Between Wars
Between Wars is an Australian 1974 drama/war film released on 15 November 1974. It was directed by Michael Thornhill and written by Frank Moorhouse.
| Between Wars | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Michael Thornhill |
| Produced by | Michael Thornhill |
| Written by | Frank Moorhouse |
| Starring | Corin Redgrave |
| Music by | Adrian Ford |
| Cinematography | Russell Boyd |
| Edited by | Max Lemon |
Production company | Edgecliff Films McElroy and McElroy T and M Films |
| Distributed by | Vincent Library Umbrella Entertainment |
Release date | 15 November 1974 |
Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | A$320,000[1] |
Plot
Four episodes in the life of doctor Edward Trenbow:
- In 1918 Trenbow is treating shell-shocked soldiers from the front.
- In the 1920s he works as a psychiatrist at the Sydney insane asylum and becomes involved in experiments in Freudian psychiatry, which bring him to the attention of a Royal Commission.
- In the 1930s he works as a doctor in a small country town and becomes involved in a fight against the New Guard.
- In 1939 he is working in Sydney as a psychiatrist and tries to defend a German psychiatrist who is being interned as a member of the Australia First Movement.
Cast
- Corin Redgrave as Dr Edward Trenbow
- Judy Morris as Deborah Trenbow
- Gunter Meisner as Dr Karl Schneider
- Arthur Dignam as Dr Peter Avante
- Patricia Leehy as Marguerite
- Jone Winchester as Deborah's mother
- Brian James as Deborah's father
- Reg Gillam as Trenbow's father
- Betty Lucas as Trenbow's mother
- Neil Fitzpatrick as Lance Backhouse
Production
Director Michael Thornhill was good friends with writer Frank Moorehouse and they had worked together on several short films. Moorehouse wrote the script in 1970, originally for television[2] and it was revived a few years later. Half the budget came from the Australian Film Development Corporation and the other half from a property developer.[1][3]
Filming took place over six weeks in February and March 1974 with interiors at the former studios of Cinesound Productions at Bondi and locations in Gulgong and Melbourne.[1] It was the first feature from cinematographer Russell Boyd.[4]
Release
Thornhill decided to distribute the film himself at first. Initial reviews were good but the box office performance was not strong and distribution was taken over by the Vincent Library.[1] The movie did not return its cost.[2]
Home Media
Between Wars was released on DVD by Umbrella Entertainment in January 2011. The DVD is compatible with all region codes.[5]
Awards
In 1976, the Australian Cinematographers Society awarded the film's cinematographer Russell Boyd with Cinematographer of the Year award for the film.
References
- Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998 p281-282
- David Stratton, The Last New Wave: The Australian Film Revival, Angus & Robertson, 1980 p87-88
- Rod Bishop, "On Time, Under Budget: Richard Brennan", Cinema Papers, July 1974 p203
- Russell Boyd bio accessed 30 September 2012
- "Umbrella Entertainment". Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
External links
- Between Wars at IMDb
- Between Wars review at The New York Times
- Between Wars at Oz Movies