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A Town Like Alice (1980)

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clip A town not like Alice

This clip chosen to be PG

Clip description

On her first day in Willstown, having doubled the population of young, single women in the town by her arrival, Jean Paget (Helen Morse) meets some of the locals: Pete (Tim McKenzie), Tim (Steve Bisley) and Al (Maurie Fields).

Curator’s notes

by Anne Lucas

This is a very funny, well-composed scene illustrating writer Tom Hegarty’s ear for the Australian vernacular including the many long silences that are as much a part of conversation in the country as any words. View the scene in its entirety if you can; it runs for over five minutes but is edited with so deft a touch that its length is barely noticeable. The content in many ways raises comparisons with the sequence in clip two.

Here Jean is in an environment every bit as strange to her as Malaya. Once again she asks questions and, more importantly, listens to those who know what is wrong with their town but seem unable to change. Jean will put the information she gleans to good use, transforming the town from a deserted outpost into an attractive and even desirable place to live in, a town like Alice.

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australianscreen is produced by the National Film and Sound Archive. By using the website you agree to comply with the terms and conditions described elsewhere on this site. The NFSA may amend the 'Conditions of Use’ from time to time without notice.

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