Movies

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday February 25, 2008

Doug Anderson

Payback

(1997) Seven, noon

Various movies with this title come out from time to time and the good news is that this isn't the one with Mel Gibson, which so dreadfully traduced its progenitor, John Boorman's classic Point Blank, starring Lee Marvin. Seven's synopsis suggests it's a thriller involving a woman whose life becomes a nightmare when certain men, whose sworn duty is to protect and serve her, do just the opposite. Mary Tyler Moore features as restaurateur Kathryn Stanfill, who calls the cops one night after observing a suspicious man in a car outside her establishment. Could it be Gordon Ramsay? The cops duly arrive and give the bloke a bit of stick - literally. At an inquiry into this ill-disciplined behaviour, Sergeant Brian Kaleen is found guilty and his reaction is to make life hell for the woman whose call for help he answered so diligently.

Golden Chicken

(2002) SBS, 12.45am (Tue)

Half an hour into this film you'll probably wonder how an account of a Hong Kong prostitute's 30 years in the game could result in such a coy comedy. Chinese prostitutes are apparently known in the trade as chickens. In a profession with a limited life, the aptly named Kum (Sandra Ng) is - on the far side of 45 - no spring chicken. Having started work as a 15-year-old, her story emerges when the weary but effervescent sex worker and Bong, a would-be bandit, find themselves trapped overnight in the lobby of an arcade by a power failure. Resigned to a long wait, Kum regales Bong with anecdotes from her colourful career - from the shimmering heights of prosperity to the squalor of her present. Her story reflects the recent history of the city and her spirit says a lot about the resilience Hong Kong was obliged to embrace in its transition from British colony to financial hub of the People's Republic. Ng avoids stereotype by playing Kum with vigour and heart, but the film's promise isn't fully realised despite its attractions. A sequel, continuing the saga, emerged the following year.

Out Of The Ashes

(2003) Nine, noon

This is no ordinary Holocaust rakeover. It features a memorable performance from Christine Lahti as Dr Gisella Perl, a Hungarian doctor who is, with her entire family, rounded up by the Nazis and dispatched by boxcar to Auschwitz in 1944. Her choices are neither Sophie's nor Hobson's but she pledges to survive, inspiring other Jewish women in the camp to think of the future - notably Marta Weiss (Jessica Beitchman), who, in a post-war situation, is able to pay her back when US immigration officers are reluctant to grant Perl entry to America. This is a true story about an amazing woman and her dealings with Dr Mengele (Jonathan Cake). It was also the last film for Richard Crenna.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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