Tim

Dir: Michael Pate

1979

****

Colleen McCullough is probably most remembered for her 1977 novel The Thorn Birds but many of her fans do credit her debut novel, Tim, as their favourite. Michael Pate certainly did, he first read the book in 1975 and within four years had bought the film rights, written a screenplay, cast the main characters and had wrapped production. Tim is the story of a developmentally impaired young gardener (often referred to as 'retarded' and 'not quite the full quid, such were the times) who forms a friendship with an older, middle-class lady called Mary. Mary is taken by Tim's kind nature and innocents and hires him on a full time basis and teaches him to read and write, and explains the workings of the world to him, all the things his parents didn't know how to cope with. Nothing about the relationship is sexual, although Mary's colleague and Tim's sister start to wonder. It's all rather innocent and all the better for it although it is fairly suggestive at times. Mel Gibson plays Tim in one of his earliest roles and the first half of the film sees him wearing the shortest shorts I have ever seen. One does wonder whether the story would have been as accepted had the main characters been a middle aged man and a simple young girl but I digress. Mary helps Tim develop and they both eventually marry. It's rather melodramatic at times and utterly unrealistic but it's also quite lovely at the same time. Mel Gibson is great as Tim and Piper Laurie is perfect as Mary. I think the film's real strength however is in the performances of Alwyn Kurts and Pat Evison who play Tim's parents Ron and Emily. The best scenes of the film involve both actors, they deliver their lines so perfectly, and it probably wouldn't have been much of a film without them. The film has a dream-like haze about it, perfect for the story and a must-have attribute for any great 70's melodrama and this is a great 70's melodrama.