To Have And To Hold

To Have and to Hold directed by John Hillcoat features an original score by Nick, Mick Harvey and Blixa Bargeld
Released 1996

Jack (Tchéky Karyo) lives in the jungle of New Guinea where his wife Rose, gets killed. After two years, he meets writer Kate (Rachel Griffiths) in Melbourne who looks very similar to the late Rose. They fall in love and he persuades her to follow him into the jungle. Their relationship gets worse as Jack is haunted by Rose while he drinks a lot and watches old video films of her. Kate asks the locals about the mystery around Rose but gets no satisfying answer. Jack begins to project Rose on Kate by making her wear one of Rose’s dresses and copying Rose’s hair style. Kate wants to flee but can’t find her passport which Jack has taken away from her. The struggle becomes a matter of live and death.

The theme of colonial insanity was common for 19th century literature, contrasting how the dark side of human nature would substitute civilised behaviour once the protagonist was displaced from ‘civilisation’. Hillcoat applies this theme to the story, letting Jack sink into a pattern of behaviour which at first seems relatively innocent, but subsequently is revealed as obsessive and insane. It is not the heat or the absence of civilisation however that drives Jack insane more that he is unbalanced to begin with and way from society is free to act without boundaries.

SOUNDTRACK COMPOSED AND PERFORMED BY NICK CAVE, MICK HARVEY & BLIXA BARGELD
OST released 1997
To Have And To Hold
Jungle Of Love
Candlelit Bedroom
Luther
House In The Jungle
Delerium
River At Night
Mourning Song – Raun Raun Theatre
Romantic Theme
Snow Vision
Rose
Clouds
Noah’s Funeral
Flight
Kate Leaves
We’re Coming The Riot
Murder
Red Dress
I Threw It All Away- Scott Walker
To Have And To Hold
Gangster Bone – Keety General