The RETURN OF CAPTAIN INVINCIBLE

   Film (1982). Willarra/Seven Keys. Dir Philippe Mora, starring Alan Arkin, Christopher Lee, Kate Fitzpatrick. Screenplay Steven E. De Souza, Andrew Gaty; additional dialogue Peter Smalley. 91 mins. Colour.

   Australian musical comedy whose premise is that its eponymous SUPERHERO (Arkin), purged in the USA of the McCarthy period as "a premature anti-fascist", is now a washed-up drunk. Discovered in Sydney by policewoman Patty Patria (Fitzpatrick), he is recalled to confront his nemesis Mr Midnight (Lee),whose evil plan is first to sell housing developments to non-Whites in New York, then nuke them and make the city all-White. Much of the humour comesfrom Captain Invincible's forgetting how to fly, and suffering low self-esteem that affects his supermagnetic powers. As a spoof movie TROCI is likable, and genre-literate in the range of sf motifs it hits off; the songs are unmemorable. Arkin's muted, depressive performance, reminiscent of something from a Barry N. MALZBERG novel, contrasts nicely with Lee going over the top.

   PN