GINGER MEGGS

Australia, 1982, 100 minutes, Colour.
Paul Daniel, Gary Mc Donald, Ross Higgins, Gwen Plumb, Harold Hopkins, John Wood, Hugh Keays- Byrne, Terry Camilleri, John Clayton, Candy Raymond.
Directed by Jonathan Dawson.

Ginger Meggs is an entertaining film version of Jim Banks' cartoon character and his adventures. The film is very much geared to the young audience - with a touch of nostalgia for the parents. The film can be compared with producer John Sexton's version of Syd Nichols' Fatty Finn.

The film is set in the '40s/'50s atmosphere and there is an odd blend of realism and caricature in the portrayal of the characters. Garry Mc Donald has the central role as Gingers father. Drew Forsyth exaggerates as Tiger Kelly. Paul Daniel is effective as Ginger - though not particularly like the cartoon character. The film has a strange musical score - anachronistic for the period. It seem superfluous and far too contemporary. Filmed on location in Bowral and Moss Vale, the film has a gallery of Australian actors and actresses in supporting roles.

1. An entertaining children's film? Style, characters, situations? The background of the comic strip and its appeal?

2. Ginger as a larrikin? His relationship with Tiger Kelly, Minnie, his friends? Getting into trouble with his parents? Humorous situations? Observation on the Australian family, growing up in a country town in the '40s, '50s? A period piece of Australiana?

3. The adaptation of the comic strip to three-dimensional characters? The effectiveness of actors portraying comic strip roles? Characters or caricatures? Similarity to the originals or not? Audiences allowing for the dramatisation of a comic strip?

4. Audience interest in and identification with the period? Use of Bowral, Moss Vale locations? Streets, shops, houses, school? The circus? A real world? A nostalgic memory, fantasy world?

5. Colour photography and the use of strong colours? The detail of the way of life of the times - advertisements, shop goods, radio etc.? The contribution of the songs and the music? The more contemporary style transposed to decades earlier? The lyrics?

6. Ginger as attractive boy hero? The larrikin hero, tough but nice, love for his mother and father yet getting into trouble, being sent to his room? His love for Minnie? His friends in the gang? Rivalry with Coogan? The scrapes with Tiger Kelly? Fights, gallantry, heroics? His age, boys in the audience identifying with him and his style?

7. The Meggses: Ginger getting into scrapes, Mr. Meggs telling Ginge about his boxing, the quiz show and his winning the radio, the present for his mother? The monkey as a pet, losing it, searching for it? His missing his meals? His mother's tears and urging his father to discipline him, the discipline - and their relenting? Their plans for him? Anger? His running away from home? Coming back? The fishing and saving face for his father? The lights? The play and his rehearsal, the encounter with the circus, his final performance? His parents' reaction? Parents as types?

8. Ginger and his parents and the causes of trouble, Minnie and his fighting, the trick by Coogan with the ink over Minnie and her mother, the disguise as girls at the party, the horse, Romeo and Juliet and the rehearsals, the performance? Ben and his friendship, help? The gang? Coogan and the fights - Ginge's revenge with the ice cream? Dirty tricks? The police, Wentworth and the rich family? Tiger Kelly and his tricks? Alex, friendship, Ginger running away? Searching for the monkey? The dog and the monkey? The circus: Captain Hook and his act, the Flying Foxes?

9. The kids in the gang: the bogs, the girls in the school, activities around the town, at school itself? Ginger allegedly telling off the headmaster etc? Minnie as prim heroine? Ben and his friendship, wagging school etc? Alex and his friendship, Alex's mother?

10. The adults: the headmaster and his dithering attitudes, Mr. Crackett and the play, the lady conducting the choir and the humour of school choirs? The police, the neighbour and the fishing, the ice cream parlour, the circus? The Flying Foxes and the robbery? The bicycle chase?

11. The set pieces: school. the chasing of the horse and the rescuing of Minnie, the bike rides. Tiger Kelly and the fights and shambles, the party and the uproar, the circus acts, the rehearsals, the play - and John Meggs asleep?

12. A nostalgic piece of Australiana?