BROKEN HILL
Australia, 2010, 113 minutes, Colour.
Luke Arnold, Alexa Vega, Timothy Hutton, Rhys Wakefield, Chi Timmins, John Clark.
Directed by Dagen Merill.
Broken Hill is a film with great appeal, a story of hard work in the Australian outback, work on a farm, parents struggling, making ends meet. But, it is also a film about music, the young boy of the family having a gift, creative, wanting to get a scholarship, but needing musical backup for his audition.
These aspects of the plot might remind cinemagoers of the struggle of Billy Elliott and of August Rush.
Luke Arnold plays Tommy, the lad who wants to make music. Timothy Hutton is his father, stern, unappreciative, and Alexa Vega plays his expatriate American mother.
There are scenes of hard work, there are scenes at school, there are scenes in classes. Something which makes this film rather different is that Tommy finds in visits to a prison that, if he can persuade some of the prisoners to participate, then they can play and form the background for his audition. And, not without difficulties, some humour and some drama, they do .Which leads to a happy and stirring climax with a musical performance in Sydney.
1. An Australian story, a story of family, of hard work on farms? A film about music?
2. The title, the city itself, the city as a symbol, and goal, on the way to Sydney?
3. The small town, the streets, school, the jail?
4. The vistas of the countryside, the farms, properties, roads, paddocks? Scenes of hard farm work? Post-digging, shearing…?
5. The Mc Alpine family? The property in the family for generations? The father, his dream of being a sports champion, the injury, meeting his wife, love, the sadness of her death? His love for Tommy, but being hard on him? Wanting to hold onto the property, wanting Tommy to work hard? His being the coach? The teachers and their relying on him? His expectations for Tommy, excelling at sport, his disciplining him? Tommy late for matches, and day-dreaming? Not interested in the music? Not understanding it? His reaction to Tommy’s arrest, confronts him, letting him stay in jail for the night? His being upset at Tommy not telling him the truth, their clash, Tommy’s leaving, his father throwing him out? His later appearance at the concert, his change of heart, his affirmation of his son? The standing ovation and bravo?
6. Tommy, his age, at school, hard work for his father, out in the bush and his imagination, the musicians playing, the whole orchestra, his conducting, his composing? The application for the conservatorium? The maestro and his encouraging him? Supplying the instruments?
7. At school, his friendship with Scott, seeing Kate, her being an American, watching her? Scott and his suggestion of the moon poem, Kate’s negative reaction? Kate talking him into lending the truck, behaviour in the streets, the group, Tommy’s arrest, Kate trying to disappear, in jail, his father leaving him there, in the court, Kate blaming him?
8. Finding the injured man on the road? The TV interview and the class reaction? In jail, encountering the man, his song? Talking about the band in jail? Asking for community service for the jail, Kate’s negative reaction?
9. The agreement, the attempt to set up the band, lying to his father? The man and his being in solitary confinement, the warden refusing to let him out, the change of heart, his control with the men, bringing them into the rehearsals, assurances of standing by Tommy? In the bus, his escape, the fiasco on stage, his saying he did not want the diamonds, yet his escape for them, his re-capture?
10. The episode with the school concert, the school band, Tommy’s music, the students laughing, the musician falling, failure?
11. The maestro, the letter from the conservatorium, three weeks, the promise of a staff member to visit? Lending the equipment? His advice for Tommy to listen to the music that was present everywhere? The scenes of Tommy doing this, on the farm, in jail?
12. His going to the jail, awkwardness, Kate not helping? The men arriving, Bear in command, the man with the guitar, the young man with the drums? Playing? The practices? More coming? The guards watching? The audition for Star Trucker? Tommy and his being able to jam with the nursery rhyme music? The auditions with his own music and the reaction of the men? The advice to work with them, on what they knew and liked?
13. The advice given to Tommy, the escapee and his bringing in the others, controlling, the different sounds, the violins, the Asian prisoner, the drums, the choir?
14. Building up to success? Travelling, the hope for the performance, the missing convict? The negative reaction of the man from the conservatorium, haughty?
15. Kate, as a character, American background, with her father, traveling the world, his wanting to take her to New Zealand? Her enjoying get into trouble, rejection of Tommy, using him for the stunt? Her boredom at the prison? Beginnings of change, her being able to play the piano, her contribution? Her enjoying the rehearsals?
16. The performance, the crowds, playing Tommy’s music, his conducting, the men pulling together, a guitarist and his daughter in the audience, the acclaim of the crowd, Tommy’s father affirming his son?
17. The orchestra playing during the final credits? A film advocating performance and experience of music?
