THE TRESPASSERS
Australia, 1976, 92 minutes, Colour.
Judy Morris, Briony Behets, John Derum, Chris Haywood, John Orcsik.
Directed by John Duigan.
The Trespassers is a film about relationships and their demands and consequences, written and directed by John Duigan, at the age of 25. It could be called a film of exploration in the sense that the film gives the impression that the author needs the film to explore his theme, has some cerebral answers (explicit in stretches of dialogue), but feels they need testing. It is a film to aid the development of an outlook on relationships. The film is well photographed and finely acted by Judy Morris and, especially, Briony Behets. The film offers early work of people important in the late '70s-early '80s in the Australian film industry: the music of Bruce Smeaton, the photography of Vincent Monton, set decoration by director Gillian Armstrong, early acting work of Chris Haywood and John Orcsik.
1. The work of John Duigan? His writing, directing? His interest in contemporary characters, situations, social themes? Domestic and personal stories within social context? The film echoing themes of Melbourne in the '70s? 2. The Melbourne focus of the film? The photographing of the city, streets, buildings, houses, flats? The Victorian countryside especially Mornington Peninsula, Westernport Bay, the sea, the countryside? The crisp colours and the mellow colours? The range of the musical score – differing for various moods of the film, for characters? Songs?
3. Insight into young adults in Melbourne in 1970? Causes and interests? Trends? Commitment? The background of Australian politics – Liberal government, the emerging of the reaction of the Left? (Seen in the light of Labor government in the early '70s and its dismissal in 1975?), the war in Vietnam and Australia's involvement, protest? The arts, poetry, theatre styles, television, television interviewing and current affairs? The views of Left and Right – polarisation or not? The style of city living, country living? Australian men and women and their status, roles, interaction? The background of law and freedom – e.g. with Draft protesters? The discussion of moral issues? Sexuality and behaviour? Questioning? A film of 1976 reflecting on late '60s and early '70s? The insight of later years?
4. The point of view of the film? Did it make judgment on characters, issues? Its particularly Australian point of view with the localised Victorian and Melbourne focus? Now universal its insights?
5. The initial focus on Richard? The young Australian man of 1970? The way that he was brought up? His career? Self-confidence or not? Questioning and confusion? Seeing him and his relationship with Dee? Leaving her? Excuses at the office? The coldness of his coming home to Penny? The tensions in his relationship to her - his friends – the sequence of the meal and watching his interview on television? His interview style? The liaison with Dee and Penny's discovering it? His tantrum? The background of his relationships – shallowness, commitment? His being absent from the main part of the film – yet talked about and understood in relationship with the two women? His later entry and his inability to cope with the situation? His reaction to each woman? Moods? The walk along the beach, the meal and his drinking, Dee and her aloofness, Penny and her telling him of the lesbian encounter, his reaction to finding this was not true? The next morning and his waking up? Did he learn anything from his experience, seeing through the experience and his own inadequacy? The final sequence on the beach – what future?
6. Dee and her liaison with Richard, her liking him, her reaction to his leaving? Her friendliness to the neighbour who was cold and letting him lie down for a while? A pleasant young woman? Her confidence, sense of adequacy, her work in the theatre? Audience judgment of her behaviour, attitudes? Seeing her work in the theatre – and her visit to Richard? Her embarrassment in being caught? Her reaction at the moment? The later encounter with Penny? Having coffee together? Facing her embarrassment and telling the truth? The invitation for the holiday together? Their going off to the Peninsula, the visit in the town, the discovery of the house, the theatrical clothes and their getting dressed, the domestic sequences and their getting on well together, the visit to the pub, Dee's friendship with Sandy, the sexual encounter in the car, later visit to his house, sharing ideas? Sharing the holiday with Penny, walks, the painting of the bike, the range of topics talked about? The two men picked up, Dee's rejection of the pushy man? Dee's tenderness towards Penny? The story of her encounters, her shyness? Her reactions to Penny's incipient possessiveness? Her understanding of Penny? Reaction to Richard on his return? Her strengths of character, weakness? Pleasant young woman? What would she make of her life?
7. The contrast with Penny – poetry, tense, easily hurt, her relationship with Richard and its coldness, her theories of permissiveness and yet her strictness in action? Her discovery of Richard and Dee? Her work for Richard in the interview with the Draft resistor? Coldness with Dee, having the coffee, enjoying the talk? The decision to go on the holiday? The enjoyment of the domestic arrangements in the holiday house, the outing at the hotel with the boring architect? Her being more quiet and reflective during the holiday? Painting the bike for Dee? Her walks alone? The growing intimacy? Allowing Dee to dry her hair – and the suggestions of possessiveness and lesbian relationship? The irony of Penny's telling this to Richard later on? Did it have some foundation in her attitude? Her clash with the visitors? Her reprimanding Dee for being promiscuous? Her seeming jealousy? The purpose of her visit to pick up the architect? The discussion about the lovemaking? Richard's return, her tenseness, taunting him? The point she was making about the relationship with Dee? The truth? The final sequence on the beach – what future with Richard?
8. The gallery of minor characters giving authenticity and atmosphere to the film: Dee's neighbour and his cold, dirty socks, lying down, joviality, chat on the rooftop? The theatre people and the style for children's theatre? The Draft resistor and the television interviewers? Richard's television interviewee and the discussion about government and the war in Vietnam? The people at the pub and the joyful country atmosphere? The singers e.g. the singing of Kathleen and the old fashioned atmosphere of the country pub? Sandy and his seeming left-wing talk, his living alone, pride in his farm, the encounter with Dee, welcoming her to his home, the man and his wife and the chatter in the pub, the architect and the sexual encounter with Penny, the two men pushing drugs, full of self-importance. Dee's rejection of the sexual advances?
9. The atmosphere of Melbourne city life, the contrast with life in the country? The incidental detail – television, posters, music and records, the children on the excursion – and the two stopping back to kiss?
10. Insight into Australian social themes: the section of society presented, mainstream society and sub-cultures, trends and types, politics, areas of social concern, commitment, war, questioning of values?
11. Australian art: film-making, television, poetry, theatre? The creativity in Australian in the '70s?
12. Insight into human nature, commitment and betrayal, honesty, permissiveness, needs, love and friendship? The significance of the title? Trespassers as intruding where it was not legal, trespassers as sinners, the scriptural injunction to forgive trespasses?
