Heatwave

 (Australia)

By VARIETY STAFF

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Preston Crothers/M & L. Dir Phillip Noyce; Producer Hillary Linstead, Ross Matthews; Screenplay Marc Rosenberg, Phillip Noyce; Camera Vincent Monton; Editor John Scott; Music Cameron Allan Art Dir Ross Major
 
Judy Davis
Richard Moir
Chris Haywood
Bill Hunter
John Gregg
Anna Jemison
 

In his first feature film since the widely acclaimed Newsfront [1978] director Phillip Noyce projects Sydney as a cauldron in which hapless individuals are scalded by big business, organized crime, lawyers, police and journalists, working in an unholy alliance.

Noyce's chief protagonists are Richard Moir as a visionary young architect who has designed a $100 million residential complex, and Judy Davis as a radical activist in the forefront of the residents' resistance to its construction.

In part, pic takes on the trappings of the conventional mystery-thriller, pointing to a conspiracy involving the project's financial backer (Chris Haywood), his oily lawyer (John Gregg), Moir's boss (Bill Hunter), a journalist (John Meillon), and union official (Dennis Miller).

Davis, a formidable actress, wrestles with her ambiguous and enigmatic character, and does not quite jell. Moir, however, is a strong, sustaining force as the arrogant, moody, idealistic architect.

(Color) Available on VHS. Extract of a review from 1981. Running time: 93 MIN.