‘Doubt’ the best N.Z. film yet

Press, 22 September 1980, Page 12

‘Doubt’ the best N.Z. film yet

AT THE CINEMA

Hans Petrovic

On June 22, 1970, in the tiny South Auckland settlement of Pukekawa, Harvey and Jeanette Crewe were reported missing from their farmhouse.

This resulted in a murder investigation, indictment and double conviction, after two trials and appeals, of Arthur Allan Thomas for the killings. All this may be considered as history. Unfortunately, it is still incomplete history,

which has been made into a commercial and entertaining film. The case, “Beyond Reasonable Doubt’’ (Carlton), is still under investigation by a Commission of Inquiry; and the writer of the book and screenplay for the film (David Yallop) is still awaited by the investigation for his final testimony about the whole affair. Thank heaven, this is a review of the film and not the case. I could not help but question the motive for making and releasing this film at this time: cash in on a controversial issue. Nevertheless, “Beyond

Reasonable Doubt” possibly is the most professional,

well-paced and well-acted New Zealand contribution to film-making. David Hemmings portrays Inspector Hutton as a calculating villain, all the at lience’s sympathy is supposed to go towards the alleged culprit. Thomas’s parents visit him in jail while he is awaiting trial, and tire father tells him: “We’re gonna fight this, and on fighting Until we w I.” The rest of the case should be well enough known by those who care.

Anyway, the film was designed and made with overseas release in mind. Presumably. that is why the fairly well-known English actor, Hemmings, was chosen for the role of the detective in charge of the murder investigation.

Why was an Australian actor, John Hargreaves, chosen to play the part of Thomas? Was it solely “because he looks like him?” Hemmings is very good in his role, with a rough Kiwi accent which this formerly youthful and now jowly actor gives to his part. Hargreaves also is well cast, although he reminds me of an Antipodean version of Tony Curtis.

Technically and photographically, the film is first rate, except for much buzzing in the soundtrack (and original recording). The producer (John Barnett) told me on Friday that the film might be released in Australia at the beginning of next year. I believe it has a

good chance of being distributed even in places where they have never heard of Thomas and would consider the whole thing as a police thriller.

; at the Supreme Court, Barnett assured me that: “When approached, they just wanted to know what to do, and the family got to-

When questioned about the fact that Thomas’s brothers and sisters appear in the film scenes at the farm, searching the river and in the climactic scenes

■ gether and agreed to parties pate. “We didn’t go to the Crewe family and ask them '• if they wanted to be in it,’’ Barnett said.