Spotswood (1992)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Mark Joffe

Writers:

Max Dann (written by) and
Andrew Knight (written by)

Release Date:

July 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

An everyday story about loyalty, betrayal, lust and footwear.

Plot:

An expert on productivity shows wacky workers in 1966 Australia how to run their moccasin factory like clockwork, despite laying off more than half the workforce.

Plot Keywords:

Factory | Moccasin | Efficiency Expert | Efficiency | Australia

Awards:

3 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Anthony Hopkins	...	Errol Wallace
Ben Mendelsohn	...	Carey
Alwyn Kurts	...	Mr. Ball
Bruno Lawrence	...	Robert, Carey's Father
John Walton	...	Jerry Finn
Rebecca Rigg	...	Cheryl Ball
Toni Collette	...	Wendy Robinson
Russell Crowe	...	Kim Barry
Angela Punch McGregor	...	Caroline Wallace
Daniel Wyllie	...	Frank Fletcher
John Flaus	...	Gordon
Gary Adams	...	Kevin
Jeff Truman	...	Ron
Toni Lamond	...	Mrs. Lorna Ball
Jillian Murray	...	Ophelia, Carey's Mom (as Jillian Murray)
Jacob Kino	...	Marvin
Rosie Sturgess	...	Edna, Ball's Secretary
Nathan Croft	...	Win
Lesley Baker	...	Gwen - Carey's Aunt (as Leslie Baker)
Mickey Camilleri	...	Elsie
Amy Rogers	...	Ivy
Esme Melville	...	Rose
Geoff Brooks	...	Salesman 1
Conor McDermottroe	...	Salesman 2
George Dixon	...	Machinist 1
Ron Bergman	...	Machinist 2
Judith Graham	...	Jean
Robert Noble	...	Union Official
James Condon	...	Executive 1
Lloyd Cunnington	...	Executive 2
Randall Berger	...	Amos Lang
Max Fairchild	...	Mr. Robinson, Wendy's Father
Desirée Smith	...	Shirley
Tamara Kuldin	...	Cassandra
Darren Kilpatrick	...	Julian Wallace
John Farrow	...	Minister
Ann Rigby	...	Girl 1
Elizabeth Rule	...	Girl 2
Billy Baxter	...	'Cicadas' lead

Directed by
Mark Joffe

Writing credits
Max Dann		(written by) and
Andrew Knight		(written by)

Produced by
Richard Brennan	....	producer
Timothy White	....	producer

Original Music by
Ricky Fataar

Cinematography by
Ellery Ryan		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Nicholas Beauman

Production Design by
Chris Kennedy

Art Direction by
Hugh Bateup

Costume Design by
Tess Schofield

Makeup Department
Arabella Dowd	....	assistant hair stylist
Paul Pattison	....	hair stylist
Wendy Sainsbury	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Leigh Ammitzboll	....	unit manager
Michael S. McLean	....	unit manager (as Mike McLean)
Bernadette O'Mahony	....	production manager
Adam Park	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Julie Burton	....	second assistant director
Tony Gilbert	....	third assistant director
Euan Keddie	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Georgina Campbell	....	property buyer
Georgina Campbell	....	set dresser
Pat Carr	....	carpenter
Phillipe Christeller	....	carpenter
Howard Clark	....	scenic artist
Julian Faull	....	carpenter
Michael Hill	....	carpenter
Victoria Hobday	....	assistant production designer
Phillip Hyde	....	carpenter
Peter Jones	....	brush hand
Paul Macak	....	art department runner
Anton Sepitka	....	property buyer
Anton Sepitka	....	set dresser
Walter Sperl	....	construction manager
Dean Sullivan	....	stand-by props
Peter Swan	....	brush hand
Chris Waters	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Nick Breslin	....	post-synchronisation dialogue editor
Steve Burgess	....	foley artist
Lloyd Carrick	....	location sound mixer
Gethin Creagh	....	dubbing mixer
Chris Goldsmith	....	boom operator
David Grusovin	....	assistant sound editor
Rick Lisle	....	assistant sound editor
Gary O'Grady	....	sound editor
Angus Robertson	....	post-synchronisation dialogue recordist
Michael Thompson	....	assistant sound mixer
Noelleen Westcombe	....	assistant sound editor
Karin Whittington	....	supervising sound editor

Special Effects by
Jeff Little	....	special effects technician
Kevin Turner	....	special effects technician

Stunts
Chris Anderson	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Kattina Bowell	....	focus puller
John Brennan	....	best boy
Clive Duncan	....	camera operator
Barry Hansen	....	key grip
Darren Hansen	....	grip
Kim Jonsson	....	clapper loader
Jennifer Mitchell	....	still photographer
Noel Mudie	....	grip
Ted Nordsvan	....	gaffer
Adam Williams	....	electrician

Casting Department
Jo Warren	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Julie Barton	....	stand-by wardrobe
Sandi Cichello	....	wardrobe assistant (as Sandra Cichello)
Rosa Gaetano	....	wardrobe assistant
Cheyne Phillips	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Nick Breslin	....	first assistant editor
Arthur Cambridge	....	color grader
David Grusovin	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Chris Gough	....	music coordinator
Chong Lim	....	music arranger
Chong Lim	....	music producer
Don Miller-Robinson	....	music mixer
Don Miller-Robinson	....	music recordist

Transportation Department
Laurie Humphries	....	vehicle coordinator
Rory Timoney	....	vehicle wrangler

Other crew
John Baird	....	wrangler
Libby Blainey	....	title designer
Russell Boyd	....	unit runner
Mandy Carter	....	accountant
John Clarke	....	script consultant
Sue Edwards	....	production coordinator
Kristina Frolich	....	caterer (as Kristina Frohlich)
Brian Holmes	....	safety officer
Judith Hughes	....	assistant to producer
Janine Martorejo	....	account assistant
Dawn McNeil	....	account assistant
Geoffrey O'Connell	....	stand-in: Anthony Hopkins
Fiona Searson	....	unit publicist
John Suhr	....	location manager
Kristin Voumard	....	continuity
Denise Wolfson	....	lab liaison (as Denise Wolfsen)

Production Companies

• Australian Film Commission, The
• Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC)
• Film Victoria
• Meridian Films
• Smiley Productions

Distributors

• Cinépix Film Properties (CFP)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video
• EastWest Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Hoyts Distribution
• Miramax Films (1992) (USA)
• REX Film (2006) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Alison Barrett Casting  casting
• Cameraquip Australia  camera equipment provided by
• Cameraquip Australia  film equipment (as Cameraquip)
• Cinevex  laboratory
• Dennis Davidson & Associates Public Releations (DDA)  international publicity consultants (as Dennis Davidson Associates)
• Mobile Production Facilities  facilities vehicle
• Moneypenny Services  production accounting
• Offshoot Films  editing facilities: Sydney
• Roth, Warren & Menzies  legal representation
• Soundfirm  sound mixing facility
• Spectrum Films International  post-production facilities
• The Joinery  editing facilities: Melbourne

Also Known As:

The Efficiency Expert (USA)

Runtime:

Argentina:97 min | UK:95 min | USA:85 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Sweden:7 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Company:

Australian Film Commission, The

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Carey walks past two railway carriages with the word 'VLine' on them. VLine is the trading name of the State Transport Authority. It was formed in 1983 when the Victorian Railways was split into two organisations. However the film is set in the 1960s and Vline did not exist at this time.

Quotes:

[Carey's little brother sees him writing a poem.]
Carey's Brother: Hee-hee-hee. Who's Cheryl?
Carey: No one you'd know. A model.
Carey's Brother: "I wake up with the sun, bright and new. I listen to the sun, and the early morning dew." Dew doesn't make any noise.
Carey: What? Look, it's my poem, I can write what I like.
Carey's Brother: Just trying to help. If I was you I'd stick to drawing.

Movie Connections:

Features "My Name's McGooley, What's Yours?" (1967)

Soundtrack:

Deep In the Heart of Texas

A gentle film

This film shows us a slice of Australian work life as globalisation takes over. The workers in a small shoe factory, having grown up with the "job for life" paradigm, are examined by an efficiency expert called in by the boss, a man who wants to "modernise" without cutting staff.

Many well-known Australian actors appear in this film. It is a gentle and sympathetic look at the effects of economic change. The film also has comic moments where adolescent boys try to ask out a good-looking girl without much success.

This film is not a "must-see", but it passes the time acceptably.