Big Ideas (film)
| Big Ideas | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Mike Smith |
| Produced by |
Robert Bruning Adrienne Read |
| Written by | Peter Neale |
| Starring |
Justin Rosniak Gosia Dobrowolska Harold Hopkins |
Production company |
London Films |
Release date | 1993 |
Running time | 90 mins |
| Country |
Australia United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Big Ideas is a 1993 TV movie,[1] touted as "From the Producers of Blue Heelers".
Plot
Jimmy Kovak attends a Sydney public (State) school, and is falling behind in his studies, partly because of his love of soccer, and his part-time work producing compost from garbage he collects, and which he sells at a local hardware store.
His next door neighbor has an antipathy to the Kovaks, at least partly because of their nationality, and runs a spiteful campaign against the boy, resulting in confiscation of his compost bins, and other harassment.
His widowed mother is handicapped by her inability to recognize the Latin alphabet (presumably she can read Cyrillic perfectly), and is too embarrassed to seek help, so is forced to accept piece-work, sewing at slave wages. Financial relief comes in the form of Sam Stevens, who recognizes the boy's ingenuity and offers him a contract to invent a chicken feeder. Sam gives Jimmy some valuable lessons in planning and time management.
Jimmy is made aware of oil pollution from a nearby outfall, and with a team of fellow students investigates its source and photographs the culprit in the act. His teacher, Mr. Searle, accepts the report as their Social Studies homework.
His mother grows closer to Sam Stevens, and enrolls in an English reading course.
Cast
- Mr Searle Peter Kowitz
- Jimmy Kovak Justin Rosniak
- Ronnie Dixon Troy O'Hearn
- Ernesto Salvatore Coco
- Harry Adam Lloyd
- Ben Mario Gamma
- Van Peter Lu
- Noel Draper Paul Chubb
- Anna Kovak Gosia Dobrowolska
- Beth Draper Genevieve Lemon
- Mr. Galea Silvio Ofria
- Liz Dixon Glenda Linscott
- Maria Demetra Polycarpou
- Susie Peters Nicola Lester
- Mr. Hartley Bruce Venables
- Sam Stevens Harold Hopkins
- Mr. Tranh Xuan Mai
- FACS Woman Anna Hruby
- FACS Man William Usic
DVD
Flashback Entertainment has had copies for sale, rated PG (Adult Themes), but it is hard to see why. There is no Sex, Nudity, Violence, Gore, Profanity, Alcohol, Drugs, Smoking, Frightening or Intense Scenes. The "Adult Themes" are loyalty, the futility of retribution, cooperation, politeness, planning ...
References
- ↑ Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p14