High Tide (1987)

Director:

Gillian Armstrong

Writer:

Laura Jones (writer)

Release Date:

April 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Story about a backup singer for an Elvis impersonator who re-enters her past when she leaves a tour...

Plot Keywords:

Alcoholism | Remake | Family Abandonment | Australia | Village

Awards:

3 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Judy Davis	...	Lillie
Jan Adele	...	Bet
Claudia Karvan	...	Ally
Frankie J. Holden	...	Lester
John Clayton	...	Col
Colin Friels	...	Mick
Toni Scanlan	...	Mary
Monica Trapaga	...	Tracey
Barry Rugless	...	Club manager
'Cowboy' Bob Purtell	...	Joe
Mark Hembrow	...	Mechanic
Emily Stocker	...	Michelle
Marc Aden	...	Jason (as Marc Gray)
Jan Boreham	...	Mona
May Howlett	...	Mick's mum

Runtime:

Spain:101 min | USA:101 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Spain:13 | Iceland:L | Hungary:14 | Australia:M | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Eden, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

FGH

Movie Connections:

Featured in "60 Minutes: On Thin Ice/The Memory Pill/Love Her Way (#29.1)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Johnny B Goode

What you've not seen, but longed for...

There's a certain allure I've always found in discovering the great (semi-) unknown film. These discoveries have nearly always been dramatic films - in my experience, unknown sci-fi, action and horror are unknown for very, very good reasons. I found "High Tide" on video at a junk store, mixed in amongst countless dozens of tapes of varying quality. Of course, that's the only place I would find it, as it is still not on DVD.

While I was watching Judy Davis (as Lillie) throughout the course of this film, I was somehow certain I was watching a great undiscovered performance. Yes, I had previously seen Davis in several small parts - and one starring role in "A Passage to India". But, although she was superb in the aforementioned film, "High Tide" is a different animal entirely. Since recently watching Gillian Armstrong's later film, "Charlotte Gray", I was acutely aware of the sort of actress which impresses her. Davis draws much more than a passing resemblance to Cate Blanchett - in both manner and sensibility.

Judy Davis' performance is stunning, I cannot say enough good things about it. She shares an amazing on-screen relationship with young Claudia Karvan (as Ally), this film's other great actress. There's a lot of drama and quiet humanity they share together, the details of which I won't presume to reveal here (see it for yourself!).

There's too much good in "High Tide" to cover in one review. Indeed, I would hardly care to - the film speaks well enough for itself. In conclusion, I would like to praise screenwriter Laura Jones for her stunning dialogue, director Gillian Armstrong for her understanding of actors, and the great Russell Boyd for his brilliant, understated cinematography (please see his work in "Tender Mercies").

RATING: 8.6 out of 10