BLACKJACK: MURDER ARCHIVE

Australia, 2003, 89 minutes, Colour.
Colin Friels, Kate Beahan, David Field, Victoria Longley, Victoria Dykstra, Melissa Jaffer, Tina Bursill, Tony Barry.
Directed by Peter Andrikidis.

Blackjack: Murder Archive was the pilot for a series of police and detection films made by Channel Ten in Australia. The star was Colin Friels who had proven himself as a successful lead in the series Water Rats. Friels had a strong cinema background with such films as Monkey Grip, the award-winning Malcolm, Kangaroo as well as some films overseas including Dark Man and Class Action. He is supported by Kate Beahan who moved to the United States for such films as Flight Plan. David Field as the tough inspector in charge is a veteran of many Australian films and television programs. There is a strong supporting cast of character actors. The film was written by Gary Mc Caffrie and comedian Shaun Micallef. It was directed by Peter Andrikidis, who directed the films in the series, and won many awards for directing television series as well as television films.

The film concerns the abduction of a young boy in 1973 and the work of Jack Kempson, who had spoilt a sting for capturing drug dealers, and is exiled to a archives room, finds some leads and helps solve the decades-old crime.

The film has strong characters, is fast-paced and keeps the interest in police work as well as the characters (with Jack Kempson having a disabled teenage daughter).

1.An interesting police and investigation thriller? Detective work?

2.The Sydney settings, the police precincts, the offices, the archives? The streets and homes? The ordinary atmosphere of the suburbs? The musical score?

3.The title, the tone, the reference to Jack and his being a character of moods, and erratic and individualistic behaviour?

4.The opening, the little boy, his disappearance, his parents and their grief, the interrogations and press conferences? The fact that they had won the lottery? The ransom notes? The disappearance of the boy, no further demands from the kidnappers? The many decades, the mother and father and their grief, the father and his comments on his wife keeping the boy’s room as a shrine? The mother being level-headed? The father and his reaction to the further investigation? Their gratitude to Jack Kempson at the end?

5.The opening sting, Jack making a mistake, giving the signal to go, disrupting the arrangements by the other department? The reaction of the officer? The reaction of Inspector Kavanagh, Jack being demoted, sent to the archives? The scene in the bar with the angry police pouring beer over his head? The slow clapping against him in the office?

6.The archives, Julie and her work, explanations, the tension with Jack, her eventually helping him in the research? In accompanying him in the investigation and interrogations?

7.Jack, the suicide of his wife, his anger at the information being given to his daughter, his love for his daughter, her disability, her anger and upset on getting the news, his not having told her the truth? The issue of her being born or not? The flashbacks to her mother? Her carer? Reconciling with her? His relationship with Therese, the affair, her work in the police, ethics?

8.Inspector Kavanagh, tough, anti-Jack? His investigations into the abduction? Having to acknowledge Jack’s success? The range of the other police, in the archives, with Kavanagh?

9.The lead, the car, the numberplate? The finding of the accused dying in hospital, meeting with his wife, her lies? Going to the hospital, trying to get them to admit the truth, the man’s death? Carmen’s going to the roof, looking at Jack, her suicide?

10.The visit to Bueneroti, the information about the car, his work, his family? His being arrested, Jack taking him to the house? His memories?

11.The intercutting of the memories, the role of the husband and wife, the teacher and her idea, the car, pressurising Seaton? Seaton and Bueneroti, the car, the abduction of the boy, hiding him under the stairs? Bueneroti and his being unwilling? The search for the boy, discovering him dead?

12.The theme of crime not paying and integrity being rewarded?

13.A satisfying drama, television movie, police issues, crimes and solving crimes?