Hoodwink (Claude Whatham, 1981) dp Dean Semler; John Hargreaves, Judy Davis, Dennis Miller, Wendy Hughes, Max Cullen, Paul Chubb, Kim Deacon, Michael Caton, Geoffrey Rush; Whatham is English; Hargreaves' character was based on Carl Synnerdahl who pretended to be blind for eighteen months, from the time of his arrest until his subsequent transfer to a minimum security prison; Eastman colour, 35mm, 90 min.
Not a great film, but lovely to see such a young Judy Davis with John Hargreaves and others, including her future husband Colin Friels in a tiny role (was this where they met?) not to mention Paul Chubb, Michael Caton, Max Cullen and more. I wonder why director Claude Whatham (1927-2008) got this gig, I believe his only Australian show – he usually worked in British TV. A holiday down under, I’m guessing, like Michael Powell’s with Age of Consent (1969).
David Stratton:
This was Dean Semler's first major film* as cinematographer ... Judy Davis ... Colin Friels also appears in a tiny role in this, his first film. ... a bit hard to swallow despite the fact that the story is true, but thanks to Hargreaves' stalwart performance it just about works. ... The film did modest business, and seems to have seriously disrupted Whatham's cinema career ... Stratton: 254, 255.
* Stratton discounts Let the Balloon Go (Oliver Howes, 1976) which was 78 min. long.
Garry Gillard | New: 20 October, 2012 | Now: 21 August, 2022