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Clip description
Brian (Bill Young) has taken Nell (Monica Maughan) to the hospital, where her daughter works. Jim (Tony Barry) has been driving all over the district trying to find Nell, his wife. When he sees that she is safe, he is speechless with relief, although his daughter can’t interpret it. Brian then drops Margot (Lynette Curran) at the home she shares with Alice (Kerry Walker). Brian is a bachelor, keen to cultivate a relationship with Margot, but he is unable to discern the facts about Margot and Alice, who are partners, not just friends.
Curator’s notes
The script never spells out who’s married to whom. In a small community, everyone knows everyone, so there’s no need. Except that there are secrets even in small towns, and conventions to hide them. Brian is a bachelor farmer, unaware of many things beyond the edges of his farm. He is innocent, even when Alice makes her displeasure clear with the loud clanging of tea cups.
There is much that is unsaid in both parts of this clip, and much that is misunderstood, even within a family. Tony Barry’s character Jim has become so terrified that his wife is injured that he is unable to speak when he finds her safe. His daughter misinterprets his attempt to control his emotions. Her generation is different, but Nell sees it completely and responds with great tenderness. There is a lot of miscommunication in the film, but some moments of beautiful clarity as well.
