OLIVIA NEWTON- JOHN: HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU

Australia, 2018, 180 minutes, Colour.
Delta Goodren, Morgan Griffin, Kate Kenkinson, Robyn Malcolm, Richard Bright, Richard Brancatisano, Paul David Goddard, Alicia Banit, Gyron Grantley, Anthony Brandon Wang.
Directed by Shawn Seet.

Biopic’s of show business people, made for television, have been very popular over the decades, biopics of Molly Meldrum, Johnny O’ Keefe, Paul Hogan…

This focus on Olivia Newton- John, the subtitle taken from one of her most popular songs, Hopelessly Devoted to You, was screened over two nights. The first half reminded audiences that she was born in England but moved to Melbourne as a small girl, her Professor father moving back to Oxford, leaving mother and daughter in Australia. It shows her friendship with Pat Carroll, her auditioning for television and winning a recording contract in the UK. The record was not a success and she was humiliated by the producer. Nevertheless, she stayed in England, Pat Carroll coming to join her, becoming friendly with bands and going on tour, the two girls singing together.

Pat Carroll’s fiance, John Farrar, was a significant song composer, writing quite a number of very successful songs for Olivia Newton- John. She becomes successful, tours, popular in the UK, popular in the US, going to America, singing concerts, going on television – and, eventually, joining with John Travolta in making Grease, which was a great box office success and a cult film.

She continues to sing, makes Xanadu which was not a success (the famous review being Xanadon’t). There were security issues, the threat of a stalker and her returning to stay in Melbourne for the time being. The film also shows her relationship with her original producer, his devotion to her but her feeling constricted by him, something repeated in her relationship with the businessman who took over the management.

Her breast cancer was most significant and she became a campaigner for women suffering from breast cancer, raising a great deal of money for the Austin Hospital in Melbourne, becoming something of a role model as she recovered after surgery. She had married Matt Lattanzi whom she had met on the set of Xanadu and, eventually, they married, having a daughter, Chloe. He stood by her during the cancer years but was not very successful in his film and television career, the family going to Byron Bay while he filmed for television series which was a failure. They grew apart and eventually divorced.

The latter part of the film shows Olivia Newton-John’s? continuing her career and her singing, her relationship with a photographer and his eventual disappearance, her marriage to a businessman, John Easterling. A great deal of campaigning on behalf of cancer – with a dramatic finale to the film, a concert in the Sydney Opera House.

It is noted that there was no consultation with Olivia Newton- John or her family in the making of this film.

1. Popularity of Olivia Newton- John, audience knowledge of her, her singing, films, her career, her suffering from cancer, her campaigns? From the 1960s to the present?

2. The film made for television, Australian settings, the UK and London in the 60s, the US, Hollywood, holidays in France? The international tone?

3. The actresses impersonating Olivia Newton -John? Their appearance, look, Styles? The singing, the acting, being a celebrity?

4. The opening, the filming of Grease, the song, Olivia Newton- John and John Travolta together? Alan Carr, the producer? The cast, setting a tone, audience familiarity with Grease and liking it? Its being reprised in the middle of the film?

5. Olivia Newton- John, in Melbourne, her family, her father the Oxford professor and his returning to Oxford? The later meetings with him – and his touch of always criticising? Her mother, the German background, her mother protecting her? Her talent, her age, her friendship with Pat, going to the audition, the competition, the song, winning, winning the record opportunity?

6. The issue of going to the United Kingdom, the difficulties, money? The mother going? Her singing, recording, the putdown from the producer? Pat and John and their coming to London, support?

7. The link with The Shadows, Cliff Richard? The musician, his skill in management, the girls and their performances, the musician helping, managing, bookings? The tours, the effect on the girls, their success, popularity?

8. The atmosphere of the times, London and swinging London in the mid-60s? Success, performance, range of songs? John Farrer, friendship, with Pat? Compositions?

9. Olivia and her solo career, the songs, growing popularity in the UK? The buildup in the US, friend Helen Reddy, becoming more popular? The US of the shows, on television, going to Nashville? Promotion? The pressure on her relationship with her producer, his desperation, her wanting to be free and self-assertive? The break?

10. In America, the businessman and his attraction, offering to manage, her hesitation, his demands, the two clashing? The situations in the US, the bookings, the issue of her performing in Grease or not?

11. Grease, opportunities, John Farrer and the range of songs, the records, top of the charts? Her becoming a celebrity? Making her own career? And the continued friendship and support from Pat and Jon?

12. The opportunity to perform in Grease, Alan Carr as producer, meeting John Travolta, the rest of the cast? Make up, costumes? The songs, herself as an Australian character? The performance, the exhilaration?

13. The making of Xanadu? Performances, cast, Matt Lattanzi in the background, her choosing him to be the partner? Their being together, falling in love, their living together?

14. The proposition to sing Physical, her reaction, wanting to send it up, the burly beefcake in the background?

15. Security issues, the stalker, his reputation, murders? Kevin and his concern for her? The return to Australia, his being arrested while she was there?

16. With Pat, the establishment of Koala Blue? The reporting, its success? Expanding too quickly? The later question of the contracts, the lawyer, separate lawyer for Pat? Wanting to be together? Bankruptcy and the news reports?

17. Performances, Las Vegas, her success?

18. Her mother, 1983, her father having tests?

19. The wedding, celebrations, the birth of Chloe, the family life?

20. Issues of Cancer? Matt and his not having jobs? Her becoming interested in environmental issues? Raising funds?

21. The invitation to go to Caesar’s Palace, the issue of the lump, her intuition, the fact that she had cancer, not being able to go to her father’s funeral? The experience of the surgery, host-operation? Matt and his being attentive? The issue of chemotherapy or not? Having it for Chloe’s sake, not telling her what had happened?

22. The return to Byron Bay, Matt and the TV series, his considering it a failure? Chloe, the fight at school, Olivia having to reveal that she had cancer?

23. Matt, the failure of the marriage, his own self-image, the separation, the pain for Chloe?

24. The Austin Hospital, the issue of the campaign about cancer? The raising of the funds, American support, at home? Performances in Australia?

25. The relationship with Patrick, photographer, separated from his wife, sharing a celebrity, but wanting to be quiet – his wife, the news of his disappearance? The investigations?

26. At home, the progress of the hospital, the title, Olivia talking with the cancer patient in the corridor? The performances, the buildup to the Sydney Opera House?

27. Olivia Newton- John and her life, career, her cancer experiences, her campaigning on behalf of cancer sufferers?