Warm Nights on a Slow Moving Train

Based on an idea by director Bob Ellis, producer Patrick Juillet and Denny Lawrence, the narrative for this Australian film centers on Jenny Nicholson aka The Girl (Wendy Hughes), a Melbourne Catholic school art teacher who subsidises her income by working as a prostitute on the weekend train to Sydney. Jenny rationalises the activity as a means to finance the supply of morphine to her disabled athlete brother Brian (Lewis Fitz-Gerald) but she also sees what she does as a social service, to `increase happiness' of `potential murderers'. However Jenny's quest is challenged when she meets The Man (Colin Friels) who seduces her so that she will murder for him.

Although Hughes isn't the prostitute type, there is fun to be had in observing her sociopathic reactions to each man she chooses, as well as in her changing hairstyles, speech and manner. She is funniest with The Singer (Steve J Spears), passive with Brian, and the most relaxed with The Man, who gets the worst of Ellis' reknowned brand of ennui eg `Everyone seeks a system of belief and everyone has to believe their system of belief is correct', and `In a reasonable society, no man should be held responsible in law for what happens after 3 a.m.'.The Man also gets to quote Robert Frost and has a laugh line in that his target for assassination `has a publicised fondness for trains'. The `warm nights' of the title refers to both Jenny's adventures and Brian's situation, where he describes an overdose of morphine as the same, whilst Jenny's train room being the `Judy Garland suite' isn't as funny as intended. In spite of an indeterminate accent, Friels is extraordinarily sexy, and director Ellis creates suspense in the moment where a poison device cannot be disposed of, and skill in his use of montage.

This movie offers extremely poignant perspectives on the human condition.

We follow the prostitute (played by Wendy Highes), as she works to supply drugs to her brother (very codependent relationship).

Within the self-sacrificing martyr's life that she has chosen (mostly, it appears, as a heroic loyalty for her family) we sympathize with her position because of the way the movie is portrayed.

We are shown the fear of letting her brother go, that she endures.

Enough of that though. The movie is hilarious. The beginning scene in a parlor-car carriage of a train at night, features dialogue between two fascinating characters in almost Quentin Tarantino'esqe pulp.

Upon first watch of this movie, the shades of moderate pathological narcissism (of the woman whoring herself) are unidentifiable in this scene.

Then as the movie gradually moves, we begin to see her ploys adapted to manipulate men. Whats more, the movie progresses in such a way so that because we are being gradually introduced more and more into her daily reality (caring for her brother, teaching, etc); the culmination of her expressing her opinion (that she is actually providing male clients with a worthwhile and much- needed service) never seems audacious.

I am not sure whether the intentions of the producers were to portray this girl in such a light, but her sociopathic rationale never seems sociopathic because of it. Indeed we see that it would take someone with her problems to behave in that way.

From the moments of communion in church; being binded from a long-term emotionally supportive romantic partner (as opposed to just sex); the effort she puts into 'rescuing' her emotionally and physically crippled brother; being a beautiful woman - more often-than-not in the sack with wrinkly, sweaty, drunken and sometimes obnoxious old men - who gets abandoned and used by one of if not the only 'handsome' man in the movie.

Not only is this a very human movie, but it is done in a way that people young and old can absorb and understand it's symbolic eulogies of human doings and happenings (maybe this is due to Peter Sullivan's exquisitely mellow soundtrack that relaxes the deep substance a little).

As an added bonus it is extremely entertaining.

I recommend that this movie needs to be watched many times over a lengthy period, to truly absorb its humanity, its message, it's genius.

SYNOPSIS: An Australian art teacher at a catholic girls school moonlights as a prostitute on a regular cross country train trip.

CONCEPT IN RELATION TO THE VIEWER: The secret lives of others. The things we have to do in order to make ends meet and the things we do for emotional love as well as physical love. The Woman (as she is known in the film, her name is never mentioned) has many motivations in this film, some monetary, some compassionate, some adventurous. The backdrop of a train rushing through the countryside with a mix of souls thrown together gives the sense of immediacy and living for the moment. Once they exit the train, all is forgotten and it is back to the reality of the world. However, in this film, the Woman eventually gives into temptation in hopes of finding the better life that has eluded her, against her better judgment.

PROS AND CONS: Wendy Hughes plays the Woman and she is pretty captivating in the role. She lends a sense of pathos and subtle pain to the woman that makes the same trip over and over, touching on the lives of others for a brief moment in time. The viewer gets the sense that she doesn't enjoy what she is doing, but sacrifices have to be made in life. Her changing hairstyles are interesting and she becomes a different woman each time she rides the rails.

It is interesting how each encounter is a small relationship that is crafted by the Woman. She is almost more of a therapist to these men than a simple sex object. But the breakup at the end is usually painful because they don't want to let her go. The Woman knows how to spot and manipulate troubled men. Men in need of something more than sex. They have their momentary sexual thrill and the chance to have someone really listen to their problems and are then cast off by the Woman before any real emotional bond can develop.

Because of this, there is an air of tension and sadness in the main character since she knows that each tryst will end with rejection and emotional pain. After the courtship in the club car, there is always the whispered phrase in the passageway "I do this for money". Later, in the Woman's private cabin, when it is all over, the Woman's face goes blank as she utters the words, "You have to go." Despite all the trappings of intimacy, it is only a business.

A low budget film that is an intimate and soul searching drama. Well acted and simple in style. It relies on the screenplay and emotions of the characters to move the story forward. Basic film making as it should be. This is a human story that the viewer can relate to. There are some unpredictable moments at the end and you won't see them coming or know the whole story until the film is over. Overall an enjoyable film.

Unbelievably tedious movie. Colin Friels as a sex object?? I don't think so. And the men that pay to have sex with Hughes would pretty much have to pay to have sex with anyone. She a bit dull, and the dialog is inane to the point of tedium; but the train steward adds a lovely touch of melancholy to the piece. The ending is so dull though, that you wonder why you even bothered.

Oh, well, here's why:

Lewis Fitz-Gerald is brilliant. Dark and disturbing, the movie only gets interesting when he shows up. He's mastered the challenging physicality of the crippled brother, as well as the psychological damage that losing everything does to a person, and lays it all out for the audience in less than 10 minutes total screen time. Sadly, none of the other actors can compete.

This review is based on Memory, We saw it somewhere in the 1990's Mainly because of Colin Friels & Wendy Hughes. We had seen both in other films & came across this one in a Blockbuster type store.

The basic story is intriguing to say the least.

I do not know if this ever had a US theatrical or TV release, it sure should have, The story was interesting & with an unusual plot. The acting was first rate.

With this film & a few other Australian made movies has made the land down under recognizable. There film Industry is to be commended on the fine films they have made over the years. This was just one of them

I highly recommend searching for it the next time you are in a video store. You will not be disappointed.