Australian
Screen

an NFSA website

Bran Nue Dae (2009)

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clip The Roebuck Bay Hotel

Original classification rating: PG. This clip chosen to be PG

Clip description

Willy (Rocky McKenzie), Uncle Tadpole (Ernie Dingo), Annie (Missy Higgins), Slippery (Tom Budge) and Roxanne (Deborah Mailman) arrive in Broome and head straight to the Roebuck Bay Hotel for a drink and some fun. Roxanne leads the travellers into the bar; as she enters the music starts and the people in the bar begin to sing and dance. Willy is heartbroken to find his sweetheart Rosie (Jessica Mauboy) singing with Lester (Dan Sultan).

Curator’s notes

Stand By Your Man makes for a memorable re-introduction to Rosie, when Willy and his friends arrive back in Broome. While the lyrics are all about supporting your man, Jessica Mauboy’s powerhouse vocal performance shows us that Rosie’s transformation from innocent young girl to a woman with a confident stage presence is complete.

Like clip one, the scenes of music and dancing inside the Roebuck Bay Hotel feature quick cutting and fluid camerawork to emphasise the excitement and fun that the crowd is having. Rosie’s vibrant red dress is another symbol of her confidence; she always stands out in her surroundings. The song could have been performed as a slow ballad, but the upbeat version means we can see Annie, Slippery and Roxanne dancing and having a good time, while poor Willy is overwhelmed and faints.