SUNSTRUCK

Australia, 1972, 89 minutes, Colour.
Harry Secombe, Maggie Fitzgibbon, Dawn Lake, Bobby Limb, Stuart Wagstaff.
Directed by James Gilbert.

Sunstruck: perhaps it will not encourage teachers to come to teach in the sun in N.S.W., as the famous poster advertised, but this film takes its origins from there and lands us in Kookaburra Springs (alias, near Parkes) and gives us a lightweight, but very pleasant, comedy that is suitable for all but the very sophisticated. Harry Secombe plays his role gently but humorously. All the Australian cliches are there, of course, but not too overdone. Although Harry wakes in fright at times, he eventually transcends the beer culture at Sydney Conservatorium. Music teachers will relish the boost the film gives their area' Enjoyable.

1. How enjoyable a comedy, a modest entertaining comedy?

2. For what audience was it made? Australian, British? Adults, children?

3. The title, the contrast with the rain in Britain? The importance of the advertisement about teaching In Australia In the Sun? The contrast with Wales? The background of the singing, the teaching? Stanley and his dreams of Australia? His watching of the athletics teacher, his having to get out?

4. The introduction to Australia by his flight, the glimpses of Sydney, the build-up in atmosphere, his continuing flight out into the country and the humour of this?

5. Harry Secombe as Stanley Evans and his character? The quality of Harry Secombe's personality, the engaging charm? His being characterised as a fat little Pom? His becoming a victim of Kookaburra Springs? Audiences liking him for his experience in Wales, victim in Australia?

6. Comment on his reaction to his arriving in Kookaburra Springs, his 'waking in fright' to the realities of the Australian bush, the Australian bush people? Their reaction to him on the bus? the schoolboy and how humorous, was the presentation of Kookaburra Springs? the landscapes, the look of the place? the school?

7. How realistic and how humorous was the presentation of Kookaburra Springs: the landscapes, the look of the place, the school and the pub? The pilot and his introduction to Australia? Mick and Sal and the way they ran the pub, Stevie and the others? Pete and his harshness, Shirley and her wanting to be married? (The fights between Peter and Abigail, the occasion of the visit to tune the piano? Shirley's shooting the beer bottle?)

8. The portrayal of life at the pub, the parents' and friends' meeting, the school, the classes? The humour of the pranks on poor Stanley?

9. His listening to choir and its exasperating Mick and the boys? The brainwave about the choir? The children’s' participating? the fairytale aspects, the ironic realism about the entry and the sending of the wrong tape? Stanley's involvement in training the choir and the response? An optimistic view of education?

10. The importance of the party before they went to Sydney, the atmosphere of conflict, Pete getting drunk and telling the truth, Shirley and her falling in love with Stanley?

11. The importance of Stanley's running away, his genuine feelings, the humour of the horse and his being lost in the bush? The people making it, up to him and his agreeing to go with the choir?

12. The build-up to the atmosphere of Sydney, its sights, the eisteddfod and the small group from Kookaburra Springs with the city choirs? The enjoyment of the choral singing and their performance? Their award? The moralising about their award? (How was this countered by the humour of the men of Kookaburra Springs trying to listen on the radio, Sal succeeding?)

13. The appropriateness of the wedding as the happy ending for this kind of film?

14. What view of Australia and Australians was taken? realistic? how much caricature, how much parody? How important is it for Australians to be able to laugh at themselves through this kind of film?