THE MANGO TREE

Australia, 1977, 107 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Pate, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Gerard Kennedy, Robert Helpmann, Gloria Dawn, Diane Craig, Tony Bonner.
Directed by Kevin Dobson.

The Mango Tree is based on Ronald McKie's popular novel of growing up in Bundaberg, 1918; the screenplay uses the episodic style to provide an anecdotal memoir of an adolescent boy experiencing school life, World War I patriotism, first love and a gallery of pleasant and madly eccentric characters who make up the life of a country town. Beautifully photographed and nicely suggesting the period and its atmosphere, the film highlights Geraldine Fitzgerald's sturdy grandmother (in fact, the film is a tribute to grandmothers) and her influence on an affable Christopher Pate. Given so many episodes, the treatment seems uneven (and the characterisations suffer from this). Nevertheless, the film is pleasingly enjoy able.

1. An enjoyable Australian film? The transition from celebrated novel to screen? The quality of the adaptation? The significance of the title? Presence absence - of the mango tree?

2. The importance of colour, Panavision, the re-creation of Bundaberg In 1917-18? The atmosphere of early Queensland? The film's attention to décor, Costumes detail? The contribution and atmosphere of the musical score?

3. Audience involvement through the structure of the film? The focus on Jamie, the focus on his grandmother? The build-up of episodes, the cumulative effect? A way of life in a country town, a boy growing up, the influence of his grandmother?

4. Who is the central character of the film? Jamie or his grandmother? Why?

5. The portrait of Jamie? Christopher Pate and his appearance and presence, his build, his age? As an adolescent of 1917? As belonging to the atmosphere and traditions of the times? The introduction to him at Christmas and its atmosphere? The background of his family, his being influenced by his grandmother? His response to the boys going off to the war, the atmosphere of holidays, school? How timid a boy, how kind? The incident with the bolting horse? His consideration for the professor? His relationship with the maid? His relationship to women?

6. The background of the school, Hatch? Norah Montague and the French teacher? His grandmother's attitude? The ordinary way of life in a country town and the attention to day-by-day Incidents, personalities and people knowing their private lives, gossip? Grandma and her ignoring of gossip and treating people kindly? The influence on Jamie?

7. The way of life in the town with such incidents as cricket matches, the preacher, courting and weddings, the deaths at the wedding and the eruption of violence in the peaceful country town? Indication of violence lying beneath the surface?

8, How well did the film show Jamie's growing up, the selection of incidents, the illness, the professor's letter. the talking with his grandmother, his grandmother's death?

9. What had Jamie achieved as he left his town, his interrelationships with people as preparing him for his life?

10. The importance of the portrait of Grandma? her presence, her background and the explanation of her presence, her status and reputation in the town and the manner in which she lived there, the visual presentation of her home, her relationship with Pearl and reliance on her, the incident with Norah Montague, the fifty pounds and the gossip? Her care for the professor, looking after him, pyjamas? The mad lady? her reaction to Jamie's experience at the school, her influence on the Board and her emotional blackmail? Her presence at Church and her sense of the presence of God? Her presence at the wedding, the bolting horse? Her presence at the afternoon tea party for the war and her sense of patriotism? The honour of her background and ageing with the incident with the planes? Her growing old, her illness?

11. How well handled was her death scene? The importance of the communication between Jamie and herself, her reminiscences and joy, her quiet dying and the summing up of her life?

12. The portrait of the professor? Robert Helpmann's style? The type that he represented - the Englishman In Australia, the remittance man, his drinking and money? The scenes of his illness, his relapse? His talking to Grandma and Jamie? The confrontation with the preacher and his rising to the occasion and some heroism? The meeting with the patriots and his speech? His illness the pathos of his death, his letter? A portrait of an Australian type?

13. The madness of the preacher? His fitting Into the country town, his religious verve and mania, the nature of his madness, the hold over his niece, the housekeeper, his going into the bush, the wedding and his madness, the violence, his hiding in the workshop, the men against him and his death? What comment was being made about society with such a religious madman?

14. The sketch of Maude, her harsh life, her boyfriend Angus, the influence of the uncle? The pain in her life?

15. The portrait of Pearl, the devoted housekeeper, the shrewish tongue, the heart of gold? Her death?

16. The sketch of Miss Pringle and her influence on Jamie?

17. Wilbur Shaw and his character?

18. The story of Mr Somers and Beryl Montague, relationships, marriage, the gossip of the town, Grandma's influence?

19. The role of the police In the country town in the early 20th century? The sequences at the wedding, the pursuit of the preacher?

20. How interesting was the incident with Captain Hinkler, the war hero, planes, indication of changes in the 20th century?

21. The appeal to an Australian audience, a universal audience? The importance of nostalgia for and memory of the way of life of the towns, the times? The portrait of a family? A boy and his growing up?