Monkey Grip

Ken Cameron
Helen Garner

Danny Collins
Treisha Ghent
Patricia Lovell

David Gribble

David Huggett

Roadshow

  • 17 June 1982 (1982-06-17)

99 minutes

Australia

English

A$1 million[1]

Plot[edit]

Nora, a single-mother in her thirties living in Melbourne is engaged in an on-again off-again relationship with the heroin addict Javo, who can never quite decide whether he wants his freedom, or romantic commitment. The further their relationship progresses, the harder they find it to let go.

as Nora

Noni Hazlehurst

as Javo

Colin Friels

as Gracie

Alice Garner

as Willie

Harold Hopkins

as Lillian

Candy Raymond

as Clive

Michael Caton

Tim Burns as Martin

as Angela

Christina Amphlett

Don Miller-Robinson as Gerald

as Rita

Lisa Peers

as Eve

Cathy Downes

Justin Ridley as Roaster

Pearl Christie as Juliet

as Jessie

Vera Plevnik

Jamie Fonti as Ramondo

Production[edit]

Ken Cameron tried to get up a film version of Helen Garner's novel in early 1979 but could not raise the budget of $553,000.[4]


David Puttnam read the script and said the film "is a problem because it's an honourable, decent piece of material but a very difficult film to crack. I really like Ken Cameron, he's a good bloke, but it's a very difficult piece to do and I hope he pulls it off."[5]


Shooting was postponed until Patricia Lovell managed to get the money under 10BA tax regulations. However, by then costs had risen so much the film had to be made for $1 million. The film was shot in early 1981.[1] The story is set in Melbourne but only one week of filming took place there, with Sydney standing in for the location. The Fitzroy Pool was recreated in Sydney's Ryde pool. The iconic Deep Water Aqua Profonda sign, at the Fitzroy public swimming pool, was economically reused as the album cover in the film.


Scriptwriter/ producer Briann Kearney was Production Co-ordinator.[6]

Box office[edit]

Monkey Grip grossed $451,000 at the box office in Australia,[7] which is equivalent to $1,312,410 in 2009 dollars. However it struggled to find distribution overseas.[1]

Reception[edit]

The film received mixed reviews. Helen Garner, who wrote the novel upon which the film was based, had a problem with the casting of Colin Friels as a heroin addict. She stated: "I just can't believe they cast Colin Friels as the junkie. That was such a terrible mistake. He was so healthy, a great big bouncing muscly surfing guy".[8]

Home media[edit]

Umbrella Entertainment has released it in a three-disc DVD set with Puberty Blues and Dimboola.

at IMDb

Monkey Grip

at Oz Movies

Monkey Grip