TIM

"Itīs got a lot of much edges. But it was made with a lot of heart."

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Max and Riggs
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The Patriot
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We were soldiers
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TIM was based on an early novel by Colleen McCullough, writer of The Thorn Bird that had become an international bestseller. The film writer and director was Michael Pate.

Gibson fell into the role, when Pateīs son, Christopher, dropped out. However other young actors were called in to test. Mel, whose "Mad Max " had not yet been released, struck Michael as an affable but shy young man and the perfect Tim.

Gibson tried very hard to mould the character of Tim into something that he thought would appeal to everyone.

He made a special point of observing the behaviour of children and made low-key visit to mental institutions to help him understand the role more clearly.

Mel played a mentally retarded gardener who develops a relationship with a handsome woman Mary Horton (Piper Laurie) in her mid-forties. She helps to educate him and in so doing she comes to emotionally depend on Tim as much as he does on her, and their friendship deepens.

Shooting of the film was carried out mainly around the picturesque peninsula area, about 60km. North of Sidney. From the beginning Mel enjoyed a good reputation and exhibited a desire to learn and grow as an actor. Piper Laurie revealed many years later that at the time she believed Gibson was indeed destined to be a star.

The director was euphoric. He saw the modest budget of $400,000 as perfectly sufficient to make a film everyone would be proud of. "Tim will be a beautiful picture. It will look like we spent four or five million dollars.", he said.

The truth was that despite the happy atmosphere and Pateīs gushing enthusiasm, the film did reasonable business in Australia but totally failed at the all-important US box-office.

Still, TIM brought Gibson to the attention of the Australian Film Institute, which awarded him that yearīs Best Actor award (1979). He was also recognized with a special honour called the Sammy Award for Best New Talent.
"Iīve read the book and knew how I was going to attack it. It had to be pretty low-key. You can have a spastic-looking guy. It was more like childlike innocence and obedience."


  • Director.- Michael Pate
  • Producer.- Michael Pate
  • Screenplay.- Colleen McCullough
  • Photography.- Paul Onorato
  • Editor.- David Stiven
  • Cast: Mel Gibson, Piper Laurie, Alwyin Kurts, Pat Evison, Deborah Kennedy
  • Australia

"It wasnīt so much playing someone retarded but rather stressing the innocent aspect of it--as if he were someone normal who has a link missing somewhere. I couldnīt play him drooling. It would have been a turn-off."
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