Anne Brooksbank Movies
- 1986
- R
Maria McEvoy (Wendy Hughes) deals with the death of her beloved father and discovers her attorney husband George (Steven Jacobs) is a philandering louse in this romantic drama. At the suggestion of a friend, Maria takes a vacation in Thailand, where she falls for Raka (John Lone), an exiled dancer from Bali. She also wonders about the sexual ambiguity of fellow Australian Terry (Rod Mullinar), the expatriate who runs the vacation resort. The film gives Hughes ample opportunity to show the full range of human emotions in her role of the grieving daughter and wronged wife. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Wendy Hughes, John Lone, (more)
- 1985
Not to be confused with the like-vintage "sword and sorcery" TV pilot of the same name, director Denny Lawrence's Archer's Adventure was lensed in Australia. Brett Climo plays Dave Power, a young and ambitious caretaker of a racehorse named Archer. In order to get Archer to the 1861 Melbourne Cup, where the horse must compete, Power takes him on a 600-mile Outback odyssey, fraught with excitement and peril. The horse then wins the race. Incredibly, this picaresque character study was based on a true story. Also known as Archer's Adventure, the film features 18-year-old Nicole Kidman in a crucial role. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1983
The Australian Winds of Jarrah was inspired by a "Harlequin Romance" novel. Running away from a failed romance, stunning Englishwoman Susan Lyons heads to 19th century Australia. Here she pulls a "Jane Eyre", becoming nanny for the children of woman-hating Terence Donovan. The tried-and-true formula soon kicks in, and a bodice-ripping affair commences. Sure, Winds of Jarrah is trash...but it's classy trash. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Terence Donovan, Susan Lyons, (more)
- 1980
Fran (Judy Morris) is a 29-year-old university researcher whose biological clock begins to tick so loudly that no alarm is needed to wake her up -- if she does not find a suitable romantic partner soon, how in the world can she have any kind of a life at all? So she embarks on a series of false starts, one after the other, that seem to leave her worse for the wear. Her first long affair with a married man -- hardly a reasonable choice given her aspirations -- has been brought to a quick termination by the man's wife. Her next unfortunate liaison is with her boss, who has no intention of making any commitments. Another of her ill-advised suitors tries to rape her. As she goes from bad to worse, she ends up considering a plodding farmer willing to offer both marriage and commitment -- just what she wants, but not with him. The story only confirms the adage that after the age of 30 or so, all good men are always somewhere else. Fran is left to consider her options -- reset the clock or unplug it. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Judy Morris, Bill Hunter, (more)
- 1977
A popular if short-lived Australian drama series, Glenview High focused on a rundown secondary school in a tough inner-city district. The plot lines of the 39 hour-long episodes were devoted to the trials and tribulations of the students and faculty members, with special emphasis upon novice English teacher Greg Walker (Grigor Taylor). The series was created by Grundy Television, one of Australia's leading purveyors of soap operas and game shows. Glenview High aired over the 7 Network from 1977 to 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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