A young prisoner called Dale finds himself on remand at Her Majesty's Prison Pentridge . After assaulting a prison officer he finds himself sent to H wing where the guards take out a violent revenge against him
After enjoying the 1988 Australian prison drama GHOSTS OF THE CIVIL DEAD starring Dave Field I chanced upon this other Australian prison drama starring Dave Field . Perhaps " enjoyed " isn't the right word because that film was bleak and brutal but had enough dramatic impact to stay in the memory so much so you can't help thinking that it influenced Tom Fontana's OZ my all time favourite American show . Despite being 20 years old Every night does not have one single review apart from this one but that doesn't go for anything and obscurity doesn't equal bad on this website so there's always the chance of stumbling upon a lost masterpiece . After seeing it I'm sorry to report it's no masterpiece lost or otherwise
A caption at the start of the film tells us this is based on a true story and is dedicated to Christopher Dale Flannery someone I'd never heard of so decided to consult Wikipedia . Wow what a charmer Flannery was . Amongst the list of crimes that Flannery committed from this period was a charge of rape . You don't need me to tell you that sex offenders are at the bottom of the prison hierarchy and aren't in the running for a popularity contest . The makers of Every night are very vague at pointing out Flannery's long list of crimes but are very quick to point out that he's on remand and therefore innocent from a legal viewpoint . This is what doesn't add up because the story is set in the early 1970s and according to the Wikipedia Flannery was born in 1948 and at age 17 was sentenced to 7 years in jail so he would all ready be convicted at the chronological setting of this story
I'm guessing that this " artistic license " is done in order to point out that no matter what an individual does it doesn't equate with what the cruel crimes the system can inflict upon the individual ? The prison guards are of course evil fascists who just became prison officers to be given violent carte blanche . According to Wikipedia a beating handed out to Flannery that lasts three minutes in on screen real time lasted 7 hours in reality . Hmmm . Let me see . A boxing match lasting 12 rounds would last 36 minutes . We've all seen these supreme athletes being carried back to their corners exuasted after these fights and yet someone can endure a one sided beating with fists , boots and truncheons twelve times longer ? Pass me that Siberian salt mine please
This type of triumph of the human spirit has apparently led to the film winning a few minor independent film awards along with the technical aspects and certainly the black and white photography is one aspect the film succeeds in . However the audience are left with the impossible task to feel sympathy of a convicted career criminal if not to feel absolutely outraged on his behalf . Anyone who is guilty of rape deserves a daily kicking from the guards and other inmates all day every day
