People say that you have to travel to see the world. Sometimes, I think, if you stay in one place and keep your eyes open, you are going to see just about all you can handle."
So runs the introduction to "Smoke", a classic New York City movie about the allure of story-telling, the mysteries of people and the vagaries of fate. It could also be the introduction to "Pawno", a film that revolves around one day in the lives of twelve characters in the diverse and multicultural suburb of Footscray - are you listening, Des from Sunshine?
It reminds me of how much I had missed by not staying in one place and keeping my eyes open. Instead, I had travelled the world, watching all those foreign and exotic people as one watches a movie, while taking all my cues from those other monochrome expatriates around me.
Those monochrome expatriates were all professionals who'd never been inside a pawnshop. All they'd ever pawn would be their soul to the god of mammon. This film is about ordinary people, "a bag of allsorts" who visit a pawn-shop for a loan. It’s the real Australia I never got to know.
P.S. If you enjoy Australian movies, why not sign up with one or both of these facebook groups: Aussie Movie Favourites and Classic Australian TV & Movies.
