THE CITY'S EDGE

Australia, 1981, 85 minutes, Colour.
Hugo Weaving, Mark Lee, Tommy Lewis, Katrina Foster.
Directed by Ken Quinnell.

The City's Edge is based on a novel by W.A. Harbison. It was previously called Running Man and then Edge of the City. However, it did not receive theatrical release.

The film is set in Bondi, along the beachfront as well as in North Bondi blocks of flats. It shows something of the drug subculture at the edge of the city of Sydney in the early '80s. The film introduces Hugo Weaving. He is a young man from the country, resentful of his father, who wants to be a writer. In the block of flats he meets the aboriginal, Jack, played by Tommy Lewis (Jimmie Blacksmith in The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith). He also meets a drug addict, played by Mark Lee (Gallipoli) and his sister, played by Katrina Foster. There are a number of eccentric individuals in the block as well as along the beach.

Films about drug addicts in Australia have been more graphic than this film. However, the focus is on the young man trying to find himself in Sydney, attracted by the sister of the addict, who has a grim secret and is in a relationship with Jack. The film also treats aboriginal themes and violence by ordinary men in the suburbs, as well as prejudicial attitudes by the police.

The film is sometimes woodenly acted, although it is clear that Hugo Weaving will become a significant actor. Mark Lee had a varied career, as did Tommy Lewis. The film is co-written by aboriginal author Robert Merrett, who also wrote the film Short Changed.

1. A film of the city of Sydney: the train coming from the countryside, the glimpses of the city in the opening collage, the picture of Sydney at the end with the demolition of the block of flats. Bondi beach as the setting, atmosphere? Musical score and songs?

2. The framework of the film: Andy arriving, resentful of his father, the innocent in the city, discovering the people in the block of flats, the interactions, the melodrama and violence, his emotional journey?

3. The title, the focus on the suburbs, the drug and marginal culture?

4. Hugo Weaving as Andy? His first film, arriving, his drinking, his nightmares with the coffin and screams in the night? Jim and his friendliness, the addiction, Andy and his concern about Jim? The initial antagonism towards Jack, his seeing through him, being resentful? The meeting with Laura, her story, relationship with Jack, his infatuation, their sexual encounters? Her moving in and out of his life? His writing and her reading his manuscript? Getting to know the people better, walking along the beachfront, the strip club, the encounter with the men drinking, the bashings and the stabbing? Trying to save Jim, the pursuit in the Underground, his death on the station? The police, the discussions about Jim and Andy being reticent, Jack's suspicions, the siege in the house, the shooting? Andy and his experiences, being transformed? His future writing?

5. Jim, the young addict, friendly, his birthday party and the drugs, friendship with Jack, Laura's resentment of Jack trying to corrupt him? The revelation of the sexual encounter between brother and sister, Laura's abortion? Jim overhearing it, resentment of his sister, the drugs and attempted suicide, the pills, the station and his falling under the train?

6. Laura, her relationship with her brother, trying to rescue him, the relationship with Jack? Attracted to Andy, the affair? Her moodiness? Trying to rescue Jim, the final revelation of her secret and Jim overhearing? Chasing him in the station, her grief at his death, yet wanting him to die? Her talking to Jack at the siege but not persuading him to come out? Her future with Andy?

7. Jack, the aboriginal, being taken from his family, knowing nothing about his parents, losing his sisters? Lording it over the group in the block? His antagonism towards Andy? Friendship with Jim, the affair with Laura? Gradually becoming friendly with Andy, their going to the strip club, Andy keeping a seat for him, the men and their resentment, the fight, the knife, Jack killing the man? The newspaper headlines, not going to the police? His coming back, wary of Andy and the police, shooting, killing the policeman, the siege, the bike and his being shot? Aboriginal themes and prejudice?

8. The minor characters, the landlady, the old man with the crutches and his continued abuse, the people at the strip club, the stripper, the prostitutes, the people at Jim's party, the drunken men?

9. The picture of the police, investigation, interrogations, the shooters, prejudice against Jack?

10. A glimpse of the edges of the city in the early '80s?