The Fringe Dwellers

A very unpopular film in its day sometime in 1986, this excellent Bruce Beresford film was wholly ignored by the Australian public and was regarded by crits of the time as a major misfire. Well maybe time will be kinder as I intend to be as I believe it is a compassionate funny and quite realistic look at the attempt of one Aboriginal (black) family to move from the riverbank shanty into a nice new house in town...which through the help of every relative and extended family hanger-on, manage to repaint lime green and almost completely trash - all within just one month. Told (like the superb NO WORRIES) through the eyes of their teenage daughter THE FRINGE DWELLERS does not falter in portraying the family and their calamities of lifestyle and town prejudices warts and all. Filmed in the small Queensland town of Murgon with plenty of local color and humor, THE FRINGE DWELLERS is often very funny showing the equally cringe-worthy and ghastly head-shaking behavior as 'the norm'. It is easy to take a set against the content as it all probably is exactly why well meaning white Australian townspeople criticize the unbelievable but true shabbiness and social disaster that happens when black rural Australia tries to go white. It is actually a heartfelt and charming film, well crafted and lovingly portrayed. It well deserves another new century view and I champion Director Bruce Beresford for his vision and humor. It also clearly shows his adept hand in an earlier clash of culture that was so celebrated in DRIVING MISS DAISY.

Accustomed to seeing portrayals of racism against African-Americans or Native Americans, I was intrigued to see some of the same phenomena in an Australian context.

The central character, Trilby Comeaway, part of extended family of Aborigines living in a shanty settlement outside a rural town, is one angry young lady. Her anger is directed not only at the local whites, who are abusively racist at worst and patronizing at best, but against her own family, many of whom seem to have internalized the stereotypes and are living in an irresponsible manner, even after being given a house in a public housing tract.

Looked at one way, the film could be seen as a condemnation of Aboriginal culture, but what it is actually portraying is the vacuum created when people lose or are deprived of their ancestral culture but are unable, for whatever reason, to participate fully in the dominant culture.

The members of the Comeaway family have some admirable qualities, such as their generosity to their extended family, one of the few Aboriginal cultural traits that they have retained. However, having internalized the stereotype of the irresponsible, child-like Aborigine, they have trouble functioning effectively in white society.

The story takes a different turn when a young man engaged in the Aboriginal land rights movement shows up and, among other things, becomes Trilby's lover.

Trilby is not always a likable person. She has a huge chip on her shoulder, and she does one thing that is quite shocking. However, the film seems to be saying that it's the "uppity" people in a minority group who will escape the trap of sinking into the stereotypes.

I thought that this was an all-in-all nice movie about a young Aborigine (pardon my spelling) girl who aspires to be more than what Australian society has already declared she will be. It's not an easy road, though. It's a thought provoking view at racism respect. This story could have easily taken place in the Civil Rights era USA or Apartheid South Africa or anywhere that major racial lines have existed. The acting is rather impressive, and I'm disappointed that I haven't seen the title character in more films.

There are passages in "The Fringe Dwellers" where the characters' irrationality goes beyond the limits of understandability. They do foolish things and interact in such destructive and confusing ways that it often makes them impossible to identify with. As much as this is a film designed to give you insight into current (at least, for 1986) social drama in the Aboriginal culture, that might not be a very positive experience. This is a story that leaves you more with a sense of confusion and alienation than anything else. And, unfortunately, that extends to even the most central themes of the story. We are told that the racist people condone the Aboriginal girl's actions because they figure "she doesn't know better". But by the end of the film, we are asked, even expected, to do the very same.

As for Bruce Beresford's directorial style here, it has more in common with films like "Crimes of the Heart" and "Mister Johnson" than "Tender Mercies" or "Driving Miss Daisy". Which is to say, more overacting than realism. Beresford has one main strength, and that is how he works with actors. If he doesn't succeed in this pursuit, his films often feel somewhat gutted. That is partly the case with "The Fringe Dwellers". There are scenes with Trilby (Kristina Nehm) that draw the viewer in with a very real sort of intensity. Nehm has a deeply charismatic feeling about her. There are other great, brief scenes. The highlight of the entire film is a long, uncut passage where a mother speaks of the past as her daughter lies in bed after giving birth. This is a movie of convincing silences. When observation takes over conversation, it is nearly perfect in its realization.

In the end, there's something about it all that just doesn't come together. Thanks to cinematographer Donald McAlpine, it's often a very stunning film to look at. But the uneven acting, the strange directions the script takes, and the inability to construct something truly heartbreaking leaves "The Fringe Dwellers" as somewhat more of a curiosity than a proper classic.

This movie is quite possibly my favourite Australian movie of all time. It is a tragic and funny and joyous encapsulation of a time now gone...thankfully in many respects. It strongly illustrates the historical disadvantage that most indigenous Australian families come from and how the transition to a modern lifestyle and a quest for inclusion is not so easy...the ties that bind are strong in the indigenous community but they can also hold back. There is plenty of fascinating imagery and even anthropologye in this movie...the scenes of the moving truck are amazing, funny and beautiful, as are the suburban home life scenes around 'the kitchen table'...the bush community scenes and township scenes are of a time long gone but fascinating to watch for any Australian...same for the people and faces too. Ernie Dingo is one who now holds an iconic place in Australian culture, his smile and acting bring some timelessness to this movie too. But the central theme for me is family, a prominent feature of indigenous culture...the characters in this move love each other and do their best to stick together against the odds and they are always there for each other no matter the disappointments. The indigenous cast of this movie successfully convey these themes of family and connection, strength and resilience...amazing people the first Australians...but for this movie, it is great acting and believable stuff. If you aren't moved by this movie then you are not alive....the true history of Australia and a massively underrated classic of Australian cinema. Thank you Bruce Beresford and Sue Milliken for making this movie...it may not be your most successful work but it is probably your most important.