NFSA's Kodak/Atlab Cinema Collection: David Williamson's The Club

One of the key figures in the revival of Australian cinema in the 1970s was director Bruce Beresford. His film David Williamson's The Club may be a sports film in broad generic terms, but it is also a study of hierarchy – and the conflict within it. Ben Goldsmith offers an insightful study of how these elements are worked out in this adaptation of David Williamson's popular play, both in relation to the film's overall trajectory and to a detailed treatment of one important episode that shows director's and writer's skills at work in the new medium.

Additional keywords: football, team, Australia, Aussie Rules, AFL, Collingwood, Victoria Park, John Howard.