TOP ENDERS

Australia, 1988, 95 minutes, Colour.
John Jarratt, Tommy Lewis, Justine Saunders, Madeleine Blackwell, Bennedene Woods.
Directed by Jackie Mc Kimmie.

Top Enders belongs to the Touch the Sun series, the bicentennial project of the Australian Children's Film and Television Foundation. It uses Darwin and Kakadu scenery most attractively.

The focus is on two children, one of the most precocious young girls that you will see on screen as well as a young aboriginal boy. It shows their family background, clashes and tensions, school, their decision to run away and their adventures on the road. The film is a quiet plea for mutual understanding, racial understanding and commitment.

The film has a strong cast including Justine Saunders and Tommy Lewis. Direction is by Jackie McKimmie? (Stations, Australian Dream).

1. An enjoyable children's and family film? Part of the Touch the Sun series? The aim of the series for the bicentenary, family entertainment with point?

2. Northern Territory locations, Darwin, Katherine, Kakadu, the road? Musical score and the variety of songs?

3. The film as a children's story - for children, impact for adults? The straightforward plot? its ironies? Message? Satire?

4. The title and the focus on Darwin and the Northern Territory? Life at the Top End, families, family break-ups, school? Life in the tropics? the multicultural atmosphere of Darwin?

5. The initial focus on Alice and Suzie: the bond, family, driving, tough, school and superior, Alice as precocious? Her taking charge of lessons and supervising, Mike and his rap-dancing? Her father's return, her spurning him, her disdain and his singing for money, his friends?

6. The contrast with Mick and Roy, Auntie Kath, home, school, going on the rodeo?

7. Their leaving Darwin, Alice and the bus, getting out, their meeting, lifts - the drinker, getting out and the experience with the crocodiles, the boat and their getting caught, arriving at Katherine?

8. Alice as a resourceful type, intellectually superior, self-confident, friendship with Mick, looking down on him?

9. Mick, the dog and its following, his self-reliance, friendship with Alice? Clash with her, family?

10. Their leaving Katherine, getting the bus and getting out, Alice and the four-wheel drive, the guitar, driving, petrol, lost?

11. Jack and his relationship to his wife, his daughter? Absences? Coming back? His music, playing for money? Search for Alice, with Suzie? Working together? The aborigines, Charlie, jail, the search, the crash, finding the children?

12. Jack and the rescue, Alice and her response? Mick and Roy? Coming back into society? His initiation?

13. Jack and Suzie, their background, story, the possibility of reconciliation, future?

14. Alice and the experience, her learning something about herself, imitations, apologies?

15. Mick and Alice, children, black and white, similarities, differences, fighting, pushing, friendship?

16. Australian themes of race, the background of the aborigines, their presence in Australia, traditions, treatment by the whites? A fable for Australians? For children and family?