A Matter of Convenience

1987 Australian film

1987 (1987)

CountryAustraliaLanguageEnglish

A Matter of Convenience is a 1987 Australian television film about a couple who resort to an arranged marriage as a means of trying to make an income. Ben Lewin won an AACTA Award for Best Direction in Television.

Plot

Velma (Deborra-Lee Furness) works in a butchers and wants a baby, but has no money. Her work shy partner Joe (John Clarke) is resistant to any kind of job. After meeting Alphonse Torontoa (Jean-Pierre Cassel), a Frenchman who arranges weddings for immigrants looking to stay in Australia, Velma becomes a witness to these marriages of convenience. After Joe's rejection of a job in the local chicken factory, she forces him to marry a Lebanese immigrant bride for money.

However Joe is forced to live with her because the officials become suspicious of Alphonse's arranged marriages. This separates Joe from Velma, causing strain to their relationship. Joe falls in love with the Lebanese woman, and things spiral out of control.^[1]

Cast

Deborra-Lee Furness as Valma
John Clarke as Joe McGuiness
Jean-Pierre Cassel as Alphonse Toronto
Mark Littie as Roger Purvis
Nico Lathouris as Tom Galacci
Kirk Alexander as Registrar 1
Peter Hosking as Registrar 2
George Kapiniaris as Immigration Officer
Reg Gorman as Repo Man
Peter Moon as Customer

Production

It was one of a series of TV movies that were made as a part of a co production deal between Revcom and ABC. Three were to be made in Australia, three in Europe with Australians; the common theme was to be "sentiment". (The other Australian movies were The Lizard King and Perhaps Love.) ^[2]

References

^ Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p106
^ Hooks, Barbara (30 July 1986). "ABC Signs drama deal with France, Italy". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 2.