Director: Bill Bennett ("Kiss or Kill") Producers and Writers: Bill Bennett, Jennifer Bennett Director of Photography: Danny Ruhlmann Rufus Sewell: Mick Martin Donovan: Dr Philip Spence Maya Stange: Evelyn Spence Marshall Napier: Geoffrey Hallerton John Howard: Reverend Ian McGregor

It is set, and was shot on the Trobiand Islands of Papau New Guinea, and headed towards it are two newly wed anthropologists, one an acclaimed academic, the other a masters graduate with no practical experience.

It is the late 1930's and the couple Dr Philip Spence and Evelyn Spence (played by Martin Donovan and Maya Stange) are hoping to follow up the work of renowned anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski, investigating the sexual lives of the savages on the island.

Evelyn soon realises that her brilliant husband only requires her for typing his notes, and frustrated she begins research work of her own, talking with the women who play a key role in the society that she feels her husband is ignoring.

Adding to the friction of their relationship are the boundaries of custom, as well as the interference of the colonial chief Sir Geoffrey Hallerton, played by Marshall Napier, and the island missionary trying to civilise the island - Reverend Ian McGregor (John Howard).

The love story involves more than just the marital problems of the two anthropologists - enter the pearl trader, Mick, played by Rufus Sewell, who Philip naturally takes an immediate disliking to, and the triangle is complete.

"In a Savage Land" is beautifully shot - the use of hand-held cameras lends authenticity to the untouched nature of the island. The conflict between commercial, cultural and religious interferers and their inability to see their own folly is frustratingly real, except perhaps on the part of Mick who genuinely loves the island and would risk his life to protect it, as is proven when the Japanese attack at the outbreak of World War 2.

Bill Bennett co-wrote, produced and directed "In a Savage Land", and he says that the whole notion of sex and freedom within a primitive culture fascinated him, but after research he found it more complex with strict social and moral codes.

While on one hand, I think that Bill Bennett has successfully brought out the conflicts between civilised and supposedly uncivilised, cultural vs commercial exploitation, I do still feel that there was a voyeuristic aspect that wasn't satisfactorily dealt with, in terms of the foreigners coming to watch the native savages have sex.

Although that idea was investigated in the film sometimes with tragic consequences, I still felt uncomfortable with the invasion, particularly having read the background to the film. The cast and crew were housed on a cruise ship off the coast during the shoot, not because they didn't want to interfere with the culture, which they did quite extensively, but because it was felt that the island was not habitable.

It would be interesting to find out what the principle crew of Producers and Writers learnt about the culture, as their characters too were learning.

But perhaps I am not giving Bennett, who also made "Kiss or Kill" and "Spider and Rose", and his partner and co-writer, Jennifer Bennett credit. The performances of the cast, particularly those of Mick (Rufus Sewell) and Evelyn (Maya Stange) are very impressive. The cinematography is stunning by Danny Ruhlmann, he has carefully avoided the use of a cliched South Pacific paradise, and has brought out the richness and colour of the society and environment.

I think I enjoyed the film, it was difficult to gauge. As a love story it definitely works. As an investigation of an unknown society, by the curious and/or corrupt, I think that despite my doubts about the film's origin, it is successful.

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