Saturday 2 September 2017

From the Archive - Brian Kavanagh recalls producing his film MAYBE THIS TIME (Chris McGill, 1980) (From a Facebook post)

Editor’s note: Brian Kavanagh is a veteran of the Australian film industry. He directed A City’s Child (1971), Double Deal (1983) and Departure (1986). He edited The Naked Bunyip, Libido. The Devil’s Playground, The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, Long Weekend, The Odd Angry Shot, Frog Dreaming, Going Sane, Frauds and more. In more recent times he has authored a very popular series of detective stories featuring his amateur sleuth Belinda Lawrence. This memoir first appeared on Brian’s Facebook page.

I was sifting through some of my film memorabilia and came across this title. I recall at the time, I was producing the film in Sydney, and the Director and I were sifting through actors to cast in the various roles. One actor we wanted to see was performing in a theatre, and we decided to go that evening and see the performance. 

We set off after work with the intention of eating at a Chinese restaurant which we knew was near the theatre, having been there before. So we arrived at the office building where the restaurant was on the ground floor. In earnest conversation regarding the soon to be shot film, we climbed the steps to the front door, to be greeted by a severe and suspicious Chinese gentleman. His uneasiness at our arrival I put down to the possibility that he somehow knew we were in the film business and likely to do a runner. My smile did little to erase this hypothesis, and he barred the door. "What do you want?" he demanded in tones that were distinctly unfriendly. Thinking this was a boorish attitude for a Maître d’, my smile increased and I cheerily replied, "We've come for dinner."There was a strained silence.What we didn't know was the restaurant had been closed, and the entire building was now The Consulate-General of The People's Republic of China In Sydney.We ate Italian.


Hugo Weaving (l), Judy Morris (r), Maybe This Time
The film Maybe This Time, starred Judy Morris with an early appearance of Hugo Weaving. 



Nine AFI Nominations. 

Best Supporting Actress: Jill Perryman.









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