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Enter filmmaker Brita McVeigh, who escorts a group of ageing hosties down memory lane in the documentary feature Coffee, Tea or Me? Kicking off in mid-sixties New Zealand, the film follows our merry band through the glory days of nights on the town in Honolulu to a protracted court battle in the name of equal opportunity. It’s a moderately engaging effort, but the second half is sacrificed to McVeigh’s agenda, and the worthiness of the issue can’t hide the fact that you feel like you’re watching a rather dry episode of Four Corners.

I can’t be certain, but I suspect that most of those present at the festival screening were primarily interested in receiving an insight into the evolution of the hostess trade from 1965 to the present day. It’s an unusual occupation, and for the first 45 minutes McVeigh does a fine job in coaxing amusing anecdotes from her subjects. You’ll learn about the requirements for the position in the days when anti-discrimination was nothing more than a word in a dictionary (no weight gain, single females only), thrill to torrid tales of carousing in foreign climes (the stories are actually rather tame, but it’s a delight to witness the joy the memories still bring to the faces of the middle-aged ladies those young girls became), and bear witness to some truly ludicrous uniforms that reveal just how much the times have definitely changed. Splicing static interviews with archival footage won’t win McVeigh any awards for innovation, but it’s a good-natured effort that raises a smile and passes the time with ease.

Unfortunately, just when you’re getting into the swing of things the film takes an abrupt and jarring detour into a long-running dispute over equal pay, anti-discrimination and sexual harassment. These are valid concerns, but the presentation works against the subject matter, resulting in a long and occasionally tedious examination of a struggle that is best recounted on the printed page. Black and white issues rarely lend themselves to a riveting narrative, and since the same battle was fought in practically any industry you care to name it’s difficult to muster the required level of righteous indignation.

The straightforward presentation and minimal budget means that the worth of Coffee, Tea or Me? will very much depend on your interest in the subject matter, and the absence of an overriding theme makes for a disconcertingly uneven experience. It’ll make for an entertaining hour on television, however, so I’d recommend holding out until the discerning lads at SBS procure it for your viewing pleasure.

link directly to this review at http://www.hollywoodbitchslap.com/review.php?movie=7882&reviewer=193
originally posted: 06/19/03 02:48:50
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