THE CLUB
Australia, 1980, 96 minutes, Colour.
Jack Thompson, Frank Wilson, John Howard, Graham Kennedy, Harold Hopkins, Lou Richards.
Directed by Bruce Beresford.
The Club is excellent. David Williamson's skill in creating Australian types (and offering insight with critical humour) and writing right dialogue blends with the opening up of his play to include real and contrived football play. I is served well by Bruce Beresford's direction. Melbourne audiences might be disappointed, so venerated is Australian Rules, but The Club, while offering Melbourne what it knows, has much to offer a wider audience. Jack Thompson is a persuasive coach; Alan Cassell and, especially, Frank Wilson are excellent.
As a film about sport, it is interesting and works well; as a picture of politicking, it is incisive; as capturing Australians realistically and mythically, it is entertaining and valuable. The supporting cast including Graham Kennedy serves the film well. Bruce Beresford adds to a distinguished group of films in the '70s from his early Barry McKenzie? films to Don's Party, The Getting of Wisdom, The Money Movers and the award-winning Breaker Morant.
1. The impact of the film as a comedy, as a comedy drama, as a film about sport and illustrating a sport, as a film about power and politicking? The particular focus on Melbourne, the Collingwood Club, Australian Rules and its atmosphere? Was the film confined to Melbourne? Its impact on the rest of Australia, on overseas audiences? The local club and a local sport as a basis for a universal message?
2. Bruce Beresford's directing career in the '70s? His incisiveness on Australian character with Bruce Humphrey's screenplays and David Williamson's? David Williamson as playwright, as observer of Melbourne, of a sport, of Australian foibles, strengths and weaknesses? The Melbourne scene, the Australian themes and language - visualised? The devices for opening up the play for the screen: dramatic interaction, the focus on heads and the grouping of heads, camera movement, discussions on the move? The opening out of discussion scenes to the grounds, Melbourne streets, homes? The use of Melbourne, the Collingwood Oval and Club? The practice sequences and the matches? The contrived football play choreographed by Collingwood coach Tom Hafey? The blending of authentic play with the contrived? The punctuating of the film with football play? The musical score? The use of the song 'Up There Cazaly'?
3. The status of the V.F.L. in Melbourne? Australian Rules and the southern states? As symbolising Melbourne and Victoria? The reaction of other parts of Australia? The significance of Australian Rules, its skills, rules? X Practice and training sequences, the games, competition, fanfare? The traditions as presented in the Club especially in the talk. photos? Skill and local interest and support? The move into businesslike management of the club in the '70s? The change from the past in the V.F.L.? The film's presenting this, the critique of it?
4. The simplicity of the title, its reference to Collingwood and the management of the football team, the membership? The fanfare for the club? The old guard and its memories? Jock as symbolising this? Jock and his ambiguity - a hero with shadows? The clubroom, the photos, the memories? The possibility of evoking the past, especially Ted Parker's stories to Laurie? Laurie's memories? The meetings, the agenda, money and the payment of new players, recruiting, power struggles, dialogue? The confidence of the team? Survival of the team in competition? The various members and their need for survival in their jobs? Popularity, power? The club as a microcosm of any organised group?
5. The focus on the players: the training with which the film opens, the change-room, the reactions to Haywood and the hostility, the poor playing in the matches and the reactions, Danny and his dynamic role, his memories of the past, his confronting Parker and abusing him, the strike threat and the reaction of the committee, especially Jock, the later revolution led by Danny, the taking down of the pictures? The locker room spirit? The picture of individual players (especially authentic players as Kink and Wearmouth)? The appeal to team spirit, the move to accept Haywood, Danny and his deciding to move out of the key position for Haywood to move in for ultimate success? The impact of success and winning? The finale of the film with the emphasis on play, Haywood's contribution? The atmosphere of the players - the criticism that they were contracted, bought, ordered around? Self-dignity? Retirement? Transfer to other teams for financial gain etc.?
6. The initial focus on Haywood as new recruit, his Tasmanian background, his arrogance in the boardroom in asking more money, Parker's paying it? The poor reaction in the locker room? His poor play and the commentators' remarks? His being taken off? Parker's anger and the confrontation with Laurie? Haywood at home, his acting sourly, his relationship with Susie and her criticisms of the players? Her later reaction and being sick of him losing? The university students, way of life, flats? Marijuana? The theories about players and Hagwood mouthing them, his arrogance towards the club? The visit from Jock and the long story about his Tasmanian family and the incest situations, his father's death? The mock flashbacks showing these sequences? Jock's believing all this and sympathising? The contrast with Laurie's confrontation and calling him a kid with potential? Haywood's giving the cheque back to Parker? His decision to play and succeed? How well-written the part - a figure and passive rather than active in comparison with the other characters? Jack Thompson's performance and style as Laurie? His story, the background of his playing, coaching, lack of success? As coach? His men? The confrontation with Ted and his anger over Haywood, Ted's intervention? The caricature in the papers? The argument with the committee members, the confrontation with Ted? Laurie and his relationship with the players? Hassling Haywood, the support of the players? The encounter with Gerry and Jock and the stripper? The confrontation with Haywood and galvanising him into success?
7. The threat of a new coach? His involvement in the deals but his being kept outside? The importance of Parker's reminiscence about Laurie's play and Laurie's doing him the favour about the press release? His sympathy for Parker when he was ousted? His satisfaction with the team's success? The hero for the film - the Australian, sportsman, underdog, confronter of the Establishment?
8. The contrast with Parker - Graham Kennedy's comic style? The president, his financial background and the signing of the $10,000 cheque, the discovery of the truth about his business and bankruptcy? His concern about Haywood, the clash with Laurie, his being hurt, his taking a stand with the committee? The hostility of Jock and the jealousy? Gerry and his smooth-talking but ousting him? The sequence at the Hotel Windsor and the stripper, the later use of the stripper's story to get rid of Parker? His standing for his rights? The previous fight with Danny and Parker's uncertainty? Jock and Gerry and their clash and their forcing him to resign? Laurie's sympathy? Parker's story about the past, his having seen all the matches of the club? His loyalty to the club and his hopes to have been a successful president? Laurie's sympathy shared by the audience? His retirement and his being seen watching the game?
Jock and the first impressions, pleasant and bluff? His age, manner? Memories, his record for games and coaching - and his use of this? The place of tradition, his long speech to Danny about the strike and his evocation of the traditions of the club? His jokes, his cliches and truisms?
9. The picture of the Australian conservative? The gradual revelation of his jealousy, harshness and pettiness, brutality e.g. towards his wife? His double-dealing and naiveté? His jealousy and ousting Parker? His own hopes? His harshness and Laurie's final confrontation and accusing him of coward-ice? The anti-Parker sequences? The deals with Gerry? The visit to Hapwood - his being seen outside, the discussions with Susie, with Haywood, the ironic humour of his smoking Marijuana? His gullibility about Haywood's story and Gerry's telling him the truth? The confrontation with Parker and his adamant attitude? The confrontation with Laurie? The incidental scene with his wife and the mention of his brutality towards her? His final defeat?
10. Gerry - the administrator, smooth talker, manner at meetings, suave diplomacy, giving bits of information but not the full truth, getting Laurie on side, Jock? His smooth talking of Ted? His handling of Danny's outburst, the threats of Ted, the new coach and players? His telling the truth about his own attitudes to Laurie? The final manipulation and his being seen to survive? The picture of the manoeuvrer, the manipulator who is corrupt but able?
11. The members of the club, the offices, the committee meetings, the players and their spirit, plans, money, ambitions? The atmosphere underlying the playing of the game?
The authentic detail of the matches and the contrived play? The value of opening up the play and showing actual sport? The contribution of the real life commentators, their manner, the jargon? The TV panels, radio interviews? Newspaper reporters? The Australian myths in realistic terms? Having a go, the spirit of success? The blend of humour and seriousness? The pettiness, the jealousies, the false use of tradition? Sentiment? The Australian male? How much insight did David Williamson offer into the 20th century Australian?
