world of art, the artists? The brothels, pornography and corruption?

11. A satisfying and well-acted thriller?