BONJOUR BALWYN

Australia, 1972, 60 minutes, Colour.
John Duigan, Peter Cummins, John Romeril, Barbara Stephens, Alan Finney.
Directed by Nigel Buesst.

Bonjour Balwyn is one of several short features made by writer, director, photographer Nigel Buesst in the early 70s - Jacka V.C., The Rise and Fall of Squizzy Taylor, Dead Easy, Come Out Fighting. Buesst was not so active in the late 170s - concentrating rather more on documentary: Jazz Scrapbook (1982). Buesst was an influential teacher at Melbourne's Swinburne Institute of Technology.

The film reflects attitudes of the late '60s-early '70s (compare Three to Go). With its strong Melbourne setting, the film focuses on Kevin Agar, who is critical of his suburban home-life and his parents' work and tries to edit an avant-garde magazine. The incidental characters are well-drawn. Writing was by playwright John Romeril with Buesst and actor later director (Mouth to Mouth, Winter of Our Dreams, Far East) John Duigan. Cameraman was photographer-director Tom Cowan and editing was by Buesst and documentary and short film director Peter Tammer. There is also a strong cast including Peter Cummins.

While the film may seem very much of its time now, it is interesting to see the influences which led to the Australian film renaissance of the 1970s and 1980s.

1. The work of Nigel Buesst in the '60s and '70s? Indications for a film revival?

2. Black and white photography, authentic Melbourne atmosphere and locations, the feel of the '70s? Pace and editing? The set pieces for example the interview with the theatre producer, the repossessing of the television sets?

3. An effective short story? Entertainment and interest? Mirroring the times? Satire and critique? The viewpoint of the film-makers about Australian society?

4. The presentation of middle-class families in the '70s? The ironies of the title? Kevin's parents, the meal, the visitors and the talk about the Japanese? Financial interests and work? Yet the tolerance of Kevin's father? His friends and their parents and money? The reliance on money for the production of the magazine?

5. Kevin in reaction against his parents? Appearance, hair, clothes, style? His options? Joining a counter-culture? His work? Interest in the arts? Social questions? The articles with critique of boring suburbs and cities? The importance of money? His own business sense and treatment of his colleagues, secretary? Problems of money? Trendiness? The validity of his points of view?

6. Kevin in himself: surly, reaction to his parents,, his leaving home? His office, interview of his secretary and employing her? The paying of the bills? The discussion with the printers? Phone calls? Gathering of articles? Hi s bringing Rhonda and the outing with her, discussion about her marriage? Joanne and her clients? Friendship with Christine, genuine feeling, love? The outing in the country and his singing in the country? The greyhound races, bets, his being bashed in the street? His friends and their collaboration? Their not pulling their weight with the magazine, his disillusionment? The need for money? His joining the TV repairman in repossessing? His skill in performing, satire, mime? His various guises at the door for repossessing? His participation in the robbery? In himself, the quality of observation in the character, his place in the world of the '70s, protest? His being caught, trapped?

7. The others working on the magazine? Trendiness? The range of the magazine - the visit to the news-store owner? Their help? Chatter? Yet the magazines in the boot of the car etc.? Kevin's reaction against them?

8. The interview with the secretary, her choice of the job, her devotedness to Kevin, the outing with him, her final stand about the money?

9. Joanne and her clients? Friendliness? Christine and her retiring attitudes, breakfast in bed for Kevin, the outing? Possibilities for him?

10. Phone calls and discussions about contracts, discussion with the printer, the printer demanding his money and the cheque?

11. The interview with the theatre producer - and his mouthing trendy attitudes, getting the audition couple to strip, the homosexual tone? The humour and irony?

12. The TV repairman and his techniques? The robbery? A jovial conman?

13. A portrait of part of Melbourne in the early 1970s? Local colour? Insight? The attitudes and the film-making in retrospect?