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Tim (film)
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Wikipedia article
'Tim' is a 1979 Australian romantic drama film written and directed by Michael Pate and starring Piper Laurie, Mel Gibson, Alwyn Kurts, Pat Evison, and Deborah Kennedy. It was based on the 1974 novel of the same name by Colleen McCullough.
Plot
'Tim' is the story of the developing relationship between an older, educated and wealthy American woman, Mary Horton who lives on her own and a handsome, developmentally impaired 24-year-old builder's labourer, Tim Melville, whom she hires. Tim lives with his sister, Dawnie, who is a year older than he is, and their parents Ron and Emily. Dawnie marries her boyfriend, Mick Harrington. Dawnie and Mick make clear they dislike Mary and oppose her relationship with Tim, but do not state their reason for feeling that way. Tim eventually marries Mary.
Production
Michael Pate first read the book in 1975 and was immediately taken by it. He optioned the screen rights to the book, wrote the screenplay, and decided to direct.Peter Beilby & Scott Murray, "Michael Pate", 'Cinema Papers', MayJune 1979 p347-349, 401
Pate wanted the female lead played by an international actor and spoke with Deborah Kerr, Jean Simmons and Glenda Jackson. Jackson was interested but was not available until 1982 so Piper Laurie was cast instead.
Funding came from the Australian Film Commission, the NSW Film Corporation, Greater Union and Channel Nine.
Filming
Filming took six weeks in August and September 1978.Release
'Tim' was released in Sydney on 21 September 1979; with the premiere on 13 July 1979 at GUO's Russell Cinemas, Melbourne.
In an interview with the Sun-Herald on 20 September 1979, Pate said that the film had run for 12 weeks in Sydney.[https://www.ozmovies.com.au/movie/tim Oz movies] | Tim (1979)
On 1 April 1979, the Australian Classification Board announced that the film would receive a PG certificate rating.[http://www.classification.gov.au/Pages/View.aspx?sid=qGgbpfSqiiI7S%252fXD1jIhhA%253d%253d&ncdctx=x4PN9zVTcQcQSLcCUa6UN7up53US03mrbu1gcqX0brdIhwqf3pH0wEiPVY3KVDph TIM(35MM)] | Review Public Exhibition The film was originally released in the U.S. on 17 September 1981.
Home media
The film has been available in many markets, with it originally released on VHS and then on DVD. When released on home media in 1984, it was given a PG classification. It was first released in Australia on DVD in 2003 by Magna Pacific with an extra feature of an eighteen-minute interview with the director. A 30th Anniversary Edition DVD was released in the United States in 2009 by Peace Arch Trinity. In May 2011, Germany released it on Blu-ray Disc with little bonus material.Reception
The film was one of Gibson's first roles, and was moderately successful in Australia, earning Gibson an award at the 21st Australian Film Institute Awards for Best Actor. Kurts and Evison also won Best Supporting Actor and Actress awards respectively.
Box office
'Tim' grossed $809,000 at the box office in Australia,[http://film.vic.gov.au/resources/documents/AA4_Aust_Box_office_report.pdf 'Film Victoria Australian Films at the Australian Box Office'] which is equivalent to $3,163,190 in 2009 dollars.Critical response
William Thomas of 'Empire' gave 'Tim' 4 out of 5 stars, highly praising Gibsons role stating that "Gibson sensitively portrays Tim without resorting to the usual facial tics associated with this type of role, and, even when a romance begins to develop between the pair, the film rarely slides into clich." Vincent Canby of 'The New York Times' gave it a mixed review saying "'Tim' is the sort of movie that poses a question not likely to be raised by anyone you know: Can a beautiful, 40-ish woman, who is successful in business and remarkably stable in her emotional life, find happiness with a handsome young man, approximately half her age, who hasn't - as he puts it - a full quid?" He summed up the film with "Considering the patent sillinesses of the material, Miss Laurie and Mr. Gibson do very well, and the supporting performers, especially Mr. Kurts, are fine."Accolades
Remake
The film was remade for American television as 'Mary and Tim' in 1996, starring Candice Bergen and Tom McCarthy in the lead roles.
See also
*Cinema of Australia
*Tim (novel)
References
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