Frank (John Hargreaves) comes to rent the spare room at Malcolm’s house. He has seen a notice in the milk bar up the street, but he’s surprised to hear that Mrs T (Beverley Phillips) and the neighbour Jenny (Judith Stratford) are following his progress. Malcolm (Colin Friels) runs through the questions Mrs T has told him to ask, without waiting for Frank to answer. Once inside, Frank is amazed to see Malcolm’s tram set-up.

Summary Paul Byrnes

Malcolm (Colin Friels) shows Frank (John Hargreaves) his version of a getaway car, gleaned from watching television shows. Frank takes the opportunity to make an unofficial withdrawal at a bank, but is completely taken aback when Malcolm shows him what the car can do.

Summary by Paul Byrnes

Judith (Lindy Davies) coaxes Frank (John Hargreaves) and Malcolm (Colin Friels) to go for a walk. Malcolm wants Frank to explain how he gets the money in a stick-up, but the demonstration goes wrong. In the pub later, Frank’s friend Willy (Chris Haywood) can’t stop laughing. The barmaid (Heather Mitchell) tries not to join in.

Summary by Paul Byrnes

Poster for the film Malcolm (1986) showing Colin Friels as Malcolm sending his remote control car to the corner shop for milk.

Frustrated by the types of films Australia was making in the 1980s, David Parker says he was encouraged by actor Colin Friels to write his own script – something he had never previously attempted.

Film crew on the set of the movie Malcolm.

After the heist the three criminals escape in a more completed version of the min tram that Malcolm built and use for joyride at the start of the film.

The crew are using a street registered car as a camera dolly. A dolly is a device used in filming to create smooth horizontal camera movements, often tracking moving action. The camera is mounted to the dolly and the camera operator and focus puller usually ride on the dolly to push the dolly back and forth. 

Actor John Hargreaves as the small time criminal, Frank. Frank meets Malcolm when he answers an advertisement in the corner shop window saying that Malcolm has a room to rent.

Lobby card for the film, Malcolm.

Nadia Tass and David Parker talk about the involvement of actor Colin Friels in the film and casting Friels as the central character, Malcolm.

Malcolm (Colin Friels) and Frank (John Hargreaves) demonstrate the getaway car's unique features to an unsuspecting Judith (Lindy Davies).

Lobby card for the film, Malcolm.

First time director, Nadia Tass, had to convince the crew she knew what she was doing while learning on the job.

The stunt driver is clearly visible in this film still from the movie. Apparently the two halves of the car were notoriously difficult to control. Actor Chris Haywood took one for a spin and crashed.

Malcolm's getaway car splits into two halves so it can travel up narrow alleyways and avoid the police. The filmmakers had to have three cars, two of which we cut right down the middle with an angle grinder and a hacksaw.

Lobby card for the movie, Malcolm.

Looking like members of the Kelly Gang, Malcolm's three remote controlled office garbage bins stage a hold up.

All three bins were built over a six-wheel drive, radio controlled toy and the ash-tray sections on top flipped up to reveal a gun, a fire extinguisher and the third bin has a clown's head which could blow ping pong sized smoke bombs.

Raising the budget to make Malcolm involved some sacrifices as well as an inventive approach worthy of Malcolm himself.

Malcolm's getaway car comes to an untimely end, plunging into a river.

The filmmakers used a Honda Z as the getaway car. They had a complete car which split in two on a rig to film the actors and they had one that had wheels and ran along with stunt drivers in it.  They had a third car as well. Two cars were cut right down the middle with an angle grinder and a hacksaw.

Lobby card from the film, Malcolm.

Malcolm sits on the curb sending his remote controlled car to the corner shop for milk.

Lobby card for the film, Malcolm.

The cast of Malcolm, Colin Friels (Malcolm), Lindy Davies (Judith) and John Hargreaves (Frank).

Lobby card for the film, Malcolm.

Malcolm was a critical and box office success, winning eight AFI awards and being released in 22 countries.

The Yugoslavian title for the film on this poster is, 'Incredible Malcolm'.