Malpractice (film)

Malpractice
Directed byBill Bennett
Written byBill Bennett
Produced byTristram Miall
Bruce Moir
StarringCaz Lederman
CinematographySteve Arnold
Edited byDenise Hunter
Production
company
Release dates
  • 1989 (1989) (Cannes)
  • 12 September 1990 (1990-09-12) (Australia)
Running time
94 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
Budget$900,000[1]

Malpractice is a 1989 Australian drama film directed by Bill Bennett. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival.[2][1]

Plot

A child is born with brain damage and the mother decides to sue the doctor for malpractice.[3]

Cast

Production

The movie was one of a series of drama documentaries produced at Film Australia for the Nine Network dealing with social issues. It was filmed using hand held cameras. The actors improvised their parts based on detailed research and had real people in supporting roles as professionals,[4][5] Bennett says the making of the film was extremely emotional and it remains one of his favourite films.[6]

Reception

Marke Andrews of the Vancouver Sun gave it 4 stars and says "Bennett never manipulates our emotions with melodrama; the sight of a tiny infant going into a brain scan machine is devastating enough."[7]

References

  1. ^ a b Childs, Kevin (25 May 1989), "Aussie smiles at Cannes", The Age
  2. ^ "Festival de Cannes: Malpractice". festival-cannes.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2009.
  3. ^ Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p103
  4. ^ Schembri, Jim (6 September 1990), "Trauma of a nightmare birth", The Age
  5. ^ David Stratton, The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry, Pan MacMillan, 1990 p211-212
  6. ^ "Interview with Bill Bennett", Signet, 11 April 1996 Archived 8 December 2012 at archive.today accessed 17 November 2012
  7. ^ Andrews, Marke (8 December 1989), "Trauma of a nightmare birth", The Vancouver Sun


Stub icon

This article about an independent drama film is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Stub icon

This article related to an Australian film of the 1980s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.