The Journalist (1979 film)

The Journalist
Directed by	Michael Thornhill
Produced by	Pom Oliver
Written by	Michael Thornhill Edna Wilson
Starring	Jack Thompson Sam Neill
Cinematography	Don McAlpine
Edited by	Tim Welburn Ron Williams
Production company	FJ Promoters NSW Film Corporation
Distributed by	Roadshow
Release dates	22 November 1979
Running time	83 minutes
Country	Australia
Language	English
Budget	AU$400,000[1]
Box office	AU $52,000 (Australia)[2]

The Journalist is a 1979 Australian sex comedy about the romantic adventures of a journalist (Jack Thompson). It has the reputation as one of the worst Australian films of all time.^[3]

Plot

Journalist Simon Morris has trouble with his love life. He is separated from his wife Wendy and daughter Suzie and lives with his girlfriend Liz.

Production

Money came from Roadshow, who wanted Jack Thompson to play the lead, and the New South Wales Film Corporation. The shoot started January 1979 and went for four weeks.^[3]

Reception

The film was very poorly received critically and commercially. Thornhill:

The Journalist was a misfire completely and I think it was my fault entirely. We should never have had Jack Thompson. He was just miscast. He's not a comedian. He's a serious, solid actor. We should have had Sam Neill in the lead role and you would have had a debonair roue - it was meant to be a debonair roue. It was meant to be a piece of fluff, a piece of effervescent fluff that came out feeling like lard.^[4]

References

1. Keith Connor, "The Journalist", Australian Film 1978-92, Oxford Uni Press 1993 p34
2. "Australian Films at the Australian Box Office", Film Victoria accessed 24 October 2012
3. David Stratton, The Last New Wave, Angus and Robertson, 1979 p 92-95
4. Interview with Michael Thornhill, Signist, 2 November 1998 accessed 14 October 2012

External links

• The Journalist at Oz Movies
• The Journalist at IMDB
• The Journalist at National Film and Sound Archive