THE LAST DAYS OF CHEZ NOUS
Australia, 1992, 96 minutes, Colour.
Lisa Harrow, Kerry Armstrong, Bruno Ganz, Miranda Otto, Bill Hunter, Lex Marinos, Mickey Camilleri.
Directed by Gillian Armstrong.
Commentators have frequently referred to the ‘European’ style of this film. If this means that it focuses on a small world, highlights the characters, their conversations, their emotional responses and dwells on these, then perhaps it is ‘European’.
However, it is Australian, with a screenplay by novelist, Helen Garner, and directed by Gillian Armstrong. It also boasts a strong simple performance by Lisa Harrow, winning an Australian Film Institute best actress award. In fact, all the performances are very good: Bruno Ganz as the French husband, seemingly marooned in Sydney, Kerry Fox as the flighty sister, Miranda Otto as the lively daughter and Bill Hunter doing an excellent turn as a ‘typical’ Australian father.
The film has specialist appeal in the sense of action audiences might get fidgety. However, for those who like intelligent and perspective examinations of and looks at Australian suburban life, there is much that will please.
1. A piece of Australiana? Sydney? Suburbia? Families and relationships? Disappointments and regrets?
2. The Sydney settings, the street, the house, the sense of local action? The interiors of the house? The contrast with the outback, the drive, motels, the scenery? The musical score?
3. The title, home, change, the past and the reasons why things happen? The writing of Helen Garner? The direction of Gillian Armstrong?
4. The focus on Beth, her age, her daughter and memories of the past? Her writing, success, lack of confidence? Her love for Vicki, her leaving, the return? JP and their marriage? Life together, communication, his comments on her writing as being too positive, sexual rapport? Her life, and the clashes with her father?
5. The ordinariness of her life, work and welcoming Vicki home, doing all the work, cooking and cleaning? Welcoming the boy as a boarder? The income? Caring for her daughter? JP as chef? The naturalisation ceremony? Discussions with her neighbors and friends? Her to realising the change? The image of the spire, otherworldly, her search for the base and forgetting? The reprise of this in the image at the end?
6. The meal with her parents, her father and mother, the conversation, the criticisms, the tension?
7. Going for the drive with her father? His continual criticism, nagging? The breaks and his criticism? Her eating? The room, his trying to help? His not taking the blame? The issues of God, religion, the wonder of the world? The hints at some religious sense? Admiring the scenery? The talk about themselves, some reconciliation?
8. Vicki, her character, flighty, her return, the enthusiastic welcome back? Her pregnancy, confiding in Beth, the arrangement for the abortion, the effect on her, regrets? Doing nothing around the house? The relationship with JP? Clothes and colour, bond with her neice? The music and dancing and JP? Her vulnerability, his approach, the beginning of the affair, the consequences? The more considering Beth’s feelings? Going with JP, searching for a flat, future together?
9. The daughter, schoolwork, piano and playing with the boy, their friendship? Her mother’s interest and concern?
10. JP, his French background, personality, tastes, longing for the food from France? In Australia, wondering why he was there? His behavior in the house, cooking, the food, meals? The marriage, love for Beth, or not loving her? Her being hard and cold? The attempts at talking? The naturalisation ceremony, putting the document in the rubbish? Beth’s absence, the relationship with Vicki, seduction, affair? Communicating his decision to Beth, her being upset? The final talk his leaving? Returning/ not?
11. The neighbours, their friendliness, discussions, confidences?
12. The end, Beth sitting, the close-up of her face, going down the street, looking at the spire, looking for the base, looking for some solidity and ground in her life? Her future?
