Love story and more

Press, 31 March 1980, Page 16

Love story and more

AT THE CINEMA

Hans Petrovic

“ ‘Sons for the Return Home’ is basically a love story but when you sit down and think about it, the film is more than that: “The film is a statement on cultural and racial relationships, and what it is basically saying is most important to nte.” This k the description of “Sons for the Return Home” (Westend) by its ■ Samoan leading actor, Uelese Petaia, and sums up the spirit and the point of the film very well.

As a love story, .this one has nothing new to offer in the plot since caveman first clobbered some eagerly waiting maiden with a club and dragged her off to his cave. In this one, boy meets girl and they fall deeply in love; but this is automatically doomed by irreconcilable family differences—his .side is Samoan and coloured, hers is white and (worst of all) rich.

This film deals fairly and almost unflinchingly .with the racial and cultural differences between, the-two families—-who become known as the coconuts and the palagi (pakeha). Produced and directed by the award-winning Wellington film - maker, Paul Maunder, “Sons for the Return Home” is based on a novel of the same name by Albert. Wendt.

The author is part Samoan, part German, and was educated both at high school and university in New Zealand (as is- the hero of the film). Wendt is. now' setting ■up an extension of the Univensity of the South Pacific in Samoa. ; - 7

Possibly one of the most honest comments/,to make about the film is to say that it helps to have read the book. This is because of the continuous use of flashbacks, which can become slightly unsettling. In one scene, the hero, Sione, is brooding in his Samoan hotel room about his lost love, only to have his mother walk in, in a scene set back in Wellington. Otherwise, the use of flashbacks, as in the novel, can be straightforward and effective. ’ ' -

However, in the initial scene, the heroine (Fiona Walker as Sarah) is seen in

what turns out to be a London pub (what has that got to do with anything?); followed by a rapid switch to Sione on his x return visit to i Samoa, where things are not quire as idyllic as his mother had painted them.

: What is well handled is the carefully detailed obser« vation of the various Scenes — be they in New Zealand or Samoa.

These rich scenes cover , everything from the lovers’ meeting at .the university cafeteria, to well-to-do ' palagi parties, a Maori' party, the embarrassment of an atheist-returned son .visiting a Samoan church, the enforced scrubbing of the foot-path-by Sione in preparation

for/Sarah’s first visit to his family’s Wellington ~ home, and the killing of a pig. . - Much more edifying is the scene in the headmaster’s office-as the young-Sione translates for his parents the praise for his. being the first Samoan ;.to pass school cer-t tificate.

On the other- hand, at Sione’s first meeting with Sarah’s parents, the fathdr treats us to an unpleasant story ■ about the Samoans being, the \first to invent .germ./ warfare (which was not..in?the-book). Tlie .plot. and the actork battle on bravely. :

Notable is Petaia, as the hero. in his first film role. Goodsl’ookihg ahd possessing a certain physibal grace, he is bound to be seen more in the future. y

Fiona Lindsay also comes across very believably, while Moira Walker gives an almost’intimidating perform? ance-as Sione’s mother, She is not new to films, having first appeared in them about 25 years ago with Gary Cooper in “Return .to Paradise.” ; ■ .

Over-all, I find for the Return Home” an - important.- and well \ hand led contribution to the devel® oping New Zealand film in< dustry. >