The Journalist (1979 film)
# The Journalist (1979 film)

The Journalist is a 1979 Australian sex comedy about the romantic adventures of a journalist (Jack Thompson). It has the reputation as one of the worst Australian films of all time.

## Plot

Journalist Simon Morris has trouble with his love life. He is separated from his wife Wendy and daughter Suzie and lives with his girlfriend Liz.

## Cast

* Jack Thompson as Simon Morris
* Sam Neill as Rex
* Elizabeth Alexander as Liz Corbett
* Carol Raye as Maggie
* Bud Tingwell as Sid Mitchell
* Penne Hackforth-Jones as Gillie Griffiths
* Frank Wilson as Vic Parson

## Production

Money came from Roadshow, who wanted Jack Thompson to play the lead, and the New South Wales Film Corporation. The shoot started January 1979 and went for four weeks.

## Reception

The film was very poorly received critically and commercially. Thornhill:

   The Journalist was a misfire completely and I think it was my fault entirely. We should never have had Jack Thompson. He was just miscast. He's not a comedian. He's a serious, solid actor. We should have had Sam Neill in the lead role and you would have had a debonair roue - it was meant to be a debonair roue. It was meant to be a piece of fluff, a piece of effervescent fluff that came out feeling like lard.

Robert Macklin wrote a novelisation of the script for $5,000.

