KOSTAS

Australia, 1979, 94 minutes, Colour.
Wendy Hughes, Takis Emmanuel, Kris Mc Quade, Tony Llewelyn- Jones, Chris Haywood, Norman Kaye, Graeme Blundell.
Directed by Paul Cox.

Takis Emmanuel is a strong, engaging Greek actor who impressed in Caddie and Promised Woman. As a Greek journalist, turned Melbourne taxi-driver, he invests Kostas with warmth and makes the problems of migrants, European traditions and, especially, the single migrant's loneliness emotionally accessible – a valuable thing for Australian audiences, especially if migrants are avoided. Wendy Hughes matches him as the divorcee whom he loves and with whom he clashes and the film's authenticity is strengthened by tellingly detailed incidents and supporting characters. In the 70s several films took up the situation of Greek migrants highlighting the prominence and number of Greeks, especially in Sydney and Melbourne .

1. An interesting and appealing film - as romance, portrait of human nature, social study?

2. For what audience was the film made? Impact for an Australian audience, Australian Greeks, a Greek audience in Greece?

3. How credible was the plot, the portrait of the characters, the situations, the presentation of relationships, the resolution?

4. The title and its focus on Kostas? The presence of Takis Emmanuel, as an engaging person, sympathetic, presenting the range of human feelings, a Greek man?

5. The situation of Greeks in Australia and the significance of the opening? The two brothers, the return to Greece, travel, migrants? The importance of the use of the Greek language and sub-titles throughout the film? The situation of migrants, people and their feelings, the presentation of life in the city, the contrast with life in Greece and the memories of this? The memories of Greece worked Into the home movies, Imagination and memory, dreams? An authentic presentation of Australia and Greece?

6. The atmosphere, the presentation of Melbourne and its suburbs, the use of colour, the contribution of the musical score, the songs, the dance, language and traditions?

7. How engaging was Kostas as a person? How well delineated his character? His relationship with his brother and his leaving? As a taxi driver in Melbourne, the looking at Carol, the rush to pick her up in the taxi? Seeing him alone in his room and the importance of so m much attention of the film given to his room and its detail, the use of the hand-held camera presenting him in his room? (And the presentation of the Turk, his neighbour, and his isolation and loneliness, the playing of the music, the typing, the sharing of the whiskey?) Kostas and his relationship with his landlady - her wanting twenty dollars from his brother, her continued presence there and seeing her washing out things, hanging out the laundry, criticising her husband and his drinking? Kostas at home e.g. watching the television? The presence at Carol's house, his continued looking, the vigil? His suspicions about Tony and how this hurt him? His visiting the Greek cafes and his cousins? How good a portrait of a lonely migrant in Melbourne?

8. How did Kostas get the courage to go to Carol's door? His story, engaging her in conversation, its hesitation and his persevering with it, his attraction towards Lucy? The confronting of Carol and her acceptance of the date? Their discreet behaviour, his joy? The build-up to the next outing? The Greek restaurants, the song, the dance, the meal, the talk? The picnic at the dam and the discussion about the past? The build-up to Carol and Jenny visiting Kostas' flat, watching his home movies? How did he reveal himself to Carol in these situations, allowing himself to be known better? flow well did Carol respond to him? The build-up to love? Their spending of the afternoon together?

9. Kostas as a Greek in Australia? His heritage of Greek culture, Greek politics? His experience throughout the '70s and his having to leave Greece? His comments on Greek men and their feelings, the contrast with the Australians? How was this evident in the character sketch of Tony, the way that he spoke to Carol, his presence? Manner? The humorous irony of the taxi passenger and his comment on preferring to live in England rather than in Australia? How did this highlight the differences between migrants and the Australian-born?

10. How attractive a character was Carol? The scenes at the airport, the taxi ride home, her appearance at the door talking to Kostas, Lucy and her love for her? Her decision to go out? Her explanation of her life? Her reticence and reserve? The scenes at home and the warmth with Lucy, her response to Kostas' treating of Lucy? The importance of the chats with Jenny? Seeing her at work in the gallery and her skill? Her enjoyment of the outings? The discreet behaviour after the outings to the restaurants? Her decision to visit with Jenny - the humour in encountering the landlady and the landlord, the home movies, seeing Kostas and the personality of his room, Jenny's departure, the sexual union? The change after this? Kostas' visit to the gallery and his looking at the paintings, his antagonism towards Tony, the build-up to clashes?

11. How emotionally convincing was the clash? The meal, Martin and his boorish bigotry (and the importance of the content of what he was saying?), his attacking Kostas and Kostas' response? Carol ordering everybody home? The rights and wrongs? Kostas' assessment of the situation and how he should have acted? Carol and her reaction? The importance of their continued clash, Kostas' vigil and his return, Carol ordering him away, the pain for Kostas as Tony came back into her home? The effect of this clash on each?

12. The continued background of Kostas and Greece itself, his memories and the way these were visualised, the home movies? His mother and her presence? The importance of the politics and his telling Carol? His working as a taxi driver and her persuading him to go back to work :k on the newspaper, the importance of his skill and knowledge, his wariness of politics? The background of his making friends with the Turk, their drinking, the music, his putting him back in his room? Kostas' dreams of Greece and the news of the death of his mother?

13. Kostas' manner of dealing with his grief? The receiving of the telegram and the landlady's look? The silence and the darkness, watching the movies, going to the bay and sitting watching the landscapes and the sea? His writing of the letter to Carol?

14. Carol's realisation of her feelings, seeking out Ann, getting the information, the reconciliation at the airport - how moving, how convincing? Kostas' feelings in embracing Lucy and Carol? His return to Greece, his return to Melbourne?

15. How well did the film portray themes of love, giving, marriage, bonds, the totality of love? Marriage and the future?

16. Themes of loneliness and breaking out of loneliness? Its insight into men and women and their strengths and weaknesses, their complementarity?

17. The importance of the minor characters and the attention to detail throughout the film, the creation of moods through short sequences, the passengers in the taxi, the landlord and his getting Kostas to buy him some drink, the group watching the television, the landlord's appearance at the door when Jenny and Carol arrived, the taxi-owner and his manner, the people at the gallery, the meal with Martin and the other guests and their talk about Australia, culture and jokes, the Greeks at the cafe etc.? The importance of Jenny as a character - as Carol's friend, adviser, her humorous reaction to situations?

18. How authentic an emotional and empathetic experience?