Australian
Screen

Teacher’s notes

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This clip shows tension mounting in the Sprague family as they gather at lunch to welcome Brett (David Wenham) home from prison. Brett goads his brother’s girlfriend Jackie (Jeanette Cronin) until she retaliates, revealing some as yet unspoken truths about him and setting herself apart from the family. This scene is interrupted by the arrival of the police, who have come to question Brett. His mother (Lynette Curran) attempts to defend Brett until he appears and responds sullenly to the police officer’s demand that he stick to the conditions of his parole in future.

Educational value points

• In this clip the family members are framed to indicate the status of the protagonists at the family gathering. Throughout the opening scene Jackie’s outsider status is evidenced by her continued isolation in shot, which is broken infrequently only when Nola (Anna Lise Phillips) appears on the edge of the frame. This, when contrasted against the family members who consistently share the same frame, links Jackie and Nola as outsiders.

• The camera’s position in the opening scenes places the viewer behind Jackie, encouraging the viewer to empathise with her. During their argument over the table the camera is placed so that Brett is consistently viewed from either Jackie’s point of view or from over her shoulder. This adds to the portrayal of Brett as a domineering bully and increases audience identification with Jackie who, although initially fearful, forcefully challenges him.

• Deep-focus photography is used to create the oppressive atmosphere of the Sprague family home. The technique enables the areas in front of and behind the subject to be kept in focus, allowing multiple actions to be staged within one frame. Used here it reveals in a compact way the dominant and submissive relationships that exist within the family, such as that between Brett and Glen. This in turn informs the tense and claustrophobic nature of the scene.

• The absence of a music soundtrack coupled with the sparse naturalistic soundscape is designed to heighten the tense, emotion-charged dialogue. The fraught dynamics between various characters in this clip are exposed in the absence of the distractions often provided by music and layered sound effects. Here the focus is on the subtle performances of the actors.

• Mounting tension is conveyed by the dialogue, by what is unsaid in the silences and by the lingering shots of the characters’ faces, particularly those of the protagonists, Brett and Jackie. The escalation of their angry interchange into a potentially violent situation is underlined by Sandra’s constant nervous and apologetic chatter and the gloomy and sullen silences of the other family members and friends.

• The final scene, in which the camera is positioned to present the action from the point of view of the police officers, provides another perspective on Brett as he responds to their questions concerning his parole conditions. Lurking behind his mother, Brett answers the police officers’ questions with sneering contempt. The arrogant bully of the previous scenes in the insular world of the family is constrained in this interchange with the law.

This clip starts approximately 25 minutes into the feature.

We see the family in the kitchen ready to have lunch. Brett turns his attention to Jackie.
Brett That’s a nice car ya got.
Sandra Alright now everyone, get a plate.
Jackie Thanks, Brett.
Brett Yeah, it’s a Vienta, innit? A big V.
Sandra Well, what are you all waiting for?
Jackie That’s what they call it.
Sandra What are you waiting for? Bog in.
Brett So why do you reckon they call it that, Jackie? The big V?
Glenn She doesn’t know anything about cars, Brett, I guess you could really say I bought it.
Jackie But I paid for it.
Glenn Yeah, you paid for it, but I bought it.
Jackie No, Glenn, I paid for it, you put the deposit down. That’s all and I’d like to know where you got that from as well.
Brett No, no, but Jackie, the big V. That has to be bloody rude, innit?
Sandra Look, only if you’ve got a dirty mind. Now, who wants what? Look, there’s salad…
Brett No, the big V, you know what that means, don’t ya?
Sandra Oh, stop acting the goat. Someone go and call Nola?
Michelle Nola!
Brett No, no, mum. The big V, the big V.
Brett gestures with the index and middle finger of his left hand.
Brett That’s what Jackie’s been giving us the whole morning.
Sandra Don’t talk nonsense.
Brett Haven’t ya? We’re not good enough for the likes of you, are we? Me and me brothers?
Sandra Look, no-one said anything of the sort.
Jackie That’s not what I said.
Glenn No, mate. Don’t.
Brett Why not? It’s the truth, innit?
Jackie Stop him, Glenn.
Brett Eh? Isn’t that what she said? ‘Can’t stay here long, gotta go to work.’
Sandra Well, she didn’t mean that. Now tomatoes? Do you want tomatoes?
Jackie Well, we do. I mean some people have work to do.
Brett Oh what, and we’re just lousy no-good bludgers, are we? That’s what you think, innit?
Sandra That’s a terrible thing to say, Brett.
Jackie Glenn, do you intend to allow your brother to insult me in this way?
Brett Yes, do you? Glenn?
We see a police car pull up outside the window.
Glenn Come on, mate. Let’s just leave it and have some lunch, huh?
Jackie Oh yes, I see. Yes, I see. Everyone’s gotta be careful not to offend poor little Brett.
Brett Careful what you say.
Glenn J…
Jackie It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. Oh no, they can go to hell because the only person that counts around here is Brett.
Brett Whaddya mean?
Jackie Let me tell you what I mean – you’re a pig.
Glenn Oh, fuck.
Jackie And we all felt a hell of a lot safer when you were locked up in jail.
Sandra That’s not true, Brett.
Stevie Hey, it’s the cops!
Sandra Eh? What do they want?
Brett No, don’t let them in, they haven’t got a warrant.
Glenn (to Jackie) No, don’t.
Jackie And I don’t know why they let you out.
The police knock on the door.
Jackie Because you haven’t learnt a thing the whole time you were away.

Sandra goes to answer the door.
Sandra What do you want?
Policeman 1 Mrs Sprague?
Sandra What do you want?
Policeman 1 We just want to talk to your son, Mrs Sprague.
Sandra Well, he doesn’t want to talk to you. Why can’t you leave him alone? He only got out this morning.
Policeman 1 Is he here?
Sandra No, he’s not.
Brett comes to the door.
Brett Nah, it’s alright mum.
Sandra No, it’s not alright. Why do they keep picking on you for? I mean, why aren’t you out chasing real criminals?
Officer Maguire Did you go down to the Fife and Drum drive-in this morning, Brett?
Sandra No, why would he…?
Brett Yeah, of course I did, Maguire. What’s it to you?
Officer Maguire Would you mind telling me why?
Brett Well, whaddya reckon? It’s a bottle shop, innit?
Policeman 1 Why don’t you go back inside, Mrs Sprague?
Sandra Nope, I’m staying here.
Policeman 1 Alright. We received a complaint that you made certain threatening statements to Mr Graham Newman while you were there. Is that true?
Brett No, no, it’s not.
Policeman 1 It’s a condition of your parole that you go nowhere near the vicinity of the Fife and Drum Hotel. That you do not request service there, that you do not approach or come within 300 metres of Graham Newman for the remaining period of your sentence. Or you go back to jail, Brett.
Officer Maguire You understand that, Brett?
Brett Yeah.