About
This Gaylene Preston comedy was a Kiwi hit, uplifting recession-era audiences with its tale of resourceful misfits living by their wits. Ruby (Yvonne Lawley), an 83-year-old trying to dodge a retirement home, rents her downstairs flat to Rata (Vanessa Rare, in her screen debut) — a solo mum with sidelines in music and benefit fraud. Rata's son is into shoplifting and fires, and What Now?'s Simon Barnett plays a hapless yuppie wannabe. In this excerpt, Ruby meets Rata — plus unexpected guests. Marginalised by market forces, the trio may find common cause despite themselves. Graeme Tetley (Vigil) wrote the script.
Key Cast & Crew
LMK
Lee Mete-Kingi
As: Willie
All available videos
Related images
The stars of Gaylene Preston movie Ruby and Rata (1990): Yvonne Lawley (left) as Ruby, and Vanessa Rare as Rata.
Photo appears courtesy of the NZ Film Commission
Lee Mete-Kingi on the poster for his first film: Ruby and Rata, for which he won a 1990 NZ Screen Award. Gaylene Preston says he was one of the best actors "I have ever had the privilege to direct".
Photo appears courtesy of the NZ Film Commission
Rata (Vanessa Rare) takes to the stage in Gaylene Preston's second movie, Ruby and Rata (1990). Meanwhile Sike (Russell Gowers) gets ready to turn it up to eleven.
Photo appears courtesy of the NZ Film Commission
Yvonne Lawley in her only starring role on the big screen: as conniving landlord Ruby in acclaimed 1990 movie Ruby and Rata.
Photo appears courtesy of the NZ Film Commission
