CAME A HOT FRIDAY

New Zealand, 1980, 90 minutes, Colour.
Peter Bland, Philip Gordon, Billy T. James.
Directed by Ian Mune.

Came A Hot Friday is an excellent New Zealand black comedy. Set in 1949, the film focuses on New Zealand's growth after World War Two. The emphasis is on a small country town, a conman and his sidekick, greed and double-dealing.

Peter Bland and Philip Gordon are very good as the confidence trickster duo. Billy T. James is also very good as a mad Maori who believes he is a Mexican. However, the film is entertaining in its comic sit6ations as well as its witty dialogue. The screenplay was written by Ian Mune with Dean Parker and Mune has directed with verve.

1. An entertaining New Zealand comedy? For New Zealand? Universal appeal?

2. The atmosphere of New Zealand, the roadside, the countryside, the town? The audience immersed in the atmosphere of the town? Special effects - especially for the climaxes? Musical score?

3. 1949, Post-war prosperity and austerity? Greed? Confidence tricksters? The relevance of the film for later decades?

4. Wes and Cyril and as a comedy pair? Confidence tricksters? The initial set-up, Cyril and the glasses, the bets, the phone? The codes? The time for getting the phone call through, the running of the race, hearing it on the radio? Tensions? Wes and Cyril and their successes and failures? Travelling the roads? Wes and his superior style, manner,(yet failing)? Cyril as the small spiv? The introduction to the pair? How attractive, engaging?

5. The town and their arrival, the racetrack and the phone? The new set-up? Seeking out Donald and persuading him to participate? His drinking, and the set-up? Success? The phone call and the wins? The tension for Donald? Wes and Cyril coming after the money? Watching the fire, Maurice and his heroism?, The clash with the Maori S.P. bookie? The car-salesman and his wife? The dance, Wes and his flirting? Being caught by the salesman? Cyril and his dancing style? With Esmeralda? Sel and the big betting? The chase, the river? Wes and Cyril and their recovery? The encounter with the Tainula Kid? His Mexican style? The plan, the defeat of Sel? Wes's bluff? Caught in the freezer? The escape, the explosions? The spectacular finale? The comic styles of the two men?. Their personalities?

6. Don as the young man in the town, slow, drinking, relationship with his father, the gate, running for the bets, his success, the lack of the phone call, his dilemma, the irony of winning? The clash with the Maori bookie? His love for Esmeralda and her help? The dance, the car, sex? Chased with Wes and Cyril? the plan, his participation? His father? His changed life? Esmeralda and her relationship with Donald, her verve?

7. The Tainuia Kid and his appearances, the spoof of cowboys, dress, talk, appeasing the river, the siege, the rifle, the dynamite, throwing all the money to appease the river?

8. Sel as the villain, nastiness? Relationship with Claire and pushing her? Maurice and his drinking? The burning of the building, his responsibility for the death of the old man? Maurice's disappearance? The dance, the gambling, Wes and saving face? The pursuit, the clash with Claire? The explosion and poetic justice for Sel?

9. Claire and Maurie and their relationship; dependent on Sel, turning against him?

10. Donald's father and his leg, the falls, his presence at the Anzac Day ceremony at the end?

11. Norm and his S.P. bets, losses, chase, stranded on the bridge?

12. The nurse, a battleaxe, calling the police?

13. Life in the town, style, interests, values? final Anzac ceremony? The point of the piece?

14. A black but good-humoured look at aspects of New Zealand? Of human nature?