遥遥星期天 Sunday Too Far Away

A car crash and a few beers is enough to persuade gun shearer Foley (Jack Thompson) to sign up for a week＇s work with novice contractor and old mate Tim King (Max Cullen). Once they＇re at the station, however, King admits to selling him a pup: it＇s not a six-day job, it＇s six hard weeks.

Sharing a room with Old Garth (movingly played by Reg Lye), a pisspot drunk at death＇s door, Foley has plenty of opportunity to ponder his future but his competitive nature gets the better of him when he＇s drawn into a shearing competition by the taciturn Arthur Black (Peter Cummings).

Still one of the best films about men at work, Sunday Too Far Away is full of salty humour and wears its heart on its sleeve. Hannam＇s directing reflects his TV background but John Dingwall’s hard-boiled script is well served by the cast and cinematographer Geoff Burton captures the shearing shed action beautifully. The film went on to play at Cannes in the Director’s Fortnight and won the 1975 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Film.