HILDEGARDE
Australia, 2001, 85 minutes, Colour, G.
Richard E. Grant, Tom Long, Tara Morice.
Directed by Di Drew.
Hildegarde is the name of a pet duck. The film focuses on a family in Conungra, moved from the city, adapting to country life after the death of their father (from lung cancer - with a heavily anti-smoking message in the film). Richard E. Grant and Tom Long portray two dumb crooks, bird-smugglers who encounter Hildegarde and abduct her. The film focuses on the three children, their life at home, their going after the duck (with the 16-year-old driving a utility with consequent comedy and danger) and the confrontation between the children and the smugglers.
There is an amount of slapstick comedy from the crooks. There is a great deal of focus on the children, ordinary Australian types, strong, yet with the sadness of the memories of their father. They are also concerned about the environment.
One of the scenes is in Queensland town with a mill fair, focusing on the woodchips and the confrontation between environmentalists and those wanting the mill to be reopened.
The film works well for smaller children with the adventures with the duck - and there is enough social consciousness message in the film to offer lessons as well.
1. Entertaining children's comedy adventure? Age group? For parents?
2. The Queensland country town, the ranges, the valleys, the focus on the environment?
3. The title, the focus on the duck, her place in the household, her six eggs, the emphasis on their not owning her and her freedom to move away whenever she wished? In the water, abducted by the smugglers? On show? Hiding the money for Wolf? The final rescue?
4. The portrait of the family: the mother, widow, hard work, going to the city, managing the household, the meals? Getting the children to clean the house, for Chris to take responsibility? Her exasperation at the meal with the baked beans? The children and their ages, memories of their father, interactions with each other?
5. Chris, his age, responsibility, looking after the two younger children? Driving the truck, the adventure with rescuing the birds? The police and his final commendation? Jeremy, his age, grief and memories of his father, his participation in the adventure? Isabel, age, pluck, having to clean the bath, her exasperating her mother with the beans? Food, adventure, finding the eggs? Concern about Hildegarde? Her participation in the adventure, keeping a lookout, freeing the birds? Credible children?
6. Wolf and his associate, the slapstick comedy, finding the birds, capturing Hildegarde and the splashing in the water? The show in the tent, the people attending, paying the $10 for the family (and the three children going in with the family)? Their pushing each other round? The associate as dumb? The phone call and the big deal? Eugene and his running out of petrol, encountering the kids, losing his phone? Taking Isabel? The arrest by the police who knew him? Wolf, the deal, getting the birds? Preparing to send them away, the sales with the locals, the confrontation with the kids, all the birds escaping?
7. The focus on the birds and wildlife? Australian fauna? The importance of the environment - the woodchip fair, the competitions, the speech by the mayor, the environmentalists?
8. Entertaining comedy, audiences identifying with the children, the family life, Hildegarde, the birds, the environment and the adventure?
