Share
Clip description
Wally (John Meillon), driven to demonstrate his love for Rita (Judi Farr), arranges to have flowers delivered to his wife despite his earlier economy drive. Rita, caught at a particularly vulnerable moment, is deeply touched. Meanwhile Rosemary (Noeline Brown) reveals to McGooley (Gordon Chater) that she knows exactly who was behind the hoax telegram.
Curator’s notes
John Meillon was known for his ability to extract pathos from comedy and vice-versa. It was a talent that served him well, from his Logie award-winning Sir John Kerr in the The Dismissal (1983) to his much-loved other Wally, the booze-raddled conman with a heart of gold in Crocodile Dundee (1985), Walter Reilly. It’s a joy to watch his portrayal here of the emotionally inarticulate Aussie male, forced by McGooley’s prank to face his inadequacy and, for the moment at least, to do something about it.
Note the women’s heavy eye make-up, complete with mink false eyelashes; they really were mink and very much the fashion in the ’60s. Wearing wigs to glam up your look was also every bit as acceptable as it is today.
