THE SCALP MERCHANT
Australia, 1974, 90 minutes, Colour.
John Waters, Elizabeth Alexander, Margaret Nelson, Ron Haddrick, Ric Hutton, Cameron Mitchell.
Directed by Howard Rubie.
The Scalp Merchant is an average telemovie thriller, produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation and filmed in Western Australia with government and forest co-operation. John Waters performs a usual kind of role as the insurance detective hunting money and the escaped criminal. Elizabeth Alexander leads the supporting cast and there is a guest performance by Cameron Mitchell. The material is conventional but presented with some verve.
1. An entertaining telemovie? Thriller? For the television audience?
2. The conventions of the thriller - the mystery aspects, puzzle and clues and solution? Danger and the confrontation of it? murder, deaths? Robbery? Corruption and cover-ups?
3. As an Australian production? Colour photography, Western Australian locations? The atmosphere of the mountains, the small town and its people? Special effects?
4. How plausible the plot? The initial robbery and cover-up? Syndicates involved in recovering stolen money? The way of life of the townspeople and their harbouring the criminal? The insurance investigator and his work? The political background and the political set-up to recover the money and political secrets and international deals? Sufficient credibility for plot purposes?
5. Rowan as hero? John Waters' interpretation, personality? The pre-credits danger and the indication throughout the film of danger and menace? His belonging to the town, his return, his story? The encounter with Iris? With Riley and good memories? Jo? The police, the townspeople and their antagonism? The politician and his daughter. The various pressures on him to leave? Help, people stalking him? The scenes with the car, chases, converging trucks, the mountains? The confrontation with the escaped criminal? The siege and the ending? His reaction to the explanation and the whole set-up?
6. Riley as an old friend? Wisdom, support? Jo? The ugliness of his death and its effect on the townspeople wanting Rowan to go, on Rowan's motivation to find the money?
7. The people in the town - their sullenness after the welcome to Rowan? Curiosity? The police and their manoeuvres? The politician and his being revealed as a villain? The insurance companies, Secret Service?
8. The, contribution of the women - the politician's daughter and her continued help? Jo and her association with Riley and her devotion to him, her helping Rowan? Iris and her husband?
9. Comment on the change of moods at the beginning of the film and the setting of the scene - the threats to Rowan, the escape from the prison using the minister? The countryside of Western Australia? The various groups trying to get control of the money? The toughs. the use of violence, explosives?
10. How did the plot seem in the perspective of the explanations at the end? Rowan's moving through despite all the pressures against him?
11. The build-up to the crisis - the waterfall, the confrontation, the fighting, the avalanche?
12. How enjoyable as a melodrama? Themes of the lone hero achieving what he set out to do. the confrontation of the hostile town? Personal integrity?
