House of Bond (2017)

 

 

 

 

House of Bond – a miniseries in two parts – is a historical and biographical drama (based on a true story) which premiered on Australian television (the Nine Network) in 2017.

 

The topic is the rise and fall of the controversial and high-profile Australian businessman Alan Bond.

 

Here is some basic information about this drama:

 

** Director: Mark Joffe

** Writer: Sarah Smith

** Released on DVD in 2017

** Run time: 70 + 77 minutes = 147 minutes

 

The cast includes the following:

 

** Ben Mingay as Alan Bond (1938-2015)

** Adrienne Pickering as Eileen Hughes (born 1938) – Alan’s first wife (they were married 1955-1992)

** Rachael Taylor as Diana Bliss (1954-2012) – Alan’s second wife (they were married 1995-2012)

 

** Airlie Dodds as Susanne Bond (1960-2000) – daughter of Alan and Eileen

** Bill Young as Frank Bond – Alan’s father

** Anne Looby as Kethleen Bond – Alan’s mother

 

** Gyton Grantley as Peter Beckwith – Alan’s right-hand man

** Sam Neill as Roland “Tiny” Rowland (1917-1998) – a controversial and high-profile British businessman

** John McNeill as Sir Frank Packer (1906-1974) – an Australian media mogul

 

Since this drama is based on a true story, the basic facts are part of the public record. They are not a secret. Therefore I feel free to mention some of them in this review.

 

While this drama is based on a true story, it is not a documentary film. It is a dramatized version of events. Not everything happened as shown here. But the basic story is true.

 

As stated above, there are two episodes:

 

** Part one covers the time from 1955 to 1983

** Part two covers the time from 1983 to 2000

 

Alan and Eileen get married in 1955. They are both 17. Together they have four children: John, Craig, Susanne, and Jody.

 

In part one, we see how Alan and his team and his boat Australia II wins the prestigious award America’s Cup, the oldest trophy in international sport, which dates back to 1851. 

 

The year of the victory is 1983. 

 

It is the high point of Alan’s career.

 

In part two, we see how Alan continues to build his economic empire. We also see his downfall. In 1992 he is declared bankrupt. In 1996 he is accused of fraud. He is found guilty and has to spend four years in prison.

 

In the year 2000, he is released from prison. His second wife Diana is waiting for him when he leaves the prison. Now he must try to rebuild his life. They must try to rebuild their lives. 

 

This is where the story ends.

 

What do reviewers say about this drama? On IMDb it has a rating of 66 per cent, which corresponds to 3.3 stars on Amazon. This rating is not impressive.

 

If you ask me, it is too low. On the other hand, I cannot go all the way to the top, because there are some flaws. Let me explain:

 

# 1. The first seventeen and the last fifteen years of Alan’s life are not covered in this drama. Perhaps we do not need to see him as a teenager, but why are we not allowed to see what happens in the final part of his life?

 

# 2. Alan and Eileen have four children. In part one there are a few glimpses of them as children. But they are always in the background and they never say anything. The drama covers almost five decades and the children grow up, but we do not see them as adults.

 

Only one of the four children (Susanne) is seen as an adult. She appears only briefly in two scenes. And she does not say much. The other three children are not seen at all. They are not even mentioned!

 

Perhaps the screenwriter forgot about them? Or perhaps the director decided that it was too complicated to deal with four children? Whatever the reason, it seems an important aspect of Alan’s life is missing.

 

# 3. The real Eileen Bond (aka Red) described the drama as “appalling.” The Bond family issued a statement in which they said the drama was “inaccurate and sensationalized.” I do not know if these claims are justified or not.

 

The drama includes a scene in which Alan speaks very harshly to Eileen. According to the real Eileen, who is still alive, Alan never spoke to her in this way. Again, I cannot know if this claim is true or not.

 

To me, it is strange that the movie-makers decided to create this drama without consulting surviving members of the Bond family. If they had done this, they might have avoided such a conflict. They might have been able to reach a compromise; it might have been possible to create a drama which was truthful and at same time acceptable to the surviving members of the Bond family.

 

Certainly, Alan Bond’s life is so colourful, so eventful, and so unusual, that there is no need to add any fictional elements in order to catch the viewer’s attention.

 

# 4. At the end of the drama, during the final five minutes, the actor who plays Alan Bond suddenly starts to address the viewers. He is talking directly to us! 

 

This dramatic device - which is known as breaking the fourth wall - is rather surprising, because it has not been used before in the drama. It only happens during the final five minutes. Why this change of style?

 

This dramatic device is used with great effect in the television series House of Cards (the British version as well as the US version). In this case it works well, because it is done from time to time throughout the series, and it becomes a significant part of the style. But it is not something that should be introduced during the final five minutes of a movie!

 

I like this drama and I want to give it a good rating, but as you can see, there are some flaws which cannot be ignored. I have to remove one star because of these flaws. Therefore, I think it deserves a rating of four stars.

 

PS # 1. When the drama premiered on Australian television in April 2017, the number of viewers was less than one million. If an Australian program gets more than one million viewers, it is regarded as a success. But if a program falls below the one million mark, it is regarded as a failure.

 

Clearly, the timing was bad. Part one aired on the eve of Anzac Day. Part two on Anzac Day. If the network had aired the drama one week before or one week after this important day in Australian cultural life, it might have been able to attract more than one million viewers. Who chose these dates, 24 and 25 April? It was a most unfortunate decision!

 

# 2. If you like a historical and biographical drama about life in Australia, I think you will enjoy the following items. Each item is based on a true story:

 

** Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo (2011)

** Paper Giants: Magazine Wars (2013)

** Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch Story (2013)

** Howzat! Kerry Packer’s War (2012)

** The Devil's Dust (2012)

 

# 3. The following article is available online: Andrew Hornery, “The House of Bond miniseries ratings bomb: is this the end of the biopic?” Sydney Morning Herald, 27 April 2017.

 

*****

 

 

 Alan Bond (1938-2015)

*****