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Tim

  • 1979
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 49m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
3.9K
YOUR RATING
Mel Gibson and Piper Laurie in Tim (1979)
DramaRomance

A somewhat mentally handicapped 20-year-old man works as a laborer, but everyone abuses his naiveté. A nice 40-year-old American woman hires him one day and they become close. However, the t... Read allA somewhat mentally handicapped 20-year-old man works as a laborer, but everyone abuses his naiveté. A nice 40-year-old American woman hires him one day and they become close. However, the town and his family see her as predatory.A somewhat mentally handicapped 20-year-old man works as a laborer, but everyone abuses his naiveté. A nice 40-year-old American woman hires him one day and they become close. However, the town and his family see her as predatory.

  • Director
    • Michael Pate
  • Writers
    • Colleen McCullough
    • Michael Pate
  • Stars
    • Piper Laurie
    • Mel Gibson
    • Alwyn Kurts
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    3.9K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Michael Pate
    • Writers
      • Colleen McCullough
      • Michael Pate
    • Stars
      • Piper Laurie
      • Mel Gibson
      • Alwyn Kurts
    • 66User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 wins total

    Photos58

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    Top cast22

    Edit
    Piper Laurie
    Piper Laurie
    • Mary Horton
    Mel Gibson
    Mel Gibson
    • Tim Melville
    Alwyn Kurts
    Alwyn Kurts
    • Ron Melville
    Pat Evison
    • Em Melville
    Peter Gwynne
    • Tom Ainsley
    Deborah Kennedy
    Deborah Kennedy
    • Dawnie Melville
    David Foster
    • Mick Harrington
    Michael Caulfield
    • John Martinson
    Margo Lee
    Margo Lee
    • Mrs. Harrington
    James Condon
    • Mr. Harrington
    Brenda Senders
    • Mrs. Parker
    Kevin Leslie
    • Curly
    Allan Penney
    • Mr. Thompson
    Brian Barrie
    • Dr. Perkins
    Geoff Usher
    • Minister
    Bill Charlton
    • Builder
    Sheila McGuire Taylor
    • Celebrant
    Doris Goddard
    Doris Goddard
    • Maud
    • Director
      • Michael Pate
    • Writers
      • Colleen McCullough
      • Michael Pate
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews66

    6.43.8K
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    Featured reviews

    9omid_pachino

    Love between a simple-minded guy & a lovely older woman!

    I just watched this movie because of Mel Gibson,not hoping to see a great movie,but contrary to my foregone conclusion I find this movie meaningful and absorbing.

    This movie is the 3rd movie in which Mel Gibson starred & was made in Australia.All the actors did they job very well.

    As I mentioned this movie is about a simpleminded bloke who his job is cleaning up people's houses.One day he meets an older woman named Mary and she asks her to clean up his garden there the story begins.Mary sympathize with the illiterate Tim(Gibson) and starts teaching him.Therefore,she sees Tim a lot and they begin to feel for each other.Meanwhile Tim's sister who is getting married,starts worrying and Tim's mother death somehow makes the situation even more complicated....

    I recommend this movie to those who love great stories and are in mood for artistic movies.
    10TomColeman

    One of My Top Ten

    Caught this film on cable, late night, a few years back. No idea what to expect, just wasn't ready to go to bed. By the time it ended, it was in my Top 10 of all time. Certainly the lowest budgeted film (accounting for inflation, anyway) on that list.

    Gibson was terrific, capturing a handicapped young man perfectly. But, hey, the entire cast was great, especially Awyn Kurts as Tim's father. And, after appreciating Piper Laurie for years and years, that night I fell in love with her.

    I've never seen such a "tight" little film. I doubt that there were more than 12 seconds of even semi-wasted frames. Michael Pate did an amazing job.
    9Atrebor

    Tim, a moving tale

    I found it a moving story of love and innocence on the one hand and ignorance, prejudice and bigotry on the other. All the actors from Piper Laurie and Mel Gibson to the Australian actors who played the deeply loving parents and the bigot sister and husband were simply great. I have rarely seen Mel Gibson acting better after this movie. Compliments for the director. The most wonderful but also saddest thing about this movie was that Gibson grew from an almost tabula rasa mind to a person with more grasp of what the world is about. Thanks to the loving guidance of Laurie he learned to read and appreciate art and music. But it also lead him to understand more of the complexity and sometimes ugliness of people. I would love to see it again. Even though I have seen it twice . Of course looking at a young and beautiful Mel Gibson does not hurt.
    peterhkenny

    "Tim" is a little gem - sincere. real, beautifully-acted unlikely love

    MovieAddict2005 painted a very cruel picture of a very sensitive picture.. Mel Gibson's feeling for the not-too-bright, but likable character Tim was a great tribute to the all-round acting talent of a man too easily typecast as an action actor. Piper Laurie was as ever a joy to watch in the difficult part of "the older woman" and endured ageism , (possibly exhibited a little by MovieAddict2005) with dignity, as did Gibson's character against narrow-minded people who are more "retarded" than he is..

    The growing love between them - which came from nowhere, as it should -was as beautiful and real as acting can get.

    If the overall production was modest, that's OK. Hollywood is not necessarily the best presenter of simple yet complex human conflict and pain.Australian movies, as shown by such as "Mariel's Wedding" (yes, I know about the spelling) have moved on since the uncomfortable silences of the wooden TV series "Spy Force" and the sheer embarrassment of the "cult" "The Outback"

    The Yahoo Movies (sorry!) review described "Tim" as "superb". Rightly Though I dislike numeric ratings, I was asked for one - I gave 7/10. If this sounds low, I'd give the marvellous "The Elephant Man" only 9, even though it has the most moving moment in movie history - the close-up of Anthony Hopkins' face when he realises Merrick could read. You could feel the tears in his eyes as they came to your own. "Tim"'s close-ups could not hope to match this, but they were quietly stunning

    No film has ever got 10 - perfection doesn't exist. I would score even Citizen Kane, the greatest of all, 9.5. But "Tim" gets 9/10 for sincerity
    enbrower

    Simply beautiful and sensitive

    The film Tim is one of the most sensitive acting jobs I have seen Mel Gibson do. It is so unusual that a young actor can play a mentally slow young man so well. He gives us insight into the world of feelings of his character with his voice, body language, and facial expression in a way that makes each moment come alive. He is truly living his character. Piper,(Mary), also plays her role with all the care and sensitivity it needs. The story of the growing friendship between the two makes for more of a poem than a movie. A true love story, regardless of age and handycaps. And Tim's parents are well acted and believable. The harsh note of realism comes in the form of Tim's sister who only sees the oddness of it. However, magic prevails and a delicate love story is born. I wish it had been longer to further develop their lives. I also wish Mel Gibson would return more often to his ability to portray sensitive men with such truth.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When Piper Laurie's character comes outside to read whilst Tim is working in the yard, the book she is reading is "The Thorn Birds", written by Colleen McCullough, the same author as "Tim". When Tim joins her for tea he asks if the book is any good, and she responds that it is very interesting. Several years later, Piper Laurie had a role in the TV miniseries that was made out of The Thorn Birds.
    • Goofs
      The boom and the shadow of the boom operator follow Mary out of her kitchen in the bottom right of the screen at the beginning of the film.
    • Quotes

      Tim Melville: You told me that one day I would be so happy that I'd cry

    • Connections
      Featured in Mel Gibson: The High Octane Birth of a Superstar (2002)

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    FAQ17

    • How long is Tim?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 13, 1979 (Australia)
    • Country of origin
      • Australia
    • Official site
      • Watch on Pave TV
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Tim - Kann das Liebe sein?
    • Filming locations
      • Palm Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia(beach scenes)
    • Production companies
      • Pisces Productions
      • Australian Film Commission
      • Greater Union Organisation (GUO)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 49m(109 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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