THE APPLETON LADIES’ POTATO RACE

Australia, 2023, 98 minutes, Colour.

Claire van der Boom, Katie Wall, Genevieve Lemon, Tiriel Mora, Robyn Nevin, Olivia Stambouliah, Andrew Ryan, Cecelia Peters, Maggie Dence, Darren Gilshanen. John Gaden.

Directed by Lynn Hegarty.

This is a pleasant piece of Australiana. It is based on a play by Melanie Tate, a play which focused on five women characters and their discussion about life in their town and issues of gender equality. While this core remains the same, the film opens out the action quite extensively, lots of location photography, a wider cast – and the cast are a very welcome assembly of quite a number of veteran Australian stars of stage and screen.

The film is based on a potato race in the southern Highlands of New South Wales country town of Robertson, the home of the playwright. And a lot of the film was filmed in these locations.

So, a lot of pictures of ordinary Australian life in the country. Also, the old traditions for country fairs and potato races. But, a key issue, the prize for the men in winning the race is far more than that allotted for the women. And a lot of satire on male chauvinism.

The sister of the local champion is visiting and takes up the cause, clashes with the men in the town, some sabotaging, and the raising of enough money to have an equal prize.

Easy entertainment but with that gender equality important issue.

1. The title and expectations? Based on a successful theatre play? Adapted for the screen by the writer?
2. The country town, the countryside, potato crops, homes, doctor’s surgery, meeting all, shops, the atmosphere? The musical score?
3. The annual festival, memory of the men working the potato feels, the origin of the race, Aunty Barb and her disguising herself as a man, the establishing of the women’s race? The family tradition, winning the races, Nikki and her 10 years of winning, the trophies?
4. Penny as the centre of the story, selling her home in Sydney, packing up, with Mabes, driving, arriving in Appleton, her having left home years before, to meet her family again, the relief practice, the encounter with Joan Bunyan and her strictness, the patients, her hoping to settle?
5. The family, Barb and Bob, bringing up Nikki and Penny, Nikki and her husband, Mark, his loss of job, drugs? Ethan, clumsy, his apprenticeship, Elliot, the gift of the guitar, his musical ambitions? The young baby? The irony of Mark being Joan Bunyan’s son? And the revelation of Gavin as Joan’s son? The party, rivalry between Nikki and Penny, the stoush with the cake? Indication of things to come?
6. Penny, the encounter with the doctor, his retirement, his training her, his story, his partner, living in the town, the gradual acceptance, revered? His advice for Penny, the scene with him on the horse, getting her to pat the horse and calm down?
7. The range of clients, knowing her from the past? Her friendliness?
8. Nicky, Barb training her for the race, her wanting to win the last one, turning 40? Difficulties at home, Mark and lack of a job, the drugs, the baby swallowing the drugs and Penny coming to the rescue? The rivalry between the two sisters, their perspectives on staying and leaving the town?
9. The issue of the race, the prize money for the race, $2000 for the men, $200 for the women? Penny, taking up the cause, going to the meeting of the committee, Joan and Barb the only ones present? Joan and his strictness with the rules, times, general business, Penny making her case? The decision to pursue it, preparing the posters, around the town, the money box, the collection, Miss Vaughan and her worry about cancer, her donation, feminist? The men and their hostility? Doorknocking, refusals?
10. The attitude of the men, the three Bobs, committee, but never going, the old Mann in the town and their memories, Gavin Bunyan as the spokesman for the chauvinist point of view, his harshness, threats to Penny? His speech at the general meeting, his stubbornness, at home with Mark and his mother, his mother’s exasperation? Sack of potatoes and his making the opening, causing the difficulty during the race? The later reprimand, and from his mother?
11. The radio announcer, the days before the race, keeping the population up-to-date?
12. Hostility towards Penny, people refusing to come for help, the effect on her?
13. Nickki’s 40^th birthday, the clash and truth telling between the two sisters, Mark and his affectionate speech and memories, Nikki overcome, leaving? Penny feeling very bad? Thinking to go back to the city?
14. Nikki and her attitude, not worrying about the money, the training? The news of the money, the meeting, $10,000, the many girls coming from round about to join in the race, the media coverage, the online campaign and its success, Elliot and Miriam and their work? Nickki as a hero to the young women, selfies?
15. The race itself, Penny deciding to run, the potatoes spilling, Penny falling, Nikki coming back and not winning, Miriam winning and the celebration, the two sisters reconciled, carrying the sack together and finishing the race? The family’s joy, Barb and Joan kicking the men out of the commentary box?
16. The importance of the issues about equality between men and women, the lack, Barb and her looking at the photos, preparing the collage of photos, the history of the race, her determination?
17. A pleasant piece of rural Australiana?