Saturday, 18 September 2021 18:52

Prime Mover






PRIME MOVER

Australia, 2009, 93 minutes, Colour.
Michael Dorman, Emily Barclay, Ben Mendelsohn.
Directed by David Caesar.

No, this is not a film on the argument for the existence of God as the Prime Mover. Rather, a prime mover is a rig that long-haul distance drivers ride the roads with, the truckies.

There used to be a popular phrase to describe Australian novels about ordinary people as literature about 'the battlers'. In fact, author Kylie Tennant wrote a famous book, The Battlers. This is the kind of phrase that occurs in Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. As Tom Joad said, representing the Okies, the farmers driven off their land, migrating to California, 'we are the people'.

Prime Mover is an Australian Battlers' tale.

The setting is Dubbo in the north west of New South Wales. Thomas (Michael Dorman) works as a mechanic with his father, is skilled in paint and design on the side of trucks but has ambitions to have a rig of his own. He is attracted to Melissa (Emily Barclay) who works at one of those convenience shops at a service station. The story is familiar. After his father is killed in an accident and Melissa becomes pregnant, they marry and he takes out a loan from shady characters with strict repayment conditions and buys a rig. He clashes with Phil (William McInnes), the kindly driver who helps him out and gets jobs, and goes out on his own - and moves with Melissa and the baby out to the back of Bourke. You can almost guess most of the rest.

Australian audiences may be put in mind of the old 19th century stories of The Drover's Wife (especially the short story by Henry Lawson). The truckie seems to be the 21st century version of the drover, out on the road and away from home. The lonely wife, left in something of a dump and upset by her crying baby, is the new long-suffering drover's wife.

The challenge for the driver/drover is whether he can live his dream with his rig, stay the long hours (with the help of drugs) on the road, really want his wife and child – and do what he does best, the design and painting. Since this is a battler's story with a hopeful outlook, the driver does win some of his battles.

There is a down to earth tone in this film, written and directed by David Caesar (Greenkeeping, Idiot Box). It's a small film with character actors, including a villainous Ben Mendelssohn, with Lynette Curran. An Aussie story.

1.An Australian story, blokey, a variation on The Drover’s Wife, 21st century? Ordinary people?

2.The title, trucks, trucking? Mechanics? Paint and design?

3.Western New South Wales, Dubbo, the outskirts of the town, the houses? Bourke and the trailer parks? The pubs, the roads? Authentic and realistic?

4.The film as Tom’s story, his working with the machines, painting, wanting to own a truck, to drive? Bonding with his father, the accident, his father’s death, blaming himself, his relationship with his mother? His father appearing to him throughout the film, even as St Christopher? His mother’s support?

5.With his father at the service station, seeing Melissa, talking with her, taking her out for a burn? The gypsy background, the music, playing it for Phil in the truck? His relationship with Melissa, hopes, plans? His plans for the truck, his business? “

6.Melissa’s pregnancy, her mother’s wry comments? The wedding, the gypsy dancing, her father arriving, the gift of the cheque? His not being a gypsy?

7.Tom buying the rig, asking his mother for a loan and her reason for not giving it? His self-confidence? Johnny urging him to get the loan (and Johnny urging him later to take the pills, giving them free, then demanding payment)? His going to the loan dealer? The interest? The conditions? Jobs, difficulties, the need for repairs for the rig? His working with Phil, arguing with him, wanting to go independent? Getting deeper in debt? The jobs, the hours, the drugs, the hallucinations?

8.His father, appearing as St Christopher? Melissa as the blonde figure on the calendar? His reactions? The advice, the attacks on the rig?

9.The birth of his child, the sense of wonder, Melissa and Tom moving, trailer at the back of Bourke? The effect of the baby crying, on Melissa? Tom’s absences? Melissa seeing herself as a bad mother, wanting to go out, meeting with Phil, Tom’s mad reactions?

10.The crisis, Phil and his advice, the fight in the bar, Johnny and his thugs, the drugs and the jobs? Signing away the truck, the threat to Melissa and the baby? Johnny and the woman? Her opting out?

11.Phil, his character, his help, the rig, driving, Tom’s reaction against him? His allowing Tom to paint the rig? Melissa’s reaction to the newly-painted rig?

12.Tom’s mother, her help, with the baby?

13.The delivering of the truck, smashing through the house, Johnny and his dancing, his foot on the glass and the injury? The thugs?

14.Tom as free, being himself, the reconciliation with Melissa, designing and painting, his small truck, taking her for a burn?

15.An Australian battler’s story, 21st century style?
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