GROSS MISCONDUCT

Australia, 1993, 97 minutes, Colour.
Jimmy Smits, Naomi Watts, Sarah Chadwick.
Directed by George Miller.

Gross Misconduct is based on a play, Assault With A Deadly Weapon, by Lance Peters, adapted for the screen by actor Gerard Maguire. It was directed by George Miller (Man from Snowy River, Bushfire Moon and many Disney features). The musical score is by Bruce Rowland, who also wrote the music for The Man from Snowy River.

The film is based on a Hobart case of the 1950s, an accusation against an academic, Sydney Sparkes Orr, for gross misconduct. The screenplay has been adapted to Melbourne of the '90s - and filmed at Ormond College where, in fact, a case for sexual harassment against the Master of the college was heard in 1991, other complaints were made in 1995 - and novelist Helen Garner published a book about the issues, The First Stone.

Jimmy Smits of LA Law was brought to Australia for the central role and the character made to be an American who fitted into Australian society. Naomi Watts, who featured in Brides of Christ and then went to America for films like Tank Girl, is effective as the fantasising teenager. Sarah Chadwick (with American accent) leads the supporting cast.

1. The film based on fact, fictionalised? Sexual harassment cases of the '80s and '90s? Rape cases? Men's responsibilities? Women's?

2. The Melbourne settings, the Yarra, July and the rain, the university, homes, the jazz club, courts? The range of the musical score and its moodiness?

3. The title, the offence, Justin Thorne and his being charged?

4. The background of sexual harassment, rape cases, men and women, attitudes and exploitation? The law, pressure, justice?

5. The introduction to Justin, the good American academic, the picnic on the Fourth of July, family and friends, relationship with Laura, tenderness towards the children? The friendship with Jennifer and her being trusted with babysitting? His relationship with Jennifer's father? His place in the university?

6. Art history, his theories about love, lust, freedom? Plato and the symposium? The showing of erotic slides? Jennifer watching, hearing, fantasising? The difference between theory and practice?

7. Jennifer, the initial fantasy, her dead mother, her father's presence, the only child, romanticising Justin, the crush, babysitting and good with the children, her boyfriend and their clashes? In class, looking at the slides, her fantasies? The diary and her making stories up? Being driven home - and kissing outside her house (and her father seeing)? Attempts at seduction, verbal, stripping at his home (and the child wanting a glass of water)? Her being sent away? Going to the jazz-playing, talk with the other women, the rumours about promiscuity? The appointment, her being rejected, the angry smashing of his office? Sex and seduction? Her not being able to remember what happened?

8. Justin in himself, family, work, the discussion about gossip and fun? With Jennifer, the drive home, resisting, sending her home in the night? His reaction to her destroying his office? Pinning her down, sexual arousal and succumbing? His not being able to give a reasonable explanation? His regrets? Theory of love and lust? The aftermath, the visit by the police, his telling the lie about the scratches? The dramatic editing of his driving home from Jennifer's place, her shower and the erotic behaviour?

9. Laura, the past, marriage to Justin, children? Jennifer, trusting her? The reaction to the truth, her anger, hurt? Standing by Justin, the green card history of their marriage and relationship? His first wife?

10. The lawyer and his aggressive style, comic touches? The offensive limerick, talking to Justin, not worrying about whether he was guilty or not - and not being surprised? His performance in the court, shrewdness, beating down of Jennifer? His surprise about the two wives?

11. The range of witnesses, Justin's class statements used against him, friends, academics, Jennifer's boyfriend?

12. The truth about his first wife, getting her the green card, Laura and the marriage? Fidelity?

13. Jennifer and her diary, fantasies at home? Being read out by the prosecutor, by the defence lawyer? Trying to break her down?

14. The guilty judgment - the humiliation for Justin of being in jail, standing in the dock exposed as guilty, going to prison?

15. Jennifer at home, her father and his aggressiveness towards Justin? Wanting vengeance? The revelation of the relationship between the father and Jennifer? Discussions about Mozart, playing the music, his drinking, the truth about his jealousy and violent attack? Her blotting it out? In the bath, his wanting to come into the room? Her resistance - and the melodrama of her killing her father?

16. Her going to Laura, the happy ending and the vindication of Justin? Satisfying drama, court drama, social justice issues, melodrama?