“We knew very early that Rhys was perfect for Danny. He loved the screenplay and after meeting with Jeff, decided he really wanted to be part of it.” Andrew Mason PRODUCER “I couldn’t really picture anybody at all in the role until the happy day when Rhys was suggested. There’s no one on earth who could play the part better." Jeff Balsmeyer DIRECTOR “It’s such a beautiful story with almost fairytale, mythical elements, but applied to real people. It’s simple but inspiring and I was intrigued from the moment I read it.” Rhys Ifans DANNY MORGAN “ Miranda has a real spark. In many of her other films I had seen Miranda play darker, moodier roles. But as Glenda she has such a freshness,earthiness and radiance. She and Rhys worked so well together , and it was an absolute delight to watch their on-screen romance blossom”. Jeff Balsmeyer DIRECTOR “I think Jeff wrote a really great character in Trudy or Trudee as her number plate says. She leapt off the page and screamed out at me! She really was a joy." Justine clarke TRUDY DUNPHY

"This had such a truly wonderful and bizarre event that also allowed the central character to go off and do something extraordinary. It was really quite irresistible.” Andrew Mason PRODUCER “I’ve always loved Australian films so I was very happy to be in one. I had a fantastic time. I didn’t feel that far from home really – I’ve got as many ancestors in Australia as I have in Wales!” Rhys Ifans DANNY MORGAN “’The other Rhys’, as the poor guy kept being called, is a terrific actor and he made so much fun out of his role as the opportunist journalist." Andrew Mason PRODUCER "Everyone was constantly reminding me how many different parts we had – but the film really needs to be rich in characters and that’s part of its attraction. And they were all so great! Jeff Balsmeyer DIRECTOR

At A Glance Aussie comedy it seems is sweeping the world and "Danny Deckchair" will no doubt add further to our reputation for producing entertaining, loveable films chock a block full of our own style of humour. Not that "Danny Deckchair" is all comedy for this is also a film about discovering what's important in life. Danny Morgan [Rhys Ifans] is another of those likeable aussie lads from suburbia who has his own distinct outlook on life. He appears to have everything to make a bloke happy. He shares a house with girlfriend Trudy, has plenty of mates and he's a blue collar worker. Life is pretty simple for him except when he finds himself cooped up at home. It's then he becomes restless and terminally bored. If there's one thing Danny loves it's camping, but lets face it, who takes their sleeping bag, tent and cooking stove with them on a plane when they go camping. As his best friend points out, normal people get off the plane and stay in hotels. So how does an aussie film about a dinkum aussie bloke end up with a Welsh actor cast in its lead male role? “I couldn’t really picture anybody at all in the role until the happy day when Rhys was suggested," says Director Jeff Balsmeyer, adding "There’s no one on earth who could play the part better. Danny’s character needed a certain innocence, a kind of capacity for wonder, and Rhys has that in ways I’ve never seen before." So was there a problem with the accent? Ifans puts that down to dialogue coach Claire Crowthers. “I can’t listen to tapes. I need a face to hear a sound and Claire was truly a great dialect coach," he said. "Living in Sydney and working with an Australian crew was of course a great help as well.” And how did Ifans picture Danny? : “It would have been easy to play Danny as a reckless fool because of the things he does," Ifans explained. "I realized what I had to address with the character was that he’s someone who’s trying to hang on to his soul and he realizes that that’s what’s most important in life. Sometimes to address that we have to take extreme measures and that’s exactly what Danny does.” While "Danny DeckChair" is quite funny it's also very romantic. I mean ladies, go on, admit it, Rhys Ifans is pretty good looking and guys, there's nothing wrong with Mirranda Otto either. They team up very well. It helped that both stars had worked together before on "Human Nature". “I really loved the way Rhys worked and the person he was,” Otto says. “At the end of that film I was very keen to work with him again. When the opportunity presented itself I jumped at it.” Even though Mirrandas character is perceived spinster who also happens to be the towns parking inspector? “I think the people in the town where Glenda lives see her as the rotten parking cop who hands out tickets and think she’s a bit of a spinster. But underneath she’s got a vivid imagination and a wicked sense of humour and that’s something Danny brings out in her," she said. She is a little reserved when it comes to commiting to a guy isn't she and she's obviously been down that track before? “I first related more to the idea of the love story between the two. Glenda’s relationship with Danny and those first stages of being in love with someone, followed by the uncertainty and fear of it letting yourself go and then worrying that you‘ve gone too far," she said. "Those various stages at the beginning of the relationship were what interested me.” Mirranda and Rhys certainly have a chemistry going and it starts with a dance sequence at the local ball. Both had danced together in "Human Nature". The question was had Ifans dancing improved? “'Human Nature' was a very different film," offerd Rhys, "but the one thing the two films have in common is a dancing scene. Miranda and I danced in “Human Nature” and we have a big dancing scene in Danny Deckchair. Miranda very kindly told me I’d come on leaps and bounds since “Human Nature”. I think I was quite a dangerous dancer back then!”, he said. There are 180 speaking parts in "Danny Deckchair" and many wonderful characters including Dannys girlfriend Trudy who is played by the delightful Justine Clarke. “I think Jeff wrote a really great character in Trudy or Trudee as her number plate says. She leapt off the page and screamed out at me! She really was a joy," enthused Clarke. "Trudy has probably had her horoscope worked out and decided that a career is a really good option for her. She’s found ambition a little later in life and boy is she loving every minute of it! She’s popular and she’s hard-working and by God she’s always right!" And did you do any research on her chosen vocation in the real estate industry? "I did a bit of research and met quite a few Trudy’s in the real estate world," she said. "Because she’s bold and she does what makes her feel good all the time, she doesn’t really think about the consequences or the effect on Danny, from whom she’s really growing apart. She was quite something really and just so much fun to play. I had a ball.” Perhaps that is a good note to finish on because "Danny Deckchair" is a ball and most viewers will have a ball following the story that unfolds around a stunt gone wrong. The Story All Danny wants is to spend his holiday camping but girlfriend Trudy has put a halt on that. She wants to sell high profile television presenter Sandy Upton some real estate. Trudys told Danny her boss has headed interstate on a mercy dash so the planned camping holiday is off. When Danny finds out it's all bullshit he's not impressed. When he sees Trudy with Upton he's really pissed. He decides to show her what he's got. At a BBQ he gets his mates to tie helium inflated advertising ballons to his deck chair. The plan is to head into the blue, then snip a few balloons and return safely to earth. But a big gust of wind sees him depart without his shears. At the mercy of a huge thunderstorm Danny disappears off the radar.He's blown north until, high above the little town of Clarence he is brought crashing to earth by a fireworks from the local Macadamia Festival. He crudely crash lands in the back yard of local parking inspector and town spinster Glenda Lake. Life is about to change for Danny the daredevil balloonist and sticker licker Glenda. But for how long? The Verdict "Another likeable aussie film. With plenty of laughs, romance and madcap antics to keep viewers entertained throughout its 100 minute run time, "Danny Deckchair" will sit well wth its audiences. One of the most delightful aussie films of late. A fun experience." The Cast

Rhys Ifans Mirranda Otto Justine Clarke Rhys Muldoon John Batchelor Alan Flower Jules Sobato Brian Langworth Steven Rassios Madeleine James Jane Ruggiero Gina Bortolin Duncan Young Gary Scott Dina Gillespie Rod Zuanic Ross Pirrelli Victoria Nucifora Gyton Grantley Amie McKenna Colin Angus Danny Nash Anthony Phelan Frank Magree

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Danny Morgan Glenda Lake Trudy Dunphy Sandy Upman Pete Ray Vitali Kate Real Estate Agent Real Estate Agent Real Estate Woman Donna Helen Costas Phil Stubbs Party Shop Assistant Kaz Bob Young Bobby Young Lisa Stuey Tina Elderly Neighbour Air Traffic Controller Jim Craig Sergeant Dave

The Crew Directed by Jeff Balsmeyer Written by Jeff Balsmeyer Produced by Andrew Mason Executive Producers Howard Baldwin/Karen Baldwin & William J Immerman Director of photography Martin McGrath Co-Producer Lizzie Bryant Production designer Kim Buddee Editor Suresh Ayyar Run Time 100 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright © 2003 - 20th Century Fox - All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2003 - Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved