LITTLE BOY LOST

Australia, 1978, 92 minutes, Colour.
John Hargreaves, Tony Barry, Julie Dawson, John Jarratt, Lorna Leslie, Don Crosbie.
Directed by Terry Bourke.

Little Boy Lost is an Australian family film. It is based on a true story which occurred at Guyra, N.S.W., in February 1960. The film traces the relationship of a boy and his parents especially his father, his being lost in the bush and the effect of so many searchers looking for him. The film shows the haphazard nature of the search, the police trying to do their best but being inefficient, the crowds gathering and frightening the boy with their boisterousness and drunkenness, the eventual taking over of the bushmen to find him? The film has echoes of ocker comedy in its serious presentation of the search. It is also reminiscent of Tom Jeffries' Weekend of Shadows where a similar search goes on although it is posse with vigilante intent. John Hargreaves is very good as the boy's father and many prominent Australian actors fill small roles. The film was written and directed by Terry Bourke, who made The Inn of the Damned and the very ineffectual detective comedy Plugg.

1.The title of the film, its tone, indication of a film for children and family, its appeal, satisfactory?

2. The film is based on fact. How important was this for authenticity of atmosphere? A portrait of a family, the atmosphere of the bush and the town, the searchers and the range of people involved, the atmosphere of the search? Why was this story retold, as an adventure, as a human drama about a lost child, portrait and comment on Australian society? The effect of each of these aspects? How authentic was the film?

3. The use of Guyra and its locations, the town, the bush scenery? The use of colour, the musical score? The period of the early 60s? Atmosphere of town, bush, beauty and terror - as seen by adults, as seen by the lost child?

4. The presentation of the Australian bush - as friendly where Stephen was at home, as hostile when he was lost? Knowing the bush, fearing it, surviving in it? Nature and its friendliness and hostility? The scenes of eating and surviving, running and being bruised and hurt, the waterfall, the attack of the eagle etc.?

5. How attractive a small boy was Stephen? Audience identification and interest? His being so small, his place in the family, his working with his father and learning about the bush from him? His following the lamb and his becoming lost? Why did he follow it? The feeling for the lamb and the audience sharing it? His realisation that he had become lost, his tears, the fear? His capacity for understanding the situation and not understanding it? His shrewdness in surviving, his memories of his father's advice and following it? His longing for his father?

6. The effect of the passing of time - cold, heat, night and day, becoming sore and tired, coping? The effect of so many people frightening him? His becoming more shrewd and cunning, the devices he used to avoid being detected? The effect of so much search on him and being lost? The fact that he could have died? His eventually being tracked, his fear in being caught?

7. The overall effect on the boy? The happiness of his reunion with his family and his experience of love? (In the publicity for the film, the real-life Stephen in 1979 told reporters that he had very little memory of these events. How interesting is this in view of the traumatic effect that the being lost has on him in the film itself?)

8. The portrait of Stephen's father - as a farmer, knowledge of the land and the bush, the bond with his son, training him, working with him? The discovery that he was lost, the effect? Being calm, the usual methods of search, the build-up of the search, the appeal to friends? His reassuring his wife and the tension between them? The co-operation with the police and their organisation, its lack of effect? The build-up to the neighbours helping, the people from round about? His growing desperation and tiredness? His hostile reaction to the minister and his prayer? His reaction to the picnic attitude of having so many searchers? The Army? His prayer and exasperation? His final happiness in getting his son back?

9. The portrait of Stephen's mother and her not comprehending what was going on? Her support for her husband, the rest of the family? The relatives and neighbours? The women and their attitudes, comfort, discussions? The prayer and the attitude of the minister?

10. The police, their personalities, handling of the situation and organization, inability to cope and succeed? The organisation being too big for the ordinary policemen? The handing over to the bushmen and the questions of leadership?

11. The group of men in the hotel and the morale in going to search, their techniques in searching? The joking spirit, the working together? The lack of organisation, the drinking? The group growing, the crowds gathering, the picnic atmosphere, searchers all over the place, the disorganisation, the forming of a mob? The terror for Stephen? Criticisms, the old man with the negative attitudes, rebelling against the leadership? The portrayal of the tensions? The possibilities for blame if Stephen had not been found?

12. The bushmen and their organisation, the handling of the leadership crisis, the importance of the aboriginal tracker and his almost finding Stephen?

13. The Army, the people and their coping with the bush? The media? The film's comment on people involved in such searches?.

14. The story ended happily. It could have been a tragedy. Why?

15. A portrayal of a situation that was specifically Australian? Specifically Australian atmosphere?