This has been on my viewing radar for quite some years: probably since 2016 when I stumbled upon the soundtrack which is a favourite of mine.
Inspired by a true story, with the original play written by Tony Briggs, whose mother and aunt were two of the girl group in question. It's not entirely biographical, with some fictionalised characters and events.
The poster - and to a large extent the soundtrack - strongly suggest Dreamgirls Down Under (even down to the lead actresses in the respective film adaptions being alumnae of their country's version of Pop Idol). It does satisfy on that level, but there's so much more to the film than I'd expected.
With the white Irish guy managing the band and introducing them to soul music there's more than a hint of The Commitments. Then there's the tour of Vietnam which could conjure up any number of films with that backdrop (the entertainment angle reminded me of that bit in For The Boys where the older Dixie sang for the troops in Vietnam).
And of course there's the unmistakably gritty Australian tone. With The Sapphires being an Australian Aboriginal group, most interesting of all is the focus on civil rights. The film touches not just on the sometimes hostile reception they got due to their race, but also the wider concerns facing First Australians at the time and their horrific treatment from the Government. The film opens with some text giving us background:
It's important to note that the film is set in 1968, the year after the citizenship law changed, and a key year for civil rights, not least with the assassination of Martin Luther King - an event referenced in the film.
Some of the complexities of the racial politics are touched upon in the film, with one of the main characters being one of these fair-skinned children, struggling to reconnect with the family she's been raised to believe are the enemy. And the film shows that racial politics can run any way, from the black girls being called "monkeys" by white bar patrons as they perform, to the fair-skinned relative being called a "coconut" by her own cousin, lashing out in frustration and powerlessness. The law might be "fixed", but the consequences live on. It's a painful and charged topic, but rather than dwell on it, the film simply acknowledges it's there and continues on its way. There is a journey, but it's not anywhere near as heavy as one might expect given the opening text.
Indeed, if the film has a failing, it's that perhaps it does pull its punches a little when it comes to the heavier stuff. The Vietnam war background - while not without its moments - is perhaps not as horrific as it could have been. But then, perhaps that's simply because that's what I've come to expect from war films. This is a small part of that war seen mostly from the relatively safe (mostly) vantage point of people who have gone there to entertain rather than to fight. It could be argued that they saw plenty and the consequences - while not extreme - were enough. This is a fun musical after all, and it's impressive that the film includes these topics, honouring them without dwelling on or being defined by them.
There's a balance to be struck, and despite some of its themes, the film captures a sense of fun and magic and spirit. There are some hilarious lines, enjoyable dynamics and the songs range from beautiful and haunting to foot-tappingly energetic. The emphasis is mostly on the latter, giving this a real feel-good vibe. And it works. I'd happily watch it again, and I'm already revisiting the soundtrack.
