Fred Schepisi's early film, THE DEVILS PLAYGROUND (1976), is about boys and
their teachers at a Catholic school. The theme is sexuality and, from
memory, one of the brothers has troubled pedophile fantasies. More
memorably, throughout the film the images represent an understated
fondness - 'philia' - for the beauty of the boys. Its seminary setting
reminded me (a secular co-ed) of James Joyce's 'Portrait of the Artist' set
in 1960 Australia. Even at the time it was a work that seemed to go over
well-worked ground, but it was beautifully made with the quiet understated
skill and care that has characterised this director's best work.
I happened to see ROXANNE only recently and was charmed. His most recent
film, LAST ORDERS, was also among his best but it seemed to strike
difficulties, I thought, with the handling of point of view, difficulties
that mixed the sentiments of characters ( and maybe even the valedictory
sentiment aroused by the presence of the older stars) a little too turgidly
into a kind of sentimentality of the film itself.
Ross
|