| Conference-ville | |
|---|---|
| Based on | Conference-ville by Frank Moorhouse |
| Written by | Frank Moorhouse |
| Directed by | Julian Pringle |
| Starring | John Gaden Robyn Nevin Ray Barrett |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producer | Sandra Levy |
| Cinematography | Julian Penney |
| Running time | 80 mins |
| Production company | ABC |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | May 1984 (1984-05) |
Conference-ville is 1984 Australian TV movie based on a 1976 novel by Frank Moorhouse.[1]
Plot
[edit]Delegates attend a multi-racial UNESCO conference. Dr Cindy Broughton is raped by three Aboriginal delegates but refuses to press charges.
Cast
[edit]- John Gaden as Ian Selfridge
- Robyn Nevin as Dr Cindy Broughton
- Ray Barrett
- Kevin Miles
- Robin Ramsay
- Mercia Deane-Johns
- John Frawley
Reception
[edit]The Sydney Morning Herald said "it's not a bad production nor is it badly acted... fairly enjoyable. There is some funny lines parodying the jargon used by academics."[2] Richard Coleman in his TV Extra column in the Sydney Morning Herald critisised the adaptation and wrote "subtleties of the book - an internal monologue of a liberal-lefty performing the rituals of a conference in the early Fraser years were thrown overboard for the juicier dramatic possibilities of rape."[3] The Age's Dennis Pryor says "It was gripping television, full of surprise, impeccable in direction and casting. I cannot recall any other piece of Australian television drama with such a successful mixture of satire, melodrama and romance."[4] Matthew Bolton in the Age's Green Guide begins his review "The television adaptation by Frank Moorhouse of his book Conference-ville must rate as one of the best pieces of Australian drama to grace our screens for some time. Brilliantly scripted, the program is entertaining, moving, intelligent and very Australian."[5]
References
[edit]- ^ Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p30
- ^ "Cindy What a Right Twit". Sydney Morning Herald. 6 May 1984. p. 7.
- ^ Coleman, Richard (19 May 1984), "Ronald's not the full rupee, but dear Daphne's wonderful", The Sydney Morning Herald
- ^ Pryor, Dennis (19 May 1984), "A conferring of surprises", The Age
- ^ Bolton, Matthew (10 May 1984), "Moorhouse at his best", The Age
External links
[edit]- Conference-ville at IMDb
- Conference-ville at AusLit
- Conference-ville at Screen Australia
