CONVICT

Australia, 2014, 110 minutes, Colour.
George Basha, Richard Green, David Field, Millie Rose Heywood, Johnny Nasser, Taha Saleh.
Directed by George Basha and David Field.

Convict is a very tough Australian film. It is the work of writer-director, George Basha, who takes a central role of a Sydney man who has served in Iraq, comes home, meet his fiancee and plans to marry, but is involved in a brawl with a rich lout, causing his death, and his going to prison to serve his time.

David Field is the corrupt warden of the prison, paid by the wealthy father of the young man to make the prison sentence as difficult as possible. And we see the visuals of this.

There are some redeeming moments where one of the guards wants out of the contract to persecute the prisoner. But, more effective is the interaction with the life-convict who works as the prison librarian to whom the prisoner is assigned. They get to know each other, the old man defending the younger but ultimately falling foul of the authorities.

The money he has stolen has never been found and he gives the instruction so that when the prisoner is released, he can find the money, and he and his fiancee can give it to the old man’s daughter.

There are also some interesting racial subplots, with bigotry in prisons against Middle Eastern prisoners, and aboriginal prisoners taking sides.as well as being victims.

George Basha and David Field combined for the film The Combination, Basha writing and starring (as someone getting out of prison and finding difficulties with his family and his younger brother) and David Field directing.

1. The title? Australian tradition? The Australian heritage? Prisons?

2. The contribution of George Basha, writing, co-directing, starring? David Field and his work?

3. The film as topical, plausible, prison life? Credible?

4. The city, the airport, the beach, atmosphere and locations? The musical score?

5. The prison, the walls, the interiors, the cells, dining, showering, the yard?

6. Ray, his service in Iraq, his medals, his later story of the 16-year-old who was hungry and his shooting him? His arrival at the airport, Kelly meeting him, the proposal, on the beach? The attack by the young man, Ray defending Kelly, anger, the knife, the death?

7. Discussions with the lawyer, Kelly and the decision, his acknowledging that he took a life, manslaughter and 18 months?

8. The young man, his friend, affluent, behaving like a lout, sexual harassment? the fight, his death? The scene of his family, grief, the father, his agent getting the information, his payment?

9. The discussions with the warden, the warden and his crassness, greed, the money, his promise to aggravate Ray’s treatment? His supervision, decisions, paying the three guards, the reports, his personal intervention, the bashing, being challenged by his subordinate officer? His saying he would play God?

10. Ray, in himself, his appearance, the taunts of being an Arab? Helping the 18-year-old? Entry, stripping, the clothes, the cell, the guards, the treatment? Mazen and his leadership, the bigot, the gang? The Arab group at the prejudice? The aborigines in the fight? The role of the aborigines, clashes with Ray, ultimately backing him? Mazen and Ray’s back? falling out? Mazen, the drugs, the boss, the threats, the members of his gang, the challenge to fight Ray, his losing, losing face and authority?

11. The young man, aged 18, embarrassed and being naked, his fear, in the shower, defending himself, in the hole, the prisoner and the sexual advance, his being raped, the knife and Mazen urging him to kill Ray? His being killed by Mazen?

12. The guards, their personalities, their behaviour, cruel, the money, callous? The third guard and his wanting them to stop? His being injured?

13. Kelly, the visits, her being made to strip, the guards, their taunts? Ray’s anger, with her, the reconciliation, the end and their being together?

14. Dave, working in the library, the story of his crime, the deaths and his responsibility? The prison being his home, boss of the library? The warden dominating him, especially about Ray? The work together, the continued conversations, the friendship? His being stabbed to save Ray? The hospital? The information about the stolen cash, wanting Ray to give it to his daughter and wanting her to visit?

15. The cumulative effect, the beatings, the hosing down, the motor room, isolation? The credibility of this kind of life in contemporary prisons?

16. Ray being set up, no parole, the subordinate officer, dealing fairly with Ray, taping the warden? His being arrested?

17. Ray getting out, meeting up with Kelly, going to visit the daughter, delivering the cash, urging her to visit her father?

18. The final irony, the father of the lout, in prison, getting the same treatment?