Hunger (1986 film)

This article is about the Australian film. For the Egyptian film, see The Hunger (1986 film).

Hunger is a 1986 Australian TV film about a Romanian refugee who settles in Australia.^[1]

Hunger
Written by	Louis Nowra
Directed by	Stephen Wallace
Starring	Brendan Higgins Melita Jurisic
Music by	Nathan Waks
Country of origin	Australia
Original language	English
Production
Producer	Jan Chapman
Cinematography	Julian Penney
Editor	William Russo
Running time	90 mins
Production company	ABC
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	10 October 1986 (1986-10-10)

Plot summary

Cast

• Brendan Higgins as Michael Radulesco
• Melita Jurisic as Ileana Radulesco
• Paul Chubb as Caffrey
• Cathy Downes as Sue Saunders
• John Bell as Romanian Consul
• Briony Behets as Mrs. Levey

Production

Louis Nowra wrote the film for Jan Chapman following their successful collaboration on Displaced Persons. He says the subject matter was close to Chapman's heart, and the producer thought it would be a romantic story. However the more research Nowra did, the less romantic he felt the story was and he had a deal of trouble writing it as a love story. He felt swamped with the research and did not like the real life men on whom the story was based. Nowra was not satisfied with the final script, although he said the director did the best he could. Nowra also plays a support role.^[2]

Reception

Anna Murdoch of the Age writes "HUNGER, the telemovie written by Louis Nowra, never realises it's promise as powerful drama. It should have done so, for the subject is powerful - a young Romanian on a hunger strike to get his wife out to Australia."^[3] In the Sydney Morning Herald Chris Purcell says "Hunger is a very good film. Higgins and Jurisic play their roles with plenty of style, working with a strong supporting cast that includes John Bell and Briony Behets."^[4] Mark Mordue, also in the Sydney Morning Herald, states "Hunger is another significant triumph in this Jan Chapman-produced series of Australian telemovies."^[5] A capsual review in the same masthead gives it two stars (out of 4) calling it "Another quality ABC telemovie."^[6]

References

1. Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p83
2. Interview with Louis Nowra at Lumina accessed 11 March 2014
3. Murdoch, Anna (9 October 1986), "Starved of appeal", The Age
4. Purcell, Chris (5 October 1986), "Love is the food to satisfy Hunger", The Sydney Morning Herald
5. Mordue, Mark (6 October 1986), "Romainia: one an's search for freedom dramatised", The Sydney Morning Herald
6. "This week's film - Guide run-down", The Sydney Morning Herald, 6 October 1986

External links

• Hunger at Peter Malone site
• Hunger at IMDb