A MOST ATTRACTIVE MAN
Australia, 1982, 48 minutes, Colour.
Carole Skinner, Grigor Taylor, Julie Mc Gregor, Anna Volska, Dennis Miller, Cathy Downes, Anne Tenney.
Directed by Rivka Hartman.
A Most Attractive Man is an excellent short fiction film written and directed by Rivka Hartman. After making several short films, Rivka Hartman made this short feature which was given commercial release by the Australian Film Institute. It portrays people in Sydney suburbia, focuses on ordinary characters, their interactions, ups and downs in relationships and their repercussions. It is emotionally dramatic as well as comic - and successful in what it sets out to do. It has a very strong cast, excellent Sydney locations, a fine piano score.
1. An entertaining film, its acclaim? As narrative, character study? Points about men and women and relationships? Australian? Universal?
2. The feminine viewpoint of the film? The work of the writer-director? The cast dramatising her viewpoints? Audiences sharing the viewpoint? The feminine perspective?
3. The use of Sydney suburbs, location photography, homes, streets, markets? Musical score? The strong cast?
4. The title and its emphasis? Relationships between men and women? Feminine perspective? Masculine perspective? Presuppositions and presumptions?
5. Grigor Taylor's portrait of Dorian? The irony of his name? Self-centred, narcissistic (his routine in front of the mirror)? His being a spoilt child, seeing himself as women's 'impossible dream'? The games that he played? Questions of rent, the gas bill, his being a suburban gigolo? His place in Frances' household? The encounter with She? His sponging dinner from Frances? his bringing the girl back home, Frances knocking in the night? Loud yet sometimes tender? The sequence of the burning off and his discussion with Frances? His hat and clothes at the C.E.S. Office, the C.E.S. woman and her falling for him, inviting him to lunch, explaining about the fraud in making jam? His losing the car? The visit with Michael and man-talk? his explanation of his vision for his future wife to Frances? Arrogant about her relationship with him? His playing the piano - a touch of humanity? Leaving, the final game-playing, his departure? A sketch of an arrogant young man?
6. Carole Skinner's portrayal of Frances: her presence, warmth? Her physical appearance, size? her capitalising on her presence and personality? A family woman, her motherliness to her children, standards of bringing them up? her love for Dorian, supporting him? Arguments? Seeing through him, threatening him, playing games? The discussions with She? Knocking at the door in the middle of the night? Her reaction to this? The decision to go to university, thinking about being a criminal lawyer? her friends, making the jam? Her rehearsing with him the three years games she had played in discussing his leaving? The accident to her child? The farewell - the final game but letting him go, watching him go? A persuasive portrait of an Australian woman?
7. The sketch of the children - at home, their love tor their mother, attitude towards Dorian, outings with Michael?
8. Frances' friends - their backgrounds, children. talk, sharing, markets, making the jam, singing 'You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman'? Reaction to Dorian? Judy's support during the accident?
9. The incidental characters - well drawn: She and her presumption, not being able to take a joke, infatuation with Dorian? The girl at the C.E.S. Office and her falling for Dorian, wanting to help him? Michael and his support for Frances? Dislike of Dorian? Talking in the shop with him?
10. The strength of the various incidents, the attention to detail, the strength and quality of conversation? Authentic?
11. A portrait of Australian men and women, in suburbia, clashes, friendships, support? An insightful entertainment?
