INFORMER 3838
Australia, 2020, 180 minutes, Colour.
Ella Scott Lynch, Stephen Peacocke, Jane Haber, Rhys Muldoon, Gyton Grantley, Robert Mammone, Richard Davies, Tim Ross, Ian Bliss, Olympia Valance, Jacqueline Brennan.
Directed by Geoff Bennett, Ben Lucas.
The series was made for free to air television, the Nine Network, parallel with series made about crime in New South Wales, Underbelly.
The series was aired soon after the Royal Commission investigating Informer 3838, lawyer Nicola Gobbo.
The film takes audiences back to the 1990s, crime, drug dealing, murders and executions in Melbourne and in the state of Victoria. Notable figures, Tony Mokbel and Carl Williams (who was murdered in prison) feature in this story. Their activity continues into the first decade of the 21st-century with Mokbel fleeing to Greece, then in prison, and Carl Williams in prison and then murdered there.
Nicola Gobbo is presented as ambitious, centre of attention, risk-taking, rather wild in her behaviour, moving into the criminal world, acting as defence lawyer, skilful in getting bail for various criminals. She is comfortable in this world, socialising, drink, cocaine, but eventually leading to a stroke.
She is approached by police officers to give information, eventually is repelled by some of the activities, especially of Carl Williams, and decides to give information to the police about her clients, the police taking responsibility for a lawyer giving information about her clients.
The film brings the situation and characters to life – and raises issues of legal ethics.
1. Based on actual characters and events? The state of Victoria? Crime? Drugs? Policing? The law?
2. This production so soon after the Royal commission concerning informer 3838, Nicola Gobbo? The series perception of crime in the 1990s? Into the 21st century?
3. The Melbourne settings, the University in the 90s, the crime world, affluent criminals, drug dealing, murders? Contact with the police? Deals, homes in the suburbs, prison sequences, Bali? The musical score?
4. The series designed for free to air television audiences? The wide audience? The audience familiar with the characters and situations? Or not?
5. The portrait of Nicola Gobbo? Over 25 years? The background and connections, education, University, wild behaviour, her ambitions, the centre of attention and attraction, prepared to take risks, Emma and her confiding, her advice, Nicola Gobbo ignoring it? The warnings? The introduction to the criminal world, to Tony Mokbel, Carl Williams? Nicola Gobbo, her capacity as a defence lawyer, getting criminals bail? Against the odds? Juicy and her relationship with him (even betraying him and rationalising this)? The association with Paul Dale? His police situation, accusations? Her friendship with the Hodsons, defending them? Socials, drinking, cocaine? The effect over the years? Its toll, her stroke? Dislike of Carl Williams? His life in prison, her informing? Mokbel and his taking refuge in Greece? The police links, the meetings, the secrecy? Simon Overland in charge? His taking responsibility? The information, the code number, dangers and her being followed, her going to Bali? The Royal Commission?
6. The criminals, Tony Mokbel and his reputation, drug Lord, bail, information about him, going to Greece?
7. Carl Williams, his wife, crime, control, deaths, informing on him, prisons, his friends in prison, their killing him? The loudness and aggression of his wife?
8. Paul Dale, the police, his connections and partners, the accusations, his being dismissed, his appeal, upheld, in prison, his defence?
9. The Hodsons, living in Kew, suburbia, their children, involved in the drug dealing, old-style criminal, the house in Oakleigh, the police, the plans, the connection with corrupt police, their being caught, the defence? The visualising of the killer of the Hodsons going to the house? Accusations against Paul Dale? The case not solved?
10. A portrait of crime, police corruption, police investigation, the ethics of informing on clients?
