Australian
Screen

Teacher’s notes

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This clip shows a barbecue held by the Guthrie family, with various adults discussing business and dismissing the problems of developing countries and Ben’s ‘problem’. Meanwhile Ben (Ken Talbot) hears these conversations through the bathroom window as he holds a razor in his hand. Barry (David Downer) continues his disparaging comments about charity until Ben appears with his head shaven and wearing a loincloth. Ben is sent to his room as his angry and embarrassed parents apologise to their guests.

Educational value points

• This clip uses many visual clues to set the scene for the eventual climax – Ben’s appearance at the table. The initial panning shot of the Guthries’ backyard with its pool and their large house establishes their affluence. The clothes and jewellery of the women and the long food-filled table add to this impression. Ben being shown holding a razor is another clue. His dramatically shaven head and loincloth provide a sharp visual contrast to the prosperity.

• The friends who are gathered at the Guthries’ barbecue are portrayed almost as caricatures with their exaggerated gestures, laughter and use of clichés. Their portrayal is aided by the use of close-ups. They provide a context for Ben’s appearance; the extreme views presented by Barry provoke an extreme response in Ben.

• The soundtrack contributes to the mood and drama of this clip. The dog barking and meat sizzling on the barbecue give the impression of an ordinary suburban get-together. In contrast the sombre music, Barry’s words and the exaggerated echo of his laughter in the bathroom anticipate Ben’s actions. Outside, the noises of lunch are interrupted by silence, gasping and the dropping of a glass, which herald Ben’s dramatic entrance.

• Ben’s appearance with shaven head and loincloth pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948) the Indian religious and political leader who campaigned for self-rule in India by non-violent means and played an active part in the negotiations for Indian independence from Britain, which was achieved in 1947. Gandhi wore the loincloth, the dress of an Indian villager, to support India’s cottage industries and to distinguish himself from the British.

• Ben’s concern for starving people contrasts sharply with Barry’s comments about charity and the developing world. The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of the world is well-fed, one-third is underfed and one-third is starving; every year 15 million children die of hunger. In Asian, African and Latin American countries more than 500 million people are living in what the World Bank has called ‘absolute poverty’ (library.thinkquest.org).

• This clip illustrates, through its juxtaposition of comedy and a serious issue, the divide between generations. The adults appear to be apathetic about serious matters and dismiss Ben’s concerns as a passing problem. Ben, a young adolescent, displays a passion and a sensitivity to the plight of others that are rejected as immaturity rather than as a sign of increasing maturity and responsibility, a situation that can lead to alienation from adults.

• Morris Gleitzman (1953–), one of Australia’s most successful authors, was born in England and emigrated to Australia in 1969. He worked as scriptwriter for The Norman Gunston Show before writing the script of The Other Facts of Life. He later wrote a novel based on the script, published by McPhee Gribble as one of a series of novels based on the Winners series.

• Gleitzman has won many awards for his children’s books, which have been published internationally. He uses humour as a vehicle to present challenging themes such as AIDS, and refugee and immigration issues. Gleitzman believes that children should not be protected from the larger problems facing the world, and that being confronted with difficult problems that do not have simple solutions may be less harmful than not knowing about them.