DEAD HEART
Australia, 1996, 104 minutes, Colour.
Bryan Brown, Ernie Dingo, Angie Milliken, Gnarnayarrahe Waitairie, Aaron Pedersen, John Jarratt, Anne Tenney, Lewis Fitz Gerald, David Gulpilio.
Directed by Nick Parsons.
A film about the Australian centre and about aboriginal issues that has received critical acclaim. It seems quite ambiguous in its treatment of aborigines and in where it stood. It is based on a play by Nicholas Parsons, who also directed the film.
Producer is Bryan Brown who appears in the role of the policeman, a rugged but weary man, a drinker who thinks he knows how to deal with everyone, basically a respectful man but one who is simplistic in his understanding of aborigines and their culture. Ernie Dingo is a pastor, caught between traditions and his Christianity and working for the bureaucracy. A number of aboriginal actors have strong roles, including Aaron Pederson. The whites include Angie Milliken, Lewis Fitz Gerald, John Jaratt and Anne Tenney and a cameo by David Guliplil. Perhaps this is the only way to dramatise the clashes between cultures, by highlighting the tensions and the mysterious.
Melodrama and issues in the Centre.
1. A story from the Centre? The 1930s setting? The relevance to later history
2. An aboriginal story, the aboriginal cast and the strength of their presence? Treatment of aborigines in the Centre in the early part of the 20th century?
3. The visuals of the desert, the outback, the towns, the aboriginal presence, the fewer white people, sacred sites? The musical score? Prison?
4. The structure of the film, Poppy and his memories, the flashbacks, the development of the drama?
5. The town, the tensions, the school teacher and his wife, the aboriginal pastor and his duties, the sexual relationship, Tony and the teacher’s wife, going to the sacred sites, the sexual encounter? His death?
6. Bryan Brown, a typical role, the police, as an officer, taciturn, upholding the law? Going into action?
7. Ernie Dingo as the pastor, his religious role, carrying it out, the influence of aboriginal traditions? Law, traditions, conflict?
8. Tony, his place in the town, his relationship with the schoolteacher’s wife, her boredom, the role of her husband, the sexual encounter? The nature of the sacred site? Tony being killed? The nature of his death? The investigation?
9. The resolution of the mystery? Justice, law? Payback? Lore?
10. The significance of the comment, not a black fella, not a white fella, just a fella?
11. The influence of films like this on Australian consciousness?
