Children of Revolution

Director: Peter Duncan

Overview

This Australian film goes back and forth between the 1950's and 1990's. Politician Joe Welch is having some serious difficulties, for which he blames his mother. We learn why in a series of flashbacks that show that Joe's mother Joan had a brief fling with Joseph Stalin.

Product Details

Release Date:	05/17/2011
UPC:	0031398138440
Original Release:	1996
Source:	Miramax Lionsgate
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:40:00
Sales rank:	38,642

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Judy Davis	Joan Fraser
Sam Neill	David Hoyle (Nine)
F. Murray Abraham	Joseph Stalin
Richard Roxburgh	Joe Welch
Geoffrey Rush	Zachary Welch
Rachel Griffiths	Anna
Russell Kiefel	Barry
John Gaden	Wilke
Ben McIvor	Young Joe
Marshall Napier	Brendan Shaw
Ken Radley	Bernard Shaw
Fiona Press	Mavis
Alex Menglet	Yuri
Rowan Woods	Colin Slansky
Harold Hopkins	Police Commissioner
Heather Mitchell	Mrs. Savage
Paul Livingston	Beria
Stephen Abbott	Malenkov
Dennis Watkins	Khrushchev
Ron Haddrick	Allan Miles
Barry Langrishe	Ted
Robbie McGregor	Minister
Roy Billing	Police Sergeant

Technical Credits

Tristram Miall	Producer
Liz Mullinar	Casting

Scene Index

Side #1 --
1. A Discreet Revolution? [6:12]
2. Letters to Uncle Joe [6:33]
3. An Invitation [5:44]
4. Dinner With Uncle Joe [6:35]
5. Stalin's Demise [6:17]
6. A Job Offer [4:49]
7. Little Joe [8:17]
8. Time to March [4:10]
9. Under Arrest [3:42]
10. The Pork Sword [8:18]
11. Joe's Father? [5:58]
12. Finding His Niche [6:42]
13. Tough Times [8:29]
14. A Bloddy Nice Person [4:57]
15. The Truth Comes Out [10:10]
16. End Credits [3:48]

Menu

Side #1 --
Scene Selection
Set Up
Spoken Languages
Spoken Languages: English
Spoken Languages: Spanish
Captions & Subtitles
Captions & Subtitles: English for the Hearing Impaired
Captions & Subtitles: Spanish
Captions & Subtitles: None
Sneak Peeks
Miramax New Golden Age
Country Life
Cosi
Celebrity
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Editorial Reviews

Actor Peter Duncan's first film as a writer/director is a quirky satire that proceeds from a hilarious premise (Joseph Stalin died in the act of impregnating a young Australian communist) and carries off the consequences of that one-night stand with panache. Much credit should go to Judy Davis, whose ability to play intelligent but emotionally flawed women is unmatched among contemporary actresses. Her Joan Fraser is fanatically devoted both to the cause of communism (even as it is clearly fading from the world stage in her middle age) and the product of that liaison, Joe Welch. The tension between Joe and his mother, who realizes too late that she should have told him of his patrimony, is nicely played for both laughs and pathos. Sam Neill, as an agent shadowing Joan and Joe for 40 years, and Geoffrey Rush, as Joe's patient stepfather, are solid in support, but the film's real discovery is Rachel Griffiths. As a policewoman whose clashes with the youthful Joe at political demonstrations lead to a sexual relationship involving handcuffs, Griffiths comes on as a younger version of Davis, a promise that has been fulfilled in subsequent roles, especially that of Brenda in the HBO series Six Feet Under.