From Russia with laughs: Davis, Rush excellent in 'Revolution'

The words "communism" and "comedy" don't often appear in the same sentence. But "Children of the Revolution" is indeed a comedy about communism, and a surprisingly good one.

REVIEW
	Children of the Revolution 3 1/2 stars At the State Theater

Director and scriptwriter Peter Duncan has assembled a cast of all-star Australian actors. The movie begins in 1951, and Judy Davis stars as Joan, a woman furiously devoted to starting a communist revolution in Australia. She spends hours writing heartfelt letters to Josef Stalin (F. Murray Abraham), and the charmed dictator eventually invites her to Moscow. A red-hot night of passion ensues, leaving Joan pregnant and Stalin dead from overexertion.

Luckily, Joan's meek friend Zachary Welch (Geoffrey Rush) agrees to marry her, and young Joe grows up believing Welch is his father. Joe is raised to be a fervent communist, and his favorite game is pretending to be a political prisoner, with an obliging town police chief letting him stay in jail. (Joe's liking for handcuffs eventually results in marriage to a beautiful police officer). Despite the intermittent appearances of David Hoyle (Sam Neill), a Russian spy and Joan's ex-lover, the Welch family leads an idyllic life ... until Joe starts growing a mustache and leading workers' strikes, under the evil influence of Stalin's genes.

The movie is filmed in mock-documentary style, featuring interviews with "witnesses" and still photographs. The pace of the film slows toward its conclusion, and the ending seems somewhat anticlimactic. Still, the documentary technique is amusing, original and definitely holds the viewer's interest.

As might be expected, all three lead actors deliver superb performances. Davis's portrayal of Joan is humorous throughout the movie, particularly when she is forced to watch the downfall of the Soviet Union on television. ("McDonald's in Red Square!" she laments. "Ronald McDonald is the devil!") Rush and Neill, as Joan's love interests, are realistic and believable, yet always bring a touch of humor to their scenes.

Probably the most striking performance is that of Richard Roxburgh as Joe Welch. He transforms Joe from a handcuff-obsessed slacker to a ruthless Stalin lookalike, which is as unnerving to the audience as it is to Joe's family. It's true that Joe's personality change is a little too drastic to be realistic, but in the context of the film, but it is an entertaining plot development.

On the whole, "Children of the Revolution" is a funny and worthwhile film, despite occasional slowdowns in its plot. In a cinema universe filled with recycled sequels and derivative action films, this film features a truly original premise and first-rate actors. And besides, where else will audiences get the chance to see Stalin and his aides in an all-male kickline?

Judy Davis (top left) is romanced by Stalin (F. Murray Abraham, bottom) and Sam Neill (top right). What a combination.

Summer Orientation 1997