RELATIVES
Australia, 1985, 95 minutes, Colour.
Michael Aitkins, Jeanie Drynan, Ray Barrett, Alyson Best, Brett Climo, Norman Kaye, Bill Kaye, Rowena Wallace.
Directed by Antony J. Bowman.
Relatives was originally intended as a telemovie, However, the response to the characterisation, the black Australian comedy meant that it gained some theatrical release. The film is reminiscent of Robert Altman's A Wedding. A group of relatives gather for a celebration, interact with comedy, with pathos and with tragedy.
The film gathers a great number of Australia's character actors and actresses. They each give very good performances - but the screenplay does not give them all fine and humorous things to do. However, this is an offbeat look at Australian families, traditions, hypocrisies - and is therefore welcome as an addition to an Australian comedy.
1 The Australian flavour of the film? Universal appeal? The focus on a family and its traditions, the range of characters, humour and tensions?
2. The telemovie style: the introduction of characters, the quick situations to highlight character? The importance of editing and cross-cutting? The contribution of Norman Kaye's score and performance?
3. The focus on human nature, men and women, old and young, parents and children - Australian style?
4. The title and the focus on family: relationships, love, rebellion, betrayal, members taken for granted?
5. The basic situation: the tradition of the homestead, the family and its many years there? The grandfather as the pioneer? The differences, the changes, the family holding onto the property, the son having to manage the homestead, the marriage break-up because of it, the next generation unwilling to manage it, the need for selling the farm, grief, the new man and his wanting to invest in the homestead? The credibility of the situation? The range of responses by the audience depending on such traditions and experience?
6. Bill Kerr as Grandpa: his place in the old people's home, his 80th. birthday, the preparation for the trip, the comedy of the trip, the children's reaction - not like home, the smell, his getting out on the side of the road, his deafness? His being welcomed, the presents? His relationship to each member of the family? His crustiness? Alex? The scotch in the fruit salad? His reaction to the opening of the presents, his shrewdness? The truth about the selling of the homestead? His final wandering around the property, the pathos of his death and its situation?
7. Ray Barrett portraying the loving son, the manager of the homestead, the experience of losing his wife, his relationship to his children and their estrangement? The difficulties, not telling the rest of the family, his distance from some affection? Problems? The relationship to Claire and his love of her? His not understanding Ross? Having to cope? His relationship to his father? His sister's complaint about the sale? Alf and the new situation for ownership, the management of the farm?
8. Ed as the typical parson, playing his music, his eccentric manner, the car, his style, the pink handkerchief, his soft manner, the drink? His work in the parish? Chaplain to the P. & 0. cruise? His being seen as an old duffer? Relating to people? His crying about the future?
9. Joan and her pompous style, talk, Alf and her relationship with him? her spoiling of Stanley? The flat tyre and the changing of the tyre? The present and the jack-in-the-box? Her manner of talking, snobbery, treating foreigners with disdain? Stanley's fall and her over-reaction? Her overhearing the information about the sale of the homestead? Her anger at her brother? Her not knowing her husband - especially in his affair? Her future? Stanley and the fight, the horse, the gun? The fun poked at Joan?
10. Claire and her visit to Europe, relationship with Alex, bringing him to the family, bringing in the outsider, her relationship, the sexual encounter? Overhearing Alf and Catherine? Their laughing? The experience with Stanley and the children? The bonds between the two? Alex and his European background, his own biases, the reaction of the family, Ross bringing him to the celebration, the welcome? His future?
11. Ross and the modern generation, his car, offhand manner, the earphones and the music, the dropout, no future, not wanting to manage the homestead, his bonds with his father?
12. Nancy and Peter and their children, the typical Australian family, going to get Grandpa, the hazards of the trip, Peter, his work and his discussions about the law, offering free help, a low-key man? Nancy as mother, fussing about the children, biases, nice? Their enjoyment of the outing, coping with the difficulties? The children and their fighting, rivalry, Stanley, the horse, the gun, the camera?
13. Alf as the henpecked husband, low-key, ignoring his wife, his own self-indulgence, Catherine and the affair and the mockery of middle-age sexuality, his wealth, his wanting to invest in the property?
14. Catherine and her quiet manner, the sexual innuendo, leaving the meal, the liaison with Alf, the sexuality and laughter, her external decorum? Herb and his late arrival, the cricket, the male chauvinist, loud manner?
15. The film's framework with the focusing on the characters, the trips to the homestead, the different cars, reactions, arrival? The greetings, the presents, drinks and games, the comedy of the meal, the aftermath?
16. The serious theme of families, inheritances, traditions, the changing times? Selfishness, generosity? The range of behaviour and reactions?
