Cinema
Goodbye Pork Pie
Geoff Murphy · 1981
Synopsis
Gerry, nineteen, picks up a lost wallet in Kaitaia, at the far north of the country, and with it hires a yellow Mini. In Auckland, he takes on board John, whose partner Sue has just left him and who wants to win her back, at the far south, in Invercargill. They pick up a hitchhiker, Shirl, steal petrol and escape the police, who soon launch a manhunt against the “Blondini gang”, a nickname for Gerry; the country makes folk heroes of these fugitives.
Context
Filming lasted about six weeks, starting in November 1979, following the route of the story from Kaitaia to Invercargill, with twenty-four people in all; the police cars also served to carry the crew and for towing, and the director performed some of the stunts himself. Kelly Johnson plays Gerry, Tony Barry John, Claire Oberman Shirl. Released on 6 February 1981, the film earned 1.4 million New Zealand dollars on a budget of 350,000. Matt Murphy, the director's son, shot a remake, Pork Pie, released in 2017.
Who it is for
One hundred and five minutes, in English. The humour depends on the spoken language and on the sequence of places crossed, from one town to the next.
Prizes and reception
The first real financial success of modern New Zealand cinema, it proved that the country could make successful popular films.