Values Expressed by Sitch

How/Analysis

Retreat from the Global

Values the rights of individuals to participate in their community.

The insistence of Darryl on his rights and the eventual defeat of the Barlow Group.  The Barlow Group depicted as a corporation that, through the economy, has covertly shifted power away from the governments and the individuals, threatening the democratic system.  Darryl and his family create a sense of community within their own street.  This asserts not only the right of the individual to participate in their community, but also this concept as a desirable and supportive network (link BP) in positive relationships with Farouk and Jack.  Darryl becomes a champion and leader of his community, not just his family.

Dialogue, tone is patronising and forceful, previous superficial sympathy changes to contempt “All right, I’ll state this simply.  There is an iron clad agreement between Federal, State and Local governments and the Airport’s Commission.”  Presents a situation that suggests there are no other options, associations of “iron clad”. Representative of government body presents the inextricably interwoven relationships between government and corporations.   Juxtaposition of costuming, Darryl’s casualness and the class associations of his flannelette shirt suggests sincerity and warmth, positioning the responder to sympathise with this character against the uncaring bureaucratic system that the councilwoman represents.  This heartlessness is conveyed in a mid-shot of the councilwoman, leant back with an impassive expression and her formal costuming implies distance.

Values the support that a cohesive family unit provides

The high self-esteem of family members and their ability to respond constructively to other people and life

 “Dad had a way of making everyone feel special.”  This voice-over comment is reinforced with visuals of Darryl individually praising family members and also through the dialogue, for example, “Go on, tell them, tell them…Dale dug a hole.”  Facial expressions, constant smiles showing their emotional happiness

Response to the global changing family structure.  Re-establishing traditional family unit as a localised ideal.  Individuals to gain continual support and the family as a symbol of stability in individual lives.  The idealised social framework serves to heighten the insensitivity of the Global economic forces and those who represent these forces.  Sitch connects globalisation and the individual, paralleling imperialism and Aborigines.

Values the connections between people to their environment (land, place and other people)

The use of the house as a symbolic place that links family members and provides them with a sense of security.

“This house is like their land.  It holds their memories.  The land is their stories…The country’s got to stop stealing other people’s land.”  Tone, despair, sincere understanding and emotional connections to his house and environment.  Darryl begins to understand other issues beyond his own microcosm, and relates his sense of place to other people’s sense of place.  This point is important for the central character’s development, but also for society’s development.  Sitch makes the point that everyone needs to have this sense of place and understand that others also have this sense of place.

Values the egalitarian society

Positive relationship between Darryl and Laurie.  Also represented by the racially diverse mix in within the community – Con, Farouk, Yvonne, Jack, Kerrigans

Global promotes class differences by creating obvious economic barriers.  However, the local, within this film, promotes a sense of equality and egalitarianism.  This ideal provides a situation within and between communities of friendliness and comfort in relating to each other.

Values the fundamental ideal roles of government and laws which is to serve the communities that they represent.

Laurie’s arguments in the High Court and the emphasis placed on the phrase within the constitution, “on just terms”.  Also, negative depiction of local government colluding with corporations.

“one phrase within the constitution…on just terms”, pause in dialogue emphasises this phrase, depiction of Laurie as the wise, experienced, figure of moral conviction and justice.  Juxtaposition of simplicity and naivety of DeNuto to Laurie’s knowledge and sophistication in speech emphasises this.  Global represented through largeness of building and the lack of understanding from Darryl’s point of view.

Sitch suggests in the global world, governments and laws are increasingly vulnerable to the covert power shifting through the economy and these ideals become threatened, thus threatening local communities and individuals.  The character Laurie and his arguments reiterate the ideal values, reminding the responder that governments and laws should provide for social stability and thus individual justice, rather than promoting global economic policies.

Values social principles over economic priorities.  However, Sitch also suggests that social and economic values can coexist comfortably unless brought directly into conflict.

The depiction of the Kerrigans as a family embracing symbols of the global such as powerlines, international travel and the trading post, but also maintaining the importance of relationships between members of the family and the well-being of their neighbourhood.  When the letter of “compulsory acquisition” arrives, the trading post is marginalised, “Hang on Steve”, values in conflict, immediately ignoring economic and concerned about social.

Repetition of the term “compulsorily acquired”, “they’re acquiring it, compulsorily”, emphasises negative aspects of the phrase in social terms because there are no choices within a democracy – dialogue.  Darryl also immediately thinks of those in the community, running over to see Jack.

Embrace global without sacrificing local values.  When brought into conflict, the local values, of family are community prioritised.

Values individuals’ stories for the importance of their local perspective within a global society

The constant commentary made by Dale as an observer of events.

Voiceovers throughout.  Still, close-up shot of Dale at beginning to establish him as the narrator, dialogue reinforces this “I’m Dale Kerrigan and this is my story.”

Film is a global language

Values multiculturalism

Positive portrayal of the characters from multicultural backgrounds, such as Con, Farouk

“Anyone that loves our Trace as much as we do, deserves our love.  So we love you, Con.  We love you.”  The dialogue at the wedding is used to show that universal truths of human behaviour and emotions of love surpass ethnic boundaries.  The acceptance of Con into a family that the responder has earlier been positioned to sympathise with lends itself to a positive acceptance of Con as a character.

Globalisation has allowed local cultural and ethnic boundaries to become less of a barrier to human relationships.  This promotes the global village by making the individual and communities more open to other cultural influences but also tends to standardise and appropriate cultural values to a different context.

Values differences in individual expression within the boundaries of socially acceptable behaviour and social stability

Wayne learning to behave in a socially acceptable manner, without the depiction of a society removing aspects of his personality that make him an individual.

Scenes at the conclusion depict Wayne as a contributing member the family with shots of Wayne washing the trucks and the sign amended to *“Kerrigan & Son Towing Service”*.  He maintains a sense of individuality through the shots of him admiring mementos amidst the concrete cells.

Supporting the value of individuals succeeding and having their own lives, challenging the global view of masses of people.  The individual’s importance is emphasised so that this leads to social stability.

Challenges judgments of people based on stereotypical assumptions.

The depiction of Wayne as a caring human being with whom responders can relate to, rather than purely a criminal.

“He didn’t mean to rob the petrol station.”  The tone of this voice-over shows naivety but also the willingness to give people second chance.  Mid-long shot of Dale and Wayne with eye contact at opposite ends of the table communicating suggests a human relationship.

Globalisation supports stereotypical assumptions because people are viewed as collective groups and masses.  The local emphasises the view people as individuals and provides insights into both individual character and human relationships.  (See above)

Values the constant support provided by friendship/mateship

Darryl’s relationship with Dennis and other characters.

Global emphasises economic relationships.  Local emphasises social relationships and thus promotes social stability.

Values people for their genuine attempts to contribute to society rather than any measurements of success

Positive portrayal of DeNuto as the “lovable incompetent” (Tony Hughes).

Global standardises expectations of people.  Local emphasises the differences between people and communities, that individuals should strive to their personal limits and this should not be judged in terms of collective success but personal contribution.

Values the support that a community offers to its members

The dependence of Jack and Farouk on Darryl and the positive portrayal of Darryl’s understanding relationship with his neighbours.

The scene in which Darryl offers to accommodate Jack after the houses are to be compulsorily acquired despite the inconvenience to himself.  Darryl’s offer is viewed as a positive action, drawing on the responder’s reaction to the juxtaposition with Jack’s relatives refusing to support an elderly man.

Global, disintegration of community support and emphasis of looking out for self.  Local promotes these social values for social stability (Look above again).  Sitch creates a new sense of what constitutes a family, by suggesting it moves beyond blood-relations to bonds between friends and communities (Link BP).  This gives the individual more security within their community.