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Untold Stories
FILMINK speaks to director Marc Gracie about the Aussie drama The Tumbler which delves into the curious corners of Australian history.
"We so rarely look at our own history, especially in storytelling terms," says filmmaker Marc Gracie. But in The Tumbler - a fortified Australian drama starring a formidable Gary Sweet - Gracie has done just that. He and writer Chris Thompson shine a light into the more curious corners of Australian history to mine a rich, almost fable-like source of true stories. With these, they tell a compelling, contemporary tale that's woven into current world events. "Most Australians just don't know this stuff," says Gracie. "One of the great things about this story is that all the facts are facts!"
To talk too much about the historical threads would spoil The Tumbler's surprises, but some relate to Lasseter's Reef - a Powerball-worthy deposit of lost Outback gold - as well as the policies of the Menzies' government. But Private Jen O'Leary (Australian actress Louise Crawford), an American soldier stationed in Australia, brings an international element into play, as does Afghani-Australian Tahir (Hazem Shammas) as he and Hurtle Hamilton (Sweet) go searching for history's hidden gold in Central Australia. It all adds up to an impressive piece of storytelling, amongst the strongest homegrown narrative seen for some time.
Shot in Broken Hill on a low budget over a mere fifteen days, The Tumbler, says Gracie, "was a difficult project", adding that his work - particularly this film - "sits in a difficult position in the context of the Australian film industry." The director goes on to explain, "I am trying to achieve a piece that has both an international yet parochial effect. I think the film achieves its international/Australian story because the themes of war and betrayal are universal, yet the social-political notions of how our country treats, and has been treated, through those themes is unique."
The film focuses on four characters, with Sweet's Hamilton - a safecracker seeking gold - stealing the show. "He is impressive," agrees Gracie, "especially considering the limited shooting schedule. Gary was the first person we sent the script to. He read it straight away and committed the next day. It is such a strong leading role and it appealed to Gary's ability to portray conflicted maleness through exterior strength but inward turmoil. Gary is a true screen actor. We have few in our country, and it was a joy to work with him because of the small, yet powerful emotions he would bring to the character. I was very lucky having him there and he inspired the other actors whom had little experience in front of the camera."
With its stunning desert landscape, the film looks incredible and there's no hint that this was made with limited time and money. "We were trying to achieve a model that would create an entertaining, interesting film with good production values that had the ability to sell across many platforms for a long time.
"Post production was very important on The Tumbler," Gracie continues. "I went through many cuts, changed around timelines and experimented in focusing less or more on particular themes, storylines and messages."
Gracie, who previously worked on TV's Jimeoin and Full Frontal, plus helmed 2005's You & Your Stupid Mate, says that although he's an experienced filmmaker, he worked to break his "habits" on The Tumbler. "Using digital cameras allowed us to move fast," he adds, "and I had to have complete trust in my instincts. So using the feel of the location, my personal feelings about the [subject matter] and trusting the talents of my cast and crew were essential.
"I found that I wanted use the actors' faces, the location, the design and the photography to say as much as the words," he concludes.
The Tumbler is released in cinemas September 2.