Film Catalogue - Palm Beach Pictures

Credits

Emoh Ruo

SYNOPSIS

Nothing and no one is safe in this biting satire of the trials and tribulations of young marrieds buying their first home. "Emoh Ruo" takes direct aim at the financial institutions, builders, furniture salesmen, television commercials and almost any other of the many sharks in our society who lie in waiting, ready to help eager young couples commit economic suicide for their little piece of Australia.

"Emoh Ruo" is the story of the Tunkley family. Terry cleans houses for a living - but what she'd really like is a house of her own. Her husband Des is quite content to go on living in a caravan.

Terry spots an advertisement for 'The Buckingham', a low-budget project home. For Terri it's love at first sight but it isn't till she reveals the depth of her desperation that Des relents and sells his boat so they'll have enough for the deposit.

Excitedly they move to the outskirts of Sydney to begin their new life but they soon discover the dream can turn into a nightmare.

"Producer David Elfick has adroitly packaged EMOH RUO as a kind of "Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House" for the 80s, at the same time giving a big opportunity to various first-timers, including director Denny Lawrence, writers David Poltorak and Paul Leadon and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie; all acquit themselves well.

There are bright comedy ideas a-plenty here, but below the surface there's also an all-too-familiar everyday tragedy of a couple financially out of its depth...

It should have local audiences chuckling happily and find off-shore audiences too in countries where the trials of owning your first home are equally overwhelming. The lasting impact of EMOH RUO may well be in its introduction of fresh new actors...

Joy Smithers combines looks and charisma with deft comic timing and she positively shines out of the screen. Martin Sacks makes Des a likeably human character. Also worth noting is young Jack Ellis (son of writers Bob Ellis and Anne Brooksbank), a natural child actor."
Variety
David Stratton, Film Critic

STARRING

JOY SMITHERS - Terry Tunkley
MARTIN SACKS - Des Tunkley
JACK ELLIS - Jack Tunkley
PHILIP QUAST - Les Tunkley
LOUISE LE MAY - Helen Tunkley
MAX PHIPPS - Sam Tregado
BILL YOUNG - Wally Wombat

CREW

DIRECTOR - Denny Lawrence
PRODUCER - David Elfick
SCRIPTWRITERS - Paul Leadon, David Poltorak

MAKE ENQUIRY