Like Father, Like Son

“Both David and Peter Helfgott create odd and unusual ways to cope with their problems and in that way their relationship as father and son is shown clearly.” This is how I ended my most recent post. I know that. So if you’re going to comment, which no one ever does, please don’t comment about that. I just find it interesting that David and Peter have absolutely nothing in common. Peter is extremely rough around the edges as well as inside them. There is nothing soft or comforting about him, except maybe his voice, but even when he speaks softly, I can feel his anger. On the complete opposite side of the sensitivity spectrum is his son David. Geoffry Rush did an amazing job with this character and beautifully portrayed his soft-as-a-lamb personality. He never sees anyone in a bad light, always looks for the best despite living through such horrific conditions and does his bet to open up to everyone he meets. Take his first encounter with Gillian for example. He knows nothing about her and the only thing she knows about him is that he has just been jumping on a trampelene, his face covered in sunblock, his ears dawning a tape player and his body adorning nothing more than a free-flowing, open trenchcoat. Despite all the possibilities for this relationship to be a sour one, David makes her fall in love with him, just because of who he was. Back to my original comment though. Peter used his fierce anger to hide away his awful memories of being a Holocaust survivor while David hides behind a stutter and child-like innocence to displace his fear for his father. Both Helfgott men use devices to cast away their most deeply rooted feelings. Because nothing else shows that they truly are father and son, the way they deal with problems and stress is the only thing that they have in common.