RETURN HOME

Australia, 1990, 87 minutes, Colour.
Dennis Coard, Ben Mendelsohn, Frankie J.Holden, Micki Camilleri.
Directed by Ray Argall.

Return Home was written and directed by cinematographer, Ray Argall. Argall won awards for his photography in small-budget films like Plains of Heaven, The Prisoner of St Petersberg. His own film, while small budget, is a piece of Australian naturalism with a serious but affectionate look at ordinary Australians in time of recession. It is also a film of hope. (Some of the characters in this film, especially Frankie J. Holden's Steve, could be likened to A.B. Facey with his philosophy of `A Fortunate Life'.

The film is set in Adelaide, in an ordinary suburban street, service station and auto repair shop, and in ordinary people's homes. The film, made in the streets of Adelaide, gives the audience an authentic feel for people and place. This is contrasted with the high-rise offices of Melbourne and the world of economics and business.

The film is critical of economic rationalism and appeals to the Australian sense of fair play and mateship. It offers these as a counter to economic rationalism in hard times - a focus on people, relationships, affirmation.

The film is particularly well acted by Dennis Coard in the central role, Frankie J. Holden as his brother, Steve, and Ben Mendelssohn giving an excellent variation on his young man theme (presented so well in The Year My Voice Broke, Spotswood, The Big Steal, Nirvana Street Murders). The supporting cast offers the same atmosphere of realism, authenticity.

The film has a strong musical score with contemporary songs offering lyric comment on the action. With the title, the film uses Dvorjak's New World Symphony with its theme of going home. Ray Argall's next film was Eight Ball, the story of the friendship between men, two men of different backgrounds - offered with the same naturalistic and humane touches. Argall won the Best Director award for Return Home in the 1990 Australian Film Institute Awards.

1. A pleasing film? Impact? Ordinary people? The transition from the '80s to the '90s? The theme of a fortunate life?

2. The Melbourne city settings, the impersonal high-rise buildings? Offices? The contrast with Adelaide and its suburbs, the ordinary streets, homes, the beach? The service station? The realism by means of naturalistic photography and acting? The effect on the audience for identification and sympathy with the characters? The musical score, contemporary, classic, the lyrics commenting on the action?

3. The title, an archetypal theme? The place of home? The contrast with the place which is away from home? Overtones of the prodigal son and the return? The need to leave, the need to return? The meaning of home? Dvorjak's musical theme?

4. The opening and the memories of the '70s, the contrast with the '90s? Middle-aged men when they were young, the warmth and glow of the colour, cars, speed, friends? The significance of the past memories? In the Australian urban context?

5. Noel at work, his partner and his irresponsibility, the rat-rate, the high-rise offices of Melbourne? His leaving? Noel liking his work but finding it impersonal? His skills and his success? His not wanting to go back, the delay? The return to the office and its effect? His finally leaving and returning home?

6. Noel as the focus of the film, as a middle-aged man, his working in Melbourne, pleasant personality, the failure of his marriage? Age, returning home? South Australia? Meeting Gary, the hazardous ride back to the service station, the loud music, the car and Gary's hooting, the driving - and his memories of the past? Meeting Steve and the bond between the two brothers? Affection, manner of speaking, Australian irony? June and the child, his feeling at home with the family, ordinary, relaxed, playing in the backyard? The visit of Steve and Noel to their father, the memory of the past? The clashes with the father? Hitting him? Noel wandering round, working in the garage and helping out? Noticing the custom at the hairdressers? Aware of the financial problems? The strong bond with Steve, the memories, the clashes - especially with Noel suggesting new ideas for the service station? Talking with Gary, friendship, offering him advice? The sharing of the car, picking up the child at school? Relating to people round about, the past girlfriend from schooldays? His meeting the musician and chatting with him, getting him to sing a song? The gradual relaxing, changing? Acknowledging his past - and the change for the future?

7. Steve and June, the love between them, Steve as husband and father, hardworking, making a living, not greedy? His skills at his work, long hours? The strong, silent but affectionate man? The bonds with Noel and talking with him? At home, affection for June, playing with his child? The decisions about spending money, changing the garage - and his reluctance? Taking on Gary, not affirming him but praising him out of his hearing? His ironic Australian humour? The advice for Wendy? Resisting change, money and machinery? Doing favours for the customers? Knowing Noel well, understanding him? Glad of his return? A future? June, the strong woman, wife and mother, doing the accounts, at ease with people, glad of Noel's help, interested in new ideas and change, her abilities at managing? The child and growing up in this kind of Australian household?

8. The sense of family, the affirmation of the traditional family? The hurts in the older generation? Leaving home, the return? Possibilities of reconciliation? The next generation and greater expressiveness, affection?

9. The portrait of Gary, the brash young man, gawky? Driving home, listening to the music, chatter? Hooting and impatient with people? His skill at his work? Steve not affirming him but yet having him around, praising him? The clash with Wendy, staying at the pubs with the boys? Missing her, taking his time to apologise? Her rejection? His dressing up, going to apologise to her? The visit to the supermarket? The bond between the two and its potential for growth? Meeting Noel, friendship, chatting about his job? About age and apprenticeship, possibility of moving to another job? His impatience at his job and accusing Steve of being a perfectionist? Steve growing to affirm him, the effect of such affirmation on him? The friendship with Noel, talking about 10 years' time and the future? The reconciliation with Wendy? Gary as a younger version of Steve?

10. Wendy, the supermarket meeting, the clash with Gary and trying to tell him the truth? Their relationship, her being hurt, his finally giving the apology and her accepting it? Gary's friend and the break-up with his girlfriend? Not getting together again? Gary and the potential for steadiness?

11. The detail of life, the audience immersed in the life of the family, the service station, in the street?

12. The background of the '80s and '90s, economic rationalism, unemployment, mid-life crises? A humane face on crises?