''Midnite Spares'' is a 1983 Australian

action film Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life ...

starring Gia Carides, James Laurie, Max Cullen,

Graeme Blundell Graeme Blundell (born 7 August 1945) is an Australian actor, director, producer, writer, playwright, lyricist and biographer Early life Blundell was born on 7 April 1945 in Melbourne; he grew up in the suburb of Clifton Hill. He was educated a ...

Bruce Spence Bruce Spence (born 17 September 1945) is a New Zealand–Australian actor. Spence has amassed over 100 film and television credits and has also acted in theatre. Biography Spence won an AFI Award for Best Actor for his role in the 1971 comedy ...

David Argue David J. Argue (born 1959) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his role as Snowy in ''Gallipoli'' as well as the lead role in the 1993 film ''Hercules Returns'' and Dicko in the 1983 film ''Razorback''. Filmography Films Television ...

and Jonathan Coleman.

Plot

Steve Hall (James Laurie) is a young sprintcar driver from Toowoomba who has returned home to

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

to team up with his dad Ted and his business partner Tomas (Max Cullen) in their towing and panel beating business "T&T Towing", as well as to team up with his dad who is also a Sprintcar driver at the local speedway. He arrives to find his dad has mysteriously disappeared and Tomas is being pressured to be part of an illegal "chop shop" ring. After continuing to resist joining the ring, Tomas is set up and painfully discovers (having his arm broken by a tyre iron) the group of car thieves involved in "midnite spares" (the stealing and chopping of cars to send interstate) were responsible for Ted's untimely death. The thieves are headed by bent

Police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...

Detective Howard (

Tony Barry Tony Barry (28 August 1941 – 21 December 2022) was an Australian actor and activist best known for his television and film roles. Personal life Barry was born in Ipswich, Queensland, on 28 August 1941. He had one son. Barry was an environmen ...

) and dodgy businessmen Vincent ( John Clayton) and Sidebottom (

). Steve and Tomas' tow truck drivers Wimpy (Bruce Spence), Rabbit (David Argue), and their friends pursue the criminals and attempt to capture them, following Tomas' advice to Steve "Don't get angry son, get even." Steve also meets and falls in love with Ruth Mintos (Gia Carides) and the pair have to convince her old fashioned mother Maria (Tessa Mallos) as well as her Uncle Harry ( Terry Camilleri) that they want to be together and get married. Steve also tries to prove his prowess at the wheel of a sprintcar at Sydney's

Parramatta City Raceway Sydney Speedway (known commercially as Valvoline Raceway and formerly as Parramatta Speedway, and often referenced as Sydney Speedway I to differentiate with its successor) was a dirt track racing venue on the site of the Granville Showgrounds in ...

against Sydney and Australia's leading drivers including Garry Rush, George Tatnell, Rob Worthington (who also doubled as Steve when racing), Terry Becker, Bob Blacklaw and Steve Brazier.

Cast

* James Laurie as Steve Hall * Max Cullen as Tomas *

as Rabbit *

as Wimpy * Gia Carides as Ruth Mintos * Jonathan Coleman as Wayne Grubb * John Clayton as Vincent * Terry Camilleri as Harry Diaz *

as Sidebottom * John Godden as Chris the Rat * Amanda Dole as Janelle Clapton * Ray Marshall as Detective Panton * Tessa Mallos as Maria Mintos

Production

During shooting, camera operator David Brostoff was killed in an accident at the Parramatta City Raceway.David Stratton, ''The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry'', Pan MacMillan, 1990 p275-276

References

External links

*
''Midnite Spares''
at Oz Movies 1983 films Australian auto racing films 1980s English-language films Films directed by Quentin Masters 1980s Australian films {{1980s-Australia-film-stub