DEAD LETTER OFFICE

Australia, 1998, 95 minutes, Colour.
Miranda Otto, George del Hoyo, Nicholas Bell, Syd Brisbane, Georgina Naidu, Barry Otto.
Directed by John Ruane.

John Ruane has directed two quite differently striking films: the black comedy, Death in Brunswick and the version of Tim Winton's That Eye the Sky. Now he returns to Melbourne with a rather gentle romantic comedy written by Deb Cox (Seachange).
Miranda Otto has written letters to her absent father ever since she was a little girl. Now she is actually employed at the dead letter office and hopes to locate him.

However, she finds a mixed bag of eccentric workers, the remnant before the office is relocated and modernised. She also finds that the director, a Chilean refugee, has a lot to teach her, especially about a way of life and suffering that she has no idea of. She also brings him out of himself. The film is quiet, pleasant and draws the audience slowly into its world of yearnings, friendship and the discovery of love. Gentle Melbourne story.

1. A romantic story? Nostalgia? Family? Suffering?

2. The title, the Dead Letter Office and its visualising, the space, the tables, the workplaces, the different shelves, boxes? The symbolic meaning of the title? In reference to Alice?

3. The credits, the ballet training, Alice, her voice-over? Her letters to her father? Her being a bundle of joy? His having walked out on the family, leaving her mother? The letters – and their going to the Dead Letter Office?

4. Alice as an adult, her not being able to keep a job, her applying to the Dead Letter Office, her plan, the interview with Frank, the tension? Her meeting Kevin and his being helpful? Peter, Mary? The welcome? At home, the common living, her friends? The sexual relationship with the young man – casual, meaningless to her? Her being accepted for the job?

5. At the Dead Letter Office, her work, her concern about the letters and the recipients? Frank and his control of the office, Kevin and his fussiness, Peter and the regulations? Mary and her warnings about understanding Frank? Her staying back, trying to get into the Special Case box? The illustration of how to find the recipient? The team working, the timing, their using all the clues, the photo of the numberplates etc? Their success? Alice and her looking at the picture from her father, trying to discern the numberplate? Ringing up, her breaking regulations, not succeeding? Her having to explain herself to Frank?

6. Frank, his background, in Australia, his explanation of tossing the coin, his work for the post office? Running the Dead Letter Office? Reliance on Kevin? His regulations, the speed of finding out where a letter was intended? The ten-minute limit? The discussions with Alice, bringing the food, discussions about dancing? His going to the hall, his Chilean friends? The revelation of his past, his later explaining to Alice about the death of his children, the wounding of his wife, the loss of the bond with her? His leaving? His going to the dance and practising in the office, inviting Alice to the dance? His meeting the woman that Alice had found? Dancing with her, discovering she was a fascist, his leaving her abruptly, his confrontation with Alice, telling her the story, her weeping? His work with the pigeons? His finding out where her father was, writing the letter in his name, the final discussions, Alice realising the truth? Their driving together? A future?

7. Alice, the effect of working in the office, the attraction towards Frank, talking about dancing? The finding of the letter, reading it? Realising that Frank had written it? Asking him for the address, Frank’s reluctance, his giving it to her? Her visit to her father, his sales pitch about the caravans, her revealing who she was, the talk with him, his embarrassment, his feeling edged out from his second marriage and children? A bond between them? Understated? Her telling Frank that her father wanted to see her at some other time? A hope for a relationship?

8. Peter, in training, going to Brisbane? Working with Alice, his place in the office? Kevin, fussy, the pigeons, his meticulous style, finally being put in charge? Mary, her Indian background, her nephew, discussions, collaborating in the team?

9. The office, its being dismantled and moved? George going upstairs? The sadness of the change?

10. The final effect on Alice, her realisation of a world beyond herself, Frank telling her the story about his family in Chile, this being beyond her horizons, learning to understand a life beyond her own?

11. A quirky romance, gentle, sentiment, understated?