Old, but good

Our rating:

Roger Donaldson is a hard guy to pin down. Just when you think you’ve got him pegged, he pulls out something completely different. I mean, after a commercial hit like Cocktail, who would have thought he would have made a small, personal film like Cadillac Man? And having made the robust The Recruit, who would have thought he’d follow it up with a film about an aging biker who refuses to accept the ravages of time? Well, he has – so welcome to The World’s Fastest Indian.

This gentle film is essentially about following your dreams – not exactly an original theme, you might think. But Donaldson’s sure-handed direction and tight script make this a refreshing film that entrances even if it doesn’t push any boundaries. Its real heart though is the indomitable character of real-life bike enthusiast Burt Munro.

When we first meet Burt (Anthony Hopkins), he’s a rather eccentric older bloke living in Invercargill, New Zealand. He treats his young neighbour Sam (Aaron Murphy) to seemingly wild stories as he works on his pride and joy, an old Indian motorcycle. But Burt has a very definite plan – to take his Indian to the world speed trials at Bonneville Flats in the US. With little more than a crate for his bike and a few bucks in his pockets, Burt sets out across the Pacific. Perhaps surprisingly, he finds friendship in the States – some unusual like the cross-dressing Tina Washington (Chris Williams); and some more conventional like experienced racer Jim (Christopher Lawford). But once at Bonneville, Burt strikes a seemingly insurmountable obstacle when the organisers rule him ineligible. But never underestimate what a combination of experience and guile can achieve.

This is an old-fashioned film in many ways. There’s barely a crude word in the whole film, includes a neat romantic sub-plot, and it certainly pushes many of the right emotional buttons. That makes it the kind of film that should appeal to a wide audience, although probably not in the lucrative teen demographic. Having said that, I’m sure that wasn’t high on Donaldson’s priority list when making the film.

The film is excellently shot by another Aussie in David Gribble, who makes excellent use of the sparse Bonneville landscape. The period (the early 1960s) is skilfully recreated; although it clearly lacks the lavishness of bigger-budget productions. Even so, the story doesn’t suffer for it.

As you might expect, the film’s lynchpin is Anthony Hopkins’ performance in the lead role. While Hopkins rarely fails to deliver in his performances, this one strikes just the right balance between naturalism and discipline. He certainly wins you over as Burt, and certainly dominates the film. He appears in just about every scene, and is never headed as the key focus of the movie. In that context, the supporting players barely get a look in; although Donaldson regular Christopher Lawford, Jessica Cauffield and young Aaron Murphy all make an impression.

The World’s Fastest Indian is one of those truth-is-stranger-than-fiction stories that tugs at the emotions and raises a wry smile. It’ll be a hard heart that won’t be unmoved by this film; and in an age when money seems to dominate a lot of filmmaking decisions, who can really ask for more?

David Edwards

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The World's Fastest Indian

Director: Roger Donaldson
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Aaron Murphy, Chris Williams and Christopher Lawford
Release: Nationally on 6 April 2006
Rated: PG