Some might find The Man Who Sued God audacious, perhaps sacrilegious, certainly rebellious. Most will find it very funny. Steve (scoffing, Anna laughing): “Huh! (then talking to his dog resting on the bow) Hey Arthur, how do you like the sound of that? Hanoi?” When Colin Friels appears in the opening phone conversation with Connolly, playing his brother, Joffe says people often note that Friels’ accent is good, but Joffe points out that Friels was actually born just outside Glasgow, and so could claim the status of a Scot.

c. 19’06” - when Connolly walks into the Law Society to become a lawyer again, Joffe recalls that over many years of development, there were various explanations of the character’s status as a lawyer, including that he’d been one in Vanuatu, but he thinks it was done better as a shorthand way of being a lawyer - a couple of looks in lawyerish surroundings, and then putting on his suit.For Joffe, the opportunity to bring his own take, taste and instincts to the film was a challenge he relished. “What is reflected in the film is the great joy of working on something that you really like rather than just taking a job for money or playing 'the director'.” Then there's the photography, the look of the film. There's an early storm scene which is a little disquieting as all really good storms should be and from then on we see cloud scenes that are entrancing. Stand-up comic-turned-actor Billy Connolly has played Her Majesty's servant in " Mrs Brown", and a messenger from God in " Gabriel & Me". Now he's suing the man upstairs for zapping his fishing boat with a bolt of lightning in Aussie comedy "The Man Who Sued God".

The only spoiler for me was the attempted Scottish accent from Colin Friels. And I couldn't quite figure out the plot twist that had two Scots sons following their father into the old established family law business but happening to be doing so in Sydney??? The film was very close to not being made, really close to not being made. We decided that it had to be made for a certain budget otherwise it wasn't going to be what we wanted it to be and you can only compromise so much. But somehow we got it together through the generosity of a lot of people whose effort and money will hopefully be repaid.” Jaffe notes that if you analysed specific aspects of Connolly’s character, he might not be someone you’d like to be with, and he thinks the most important contribution Connolly made to the role was to make the character likeable with his natural charm.Credits begin rolling up over the aerial wide shot of the bay, and the beach, the boat now in the far distance as it heads out to sea) The rainstorm was shot on the very last day - soon afterwards Sydney was enveloped in real bushfire smoke (as it often is, because it suffers from an inversion layer which traps smoke within its basin). Another year was spent developing the script with considerable input from Billy and Judy. “They both contributed an enormous amount to the screenplay - I’d say a lot more than actors normally would in the development of a screenplay - and I think that Mark would agree that their input has been absolutely invaluable. Judy changed her character quite radically and into a much more interesting, complex and humorous character than she was in the earlier draft,” Gannon says.

Bermagui Charter Services". Archived from the original on 12 October 2013 . Retrieved 12 October 2013. After working with various writers over the years, Joffe teamed up with producer Ben Gannon in the early '90s and ultimately sought out the collaboration of writer Don Watson. “We had worked with many different writers, all good ones, but all having very different takes on the concept. It wasn't until Don put it together with us that we felt it might finally get done,” says Joffe. Joffe jokes that there’s the odd line in the film that isn’t too kind to journalists, but ironically, at 17’13” we see a scene shot in the real then Fairfax (later Nine) headquarters in Sydney, publisher of the Sydney Morning Herald and Sun-Herald. For those who missed the many shots of a “7” in the coverage, Joffe notes that the TV sequence was shot inside and out of the channel 7 studios in Sydney. (Seven newsreaders are also featured in the film).

The Man Who Sued God

Billy Connolly stars as Steve Myers, bringing humour as well as the kind of depth and realness to his character with which he touched audiences around the world in Mrs Brown. Judy Davis is Anna Redmond, a well known but jaded media personality who inspires Steve to teach the insurance companies a lesson. Maggie Blincoas a Plaintiff: Blinco was still working into her eighties and was listed on Showcast, here, saved to WM here. Mark Jofee had worked with Ben Gannon on the television mini-series Shadow of the Cobra in 1987/88 and they were keen to work together again.

I can't imagine many Jews would be too pleased with the portrayal of the Rabbi "So, we just prove there is no God, ...who cares!" seems to be his attitude, but generally the film is pretty amusing with an interesting premise. According to Joffe, the opening sequence was filmed at Bermagui, where coincidentally he used to go for holidays for many years. After looking up and down Australia’s east coast, he felt it was a perfect setting for the film.Judy Davisas crusading journalist and eccentric Anna Redmond: Judy Davis’s wiki listing here is also detailed. Judy Davis lends her trademark intensity to her work in a film where nearly everyone seems to gel, even if Wendy Hughes as Jules seems forced in her performance. The ideas are lively if confused and there's a lovely surrealistic touch or two that gives this movie a depth far beyond comedy. Australian audiences more used to seeing Judy Davis in dramatic roles are in for a treat, explains Gannon, who also praises the exceptional ensemble cast for agreeing to take on supporting roles. THE MAN WHO SUED GOD is the first comedy Billy had acted in on film. Most comedians, he says, because they live a life of laughter also relish exploring the dark side of life. minutes in, with Davis and Connolly walking together down a tree-lined street and eating on the run, Joffe says it was shot in Kings Cross. They did a couple of takes, there was a huge storm, and then kept working after it went away.