Film Review: The Sapphires (Four Aboriginal Girls)

The Sapphires
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The sapphires Review
The film in question is The Sapphires, which was released in the year 2012. This is an Australian film, about four Aboriginal girls; Gail, Julie, Kay and Cynthia. Acted in the 1960s, the girls go around signing in tatty bars, performing country and western music. It is a local talent content that they meet up with the next big break in the form of an Irishman that is chaotic and boozy, Chris O’Dowd. He is a talent scout and the minute he spots them on the stage, he feels that they so much potential that they are given credit for (Allreaders.com, 2017). However they need some work and they need to change the music that they have been performing to classic American soul. Chris turns the girls into stars, touring the US military bases in the Vietnam (Pow, 2012). The film is a comedy drama that is easy to watch and enjoy. It is one that could be classified as an over the top comedy. However, it is also important to note that the film also uses codes and conventions which relate to other genres such as, musical, history, social critique
The audience are guaranteed to be laughing, celebrating and crying for the achievements of the four women in the film. The film majors on two themes that is, family and belonging along with performance and identity. In reference to the family and belonging theme, the film focuses on the relationship that the girls share as they interact on and off the stage. This is a crucial part of the film as it brings out the element of a film that can be watched by a family setup. Where there is family drama and comedy, there is need for the director to ensure that the family theme and the sense of belonging are emphasized (Allreaders.com, 2017). This helps with the audience’s concentration, as most of the audience are looking for content that they can relate to and enjoy at the same time, without too much controversy. The film is able to reach out not just too the aboriginals but also the global community, with the unique blend of integration of the cultures and appreciation for the same through music and performances (Bradshaw, 2012). The sapphires also growth in confidence and experience. This is relative to the fact that they experience the element of escaping the limitations of Australian society and racism there in. The exuberant self-belief in talent and growth, they experience are all rooted in the way that the girls were nurtured in an environment that rich culturally in Cummeragunja mission. This brings out the theme on identity and performance. In reference to the latter, every other performance is uniquely presented. Every other performance is geared towards hinting at what is going in the girls’ lives. The themes are a reflection of the Australian struggles as the aboriginals tried to edge their way into bigger stakes I the country after being oppressed for years (Allreaders.com, 2017). They have now risen to achieve more than national status but international as well.
The main characters in the film are Chris O’Dowd who takes the part of Dave Lovelace Deborah Mailman as Gail, Jessica Mauboy takes on Julie’s character, Shari Sebbens is Kay and Miranda Tapsell as Cynthia. Dave is seen as the irresponsible alcoholic for a talent scout ("Characters", 2017). He had been a piano teacher in Australia before he meets the girls trying to make it in the field of music and performance. The other character is Gail McCrae, who is cast by Deborah Mailman. She is the eldest of the sisters and she tends to be the one making the main decisions in the group ("Characters", 2017). As such, she is seen to be protective and aggressive in the group. Jessica Mauboy as Julie McCrae, is the youngest of the group. She is seen to be quite uneasy with travelling through Vietnam at the time war. Earlier on her mother did not want her joining the group relative to her age but that did not stop her from being the star of the group. Shari Sebbens as Kay McCrae on the other hand is light skinned and grew up believing that she was white. Miranda Tapsell as Cynthia McCrae is the party girl of the group as she is full of life wherever she goes ("Characters", 2017).
The setting of the film is largely set in Australia in the 60s as it gives the historical elements of the time. This is relative to way that the aboriginals were being treated at the time. It bring out the way that the aboriginals rose above their standards within a society that was discriminative (Trinh, 2013).
The main segment of focus in the film is the time when Dave first meets the girls after they are done performing at the club. They are worked up about the kind of pay that they get from the gig, when Dave steps in with a promise of better things to come. At the point they are all conflicted in their interaction as they try to make out what it is that they could achieve (Hall, 2012). This is the segment that sets the rest of the film in motion. Much of what comes before this moment acts as a preparation for the break that then comes to the lives of the girls and Dave as well (Rumble, 2012).
There are number of reviews that point out the main elements of the movie among them. One of them is by Gabrielle Rumble who is a reviewer from ABC. This review points out that the film is an over the top comedy/musical/drama that leaves one laughing, celebrating and crying from the achievements of the aboriginal women. The other review is by A.O Scott of the New York Times, who points out that the story seems chaotic and the characters are broadly drawn (Scott, 2013). This is relative to the different characterizations such as, Cynthia being crazy Gail is bossy and Julie is a mother and has great talent. The review further points out that the reviews are emotional and also quite funny. Peter Travers from Rolling stones on the other hand points out that, the film is a blast of joy watching the girls move past discrimination (Travers, 2013).
Director-Wayne Blair
Producer-Rosemary Blight and Kylie Du Frense
Director photography-Warwick Thornton
Sound-Cezary Skubiszewski
Editor-Dany Cooper
Post production-Hopscotch Films ("Hopscotch Films 'The Sapphires' - Case Study | P4 Group", 2017)
The film has a number of strengths including the use of aboriginal camps from the 60s to some great effect. This shows the reality of the situation at the time. The film also uses the photos of the actual Sapphires at the end (Allreaders.com, 2017). Using the black and white footage also mimics the tragedies of the war with an authentic approach. The film was well received with rating such as 7.1/10 by IMDb, 91% by Rotten Tomatoes and 4.6/5 by Amazon.
MISE-EN-SCÈNE
The design of the image and movement within frame. The manipulation and articulation of space in a cinematic imagery, affecting the audience as they engage with and make meaning of the film.

CINEMATIC ELEMENT

SCENE EXAMPLE

MEANING

Shots
shot is one single take - set...