There’s a Fax from Bruce
Bruce Beresford & Sue Milliken
Currency Press; rrp: $29.99 PB; colour pic section; ISBN: 9781925005660
“Two of Australia’s most successful practitioners react with wry resignation,
indomitable fortitude, and high speed improvisation to get cameras rolling, as
deals collapse at the eleventh hour and stars go feral. Required reading if you
have any illusions about the glamour of film-making.” David Williamson
“I devoured this correspondence between Sue and Bruce. It has all the humor
and metaphors you could wish for in an intimate exchange about the angst of
ever getting a film made, anywhere, anytime.” Margaret Pomeranz
Who would have thought that faxes could be so expressive?
Receiving a fax from Bruce Beresford first thing in the morning generally guarantees a good start to the day.
No matter how serious the subject, or the enquiry, one can be sure it will be liberally laced with laconic or
sardonic wit and humor for the addressees eyes only. Sue Milliken’s responses are equally pithy and wryly
observant, says Anthony Buckley in his foreword.
There’s A Fax from Bruce is edited correspondence between Director Bruce Beresford and Producer Sue
Milliken from October 1989-March 1996. They worked together on a number of projects, some of which
never made it to the first day of filming, and stayed in touch by fax machine. As well as taking care of
professional business, the faxes are chock full of industry gossip and news, ruminations on books they had
read or films they had seen.
Most people think they have an idea about what movie making is all about but it’s harder than it looks. These
faxes reveal the background to how the industry works and the many uncertainties in getting a film up. It also
shows the relationship between the director and the producer – in this case, the effective working relationship
and enduring friendship between Bruce Beresford and Sue Milliken. The faxes have warmth and immediacy
that only comes from a genuine relationship.
There’s a Fax from Bruce is a fun, fascinating, informative and ultimately charming read. And yes, you may
wonder why they do it!
Available at all good bookstores and online