TUDAWALI

Australia, 1987, 87 minutes, Colour.
Ernie Dingo, Peter Fisher, Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell, Bill Mc Closky, Frank Wilson, Colin Mc Ewan.
Directed by Steve Joddrell.

Tudawali is an impressive film debut for director Steve Joddrell. He then went on to make Shame. Unfortunately, his career was spent in making television movies and television series, including many Halifax episodes as well as Sea change, but not moving into feature films.

This film was written by Alan Seymour, playwright and television writer for many decades, best known for his play on Anzac Day, The One Day of the Year.

The film focuses on Robert Wilson, the Tiwi Aboriginal who starred in Charles Chauvel’s film Jedda. The structure of the film moves in different time frames. During the credits we see the long journey that the young Robert took from Melville Island to Darwin. We see him being used for the demonstrations at Wave Hill in 1967. We see him being auditioned by the Chauvels, performing in Jedda, at press conferences, his subsequent career in film and television. We also see the breakdown of his marriage, his drinking, his being put in prison and being under government supervision.

The film also highlights his friendship with journalist Harry Wilkins, played sympathetically by Peter Fisher. The film shows the possible friendship between black and white, showing the experience of prejudice, especially in pubs. Bud Tingwell is the local doctor, Bill Mc Closky the local government supervisor. They both have their influence on Robert and on his wife.

The film ends with Harry Wilkins visiting Robert in hospital in Darwin after he has had a drunken accident (or perhaps was pushed because of union concern and the ownership of mines and property in the Northern Territory) and he dies in Darwin Hospital.

Ernie Dingo himself is a film and television icon and gives a powerful performance as Robert Tudawali. Frank Wilson is a sympathetic Charles Chauvel and the film includes re-enactment of the scenes of Jedda but significant scenes from the actual film.

1. Audience knowledge of Robert Tudawali, his career, his performance in Jedda, his performance in screen and television work?

2. The film giving information about his origins, his background? Insight into his character, social situation, acting talent, career? His drinking, battles with his family? Australian attitudes towards Aborigines in the 1960s? Subsequently?

3. The structure of the film, Wave Hill, the fight, Robert’s injuries in the fire, Harry’s visit and his own television work? Charles Chauvel and his searching for talent, auditioning Robert? The filming of Jedda? The press conferences? Harry and his going north to the hospital in 1967, the flashbacks to the press conference, the initial friendship with Harry, sharing with him on the beach, at the studio, their discussions? The friendship with Harry over the years? Robert and the subsequent years to Jedda? Film and television? In Darwin? The unions and Aboriginal rights groups looking for him as a figurehead? His death? The final outburst against Harry?

4. The Northern Territory locations, during the credits and the water from Melville Island to Darwin? Wave Hill, the Northern Territory landscapes, the Aboriginal camps and the Aborigines in their ordinary way of life in the background? The locations for Jedda? Sydney, the sets, the beaches? Darwin and the hospital? The use of colour, giving the tones of material filmed in the 1950s and 1960s? The musical score?

5. Robert Tudawali as a symbol for Aborigines in the 1950s? His Tiwi background, Melville Island, sailing as a boy, his family, the extended family, in Darwin, marrying Peggy, her illness, the birth of the baby, his tender care for the baby? His being chosen by the Chauvels? His ability in acting, his liking it? His being feted? Handling press conferences? Personal friendships? The drinking tradition? His friendship with the doctor, the doctor trying to help, give advice? The government official, his clashes with Robert, looking down on him? Warning him about prison? The courts, imprisonment? His being sought as a symbol for Aborigines who had achieved? The violence, his death? His final angry outburst?

6. Ernie Dingo as an Australian film and television icon? His ability in being Robert Tudawali, the impersonation, re-enacting scenes from Jedda? The scenes with Peggy, her clashes, her not wanting the success in film? Her illness? The first meeting with the Chauvels, his being genial, the friends laughing, the screen test? The Chauvels’ approval? The making of the film, the meeting with Rose Kunoth (and Peggy’s jealousy)? The completion of the film, the press conference in Sydney, his handling of the journalist with wit? The premiere, Chauvel thinking he was not there, his sitting with the family and friends? The inclusion of real sequences from the film? His wider family, the clashes? His wanting to act, Dust in the Sun, being in Whiplash? The limited number of jobs? The return to Darwin, going to jail? Peggy and her being accosted by the white landowner, her having the baby? His not working, the Aboriginal rights groups and their discussions with him, Harry wanting him to participate in the TV documentary? His death? A significant figure – the film twenty years after his death?

7. The portrait of the Chauvels, their career, old-school types, pioneers in the industry, choosing Robert, the test, Chauvel directing, the intensity of the performance? The filming, the premiere, Tudawali in the stalls? Chauvel and the explanation of what was happening to Robert’s money, his using it for his extended family, for the bike? The gift of the tie to Chauvel, Chauvel giving him his watch? The later visit when the money had run out? Chauvel’s death, Robert going to the grave, the final talk with Elsa Chauvel?

8. The character of the doctor, his presence, understanding, help?

9. Social Service, thinking that Robert was cheeky, in jail? The discussion later with Harry, the story of the Aboriginal with the genie – and the wish to be a star and be like Clark Gable, the wish to not work all day and his becoming an Aborigine again?

10. The glimpses of administration of the Northern Territory, government, courts?

11. The prejudice against Aborigines, the sequences in the bar, Harry and Robert’s reactions, the New Australian offering him a drink?

12. The character of Harry, seeing him at the end, the documentary, the producer criticising his stances? The past, the press conference, meeting in the toilet and the discussions, on the beach, their walks, on-set? Harry being given the long speeches criticising Australian attitudes – and Robert laughing at his seriousness? At the end, the TV interview, going to the hospital, the sister’s hostile reaction, her later apology? Robert wanting a story? Harry promising to help his daughter, Robert’s final outburst as an angry outburst against whites and their oppression? Harry wanting to do something?

13. The significance of the speeches about Australia and prejudice?

14. The status of Aborigines in the 1950s and 1960s, one hundred and fifty years after the white settlement? Australian society, changes, lack of change?

15. The Australian film industry, the significant role of Jedda and the Chauvels? The first Australian film in colour? Australians not responding to Aboriginal themes? The perspectives of playwright Alan Seymour and his tradition, especially The One Day of the Year?