SWEET TALKER

Australia, 1991, 91 minutes, Colour.
Bryan Brown, Karen Allen, Bruce Spence, Paul Chubb.
Directed by Michael Jenkins.

Sweet Talker is a phrase characterising the Bryan Brown character, Harry, in this light entertaining comedy. The tile was originally confidence, the focus on the confidence trickster. The film was directed by Michael Jenkins (Rebel, The Heartbreak Kid). It has a very strong cast, led by Brown, with American Karen Allen and such character actors as Chris Haywood, Bill Kerr, Bruce Spence, Paul Chubb.

Bryan Brown portrays an ex-convict who goes to South Australia with fellow convict Bill Kerr's information about the possible sinking of a mahogany ship off the coast. While he tries to raise money from the townspeople to find the ship as well as make a theme park, he encounters and American woman from whom he rents a room. She has a young son who befriends Harry and he becomes a father figure.

There are complications when the old convict gets out of jail and turns up, when the businessman (played well by Chris Haywood) turns up and tells the truth - there are the experts in the town, various money laundering interests as well as the police and the local townspeople.

The film is slight but entertaining.

1. Entertaining Australian story? Confidence trickster? Gullible people? The background of the history of the sinking of ships along the Australian coast? The plausibility of a mahogany ship having sunk?

2. The South Australian settings, the beach town, its buildings, streets, atmosphere? Authentic? Musical score and songs?

3. The original title, the present title - with reference to Harry and his relationship to people, their money, their hopes?

4. The background of the mahogany ship, the historical records of wrecks off the Australian coast? The possibility of its having treasure? Sightings? The possibility of raising the ship, making it a tourist attraction, the trend for theme parks? People wanting at invest their money, make money? Criminals wanting to launder money? Big Business wanting to take control?

5. Bryan Brown as Harry: The sweet talking, sometimes laconic Australian conman? With Cess in jail? Their friendship? His leaving - and taking Cess's information? Turning up at the town and his ambitions? The meeting with Julie, renting the room? The friendship with David, discussions, sharing, fishing? David idolising him? His being put in the position of a father figure? His contacts with Bostock and getting big business interested? His techniques of swindling? His meeting Forster and getting expertise and advice about the ship? Cess's coins? Giles and the money deals and money laundering? His tough henchmen? The various people in the town and his dealings with them, the business people, the experts? The meetings, his speeches, rousing them up? The investments? His not wanting to take Julie's money? The possibility of the ship being found? Cess turning up and his having to wriggle out of difficulties? Cess's pressure on him? Bostock turning up and revealing the truth? His speeches about what he had done, the reaction of the townspeople? Giles and his brutality? Harry and his shrewdness with the money, leaving town, the decision to come back? Outwitting Bostock and saving the people and their money? His being re-united with Julie, the devotion of David? Sympathetic con hero?

6. Julie, the American in Australia, with her son? Her place in the town, renting the room? Friendship with Harry, discussions? Love for her son? Cautious about Harry, allowing him to become father figure? Wanting to invest the money? Their relationship? Disillusionment - but happily reunited at the end? David and the audience seeing Harry through his eyes, the hopes, the ship, the discovery, going fishing, his need for a father? The disappoint and disillusionment? The reconciliation?


7. Bostock and the pompous businessmen, his greedy deals? finally finding out the truth about Harry? Turning up with his associates? The Japanese connections? His being outwitted by Harry in terms of contracts and money deals?

8. Cess, the old conman, being outwitted by Harry? Turning up, putting the pressure on him? Collaborating with him?

9. Forster and his eccentricity, his expertise on the mahogany ship? The exhilaration at seeing the coin? His collaboration?

10. The various townspeople, officials, police? Harry playing on their greed? Their hopes? Being tricked? Seeing the truth - but the possibility of saving the day?

11. Giles, the ugly face of crime? His henchmen - and his henchmen turning on him to support Harry?

12. The plausibility of the plot? The observations on peoples ability to be taken in? The skills of the confidence man? Playing on peoples hopes? The comments on Australian hopes, greed, ability to be hoodwinked?