WINTER OF OUR DREAMS
Australia, 1981, 89 minutes, Colour.
Judy Davis, Bryan Brown, Cathy Downes, Baz Luhrmann, Caz Lederman, Peter Mochrie, Kim Deacon, Virginia Duigan.
Directed by John Duigan.
Winter Of Our Dreams is a modestly budgeted Sydney made drama that can stand with comparable overseas features. Written and directed by John Duigan (Mouth To Mouth), it is a story of an insecure King's Cross prostitute, Lou, the suicide of her friend and a friendship with a bookshop owner. But plot works on many levels – a diary device takes us back to 1970 for understanding changes in the 70s (from causes to a quiet life – and the trendy side of both); Lou patterns her emotions on her dead friend's life; segments of Sydney society are explored. Judy Davis is again excellent as Lou; Bryan Brown a quiet, genially detached hero. A well-made drama.
1. The significance of the title? Bleakness, change of seasons, the death season? Dream: reality unreality? Dream: hopes, truth, deceit, revelation of the inner self? The lyrics of the final song and the emphasis on time and change?
2. The success of the film as small budget, brevity? Sydney locations - feel, atmosphere, interiors and exteriors? Capturing a partial Sydney way of life? Musical score and its tone, songs, especially that of Lisa, the final song? The strength of the cast and the playing?
3. The impact of the content and character sketches in brief running time? Thoughtful, stylish? A study of persons, relationships, society, the influence of circumstances and times?
4. The focus on Lisa - the initial phone call, her desperate condition, the guitar given to Lou, Rob hearing news of her death on the radio, audience response to her desperation? The atmosphere of the film and the pervading presence of Lisa?
5. The devices used to make Lisa present throughout the film: Lisa dead and the influence of the dead, of her past being brought alive again? The changes in Lisa, Lisa as real, as remembered, as sought after? Her funeral? The stories about her? The sympathetic demonstrator at her funeral? Her room, possessions, the words of the landlady? The photos and the remembrances of Rob, the theatre, demonstrations, the boyfriend who abandoned her? Her diary and its writing, blots, drawings? The voiceover of Lou reading the diary? The paintings in her room and their desperation? Her songs and their being replayed? Lou using Lisa's headband? The regret at Lisa's death, her not being really well known (Lou not anticipating her suicide)? A past and the revelation of her timidity, her yearning for relationships? Her serving as a pattern for Lou? The title of the film in reference to Lisa?
6. Lou as the focus of the film? Judy Davis' skill in bringing the character alive? The finesse of her acting? Her work at King's Cross, her dresses, hairdo., make-up, appearance? Her continual cigarettes? Her drug? taking and its grim realism? Her standing on the beat? Tony and the hotel, his pushing Lou around. pressures on her? Pete and his friendship, drug supply, teasing her and his reaction to her teasing him? Her reliance on him but her thinking of him as too young? Her being a prostitute for only four months, the impersonal interactions of her work, the particular details of her style?
7. The relationship between Lou and Lisa - the looks of friendship before Lisa's death, Lou and the guitar, her lingering presence at the funeral, her talking to Rob about Lisa but not accepting his money, her bringing the photos and enjoying looking at them, carrying Lisa's guitar and her lessons, strumming, playing Lisa’s songs, her reading the diary and imitating it, quoting it, wanting to wear the headband like Lisa, going down to the demonstrators as Lisa did? Interest in Rob, wanting to relate to him because Lisa did? Her disappointment? The details of her trying to pattern herself on Lisa and assume many aspects of her identity?
8. Lou in herself ? how much character, style? Her puritanical aspects even though a prostitute e.g. the nude sunbathers, Gretel's way of life? The warmth in her character, capacity for relating? her friends amongst the prostitutes? Pete's liking her? Rob's liking her? The audience liking her? Her standards and style? not accepting Rob's money, visiting his shop, bringing the photos, ringing him to visit him, the nature of her visit, spending the day at his home, wandering around, curious? Her reaction to Gretel, waking up, messages around the house, snooping, shocked? Her approach to Rob and his rejection of her and her angry leaving? Her ringing again, wanting to give up the drugs, the withdrawal and Rob and Gretel looking after her? Her not understanding Rob's article and Gretel's driving her away? Her dependence on the other prostitutes for refuge and for drugs? Trying to stay with Pete - his advances and her reaction? The attention to detail - in the cafe drinking coffee, her walk, listening, her disappointments? Her inviting Rob to dinner ? his message, the soccer match? Her use of the phone? Her quoting Rob and Gretel - the intimate scenes of friendship with them and the regrets that it did not last? The lone focus on her face at the end with the demonstrators, joining them and listening to the lyrics of the song?
9. What did she elicit from Rob at the funeral, his watching her with the landlady, the discussion getting information about Lisa, the second cup of coffee with Tony intervening? The visit to the shop and the drinking of the claret and looking at the photos? His inviting her how, meeting her at the wharf? Talking with her when she woke up? Sharing memories of Lisa? His being prodded into memory by Lou? His resisting her in terms of sexual intimacy? his saying it had no point? The dinner and the social small talk? His helping her with the doctor and with the drug withdrawal? His having to go to the soccer match and leaving her a note? His not joining the other soccer players immediately? thinking? His resisting her and keeping her at a distance even though genially friendly?
10. The character of Rob: Lisa wanting to get in touch with him and his just missing her on the phone, his relationship with Gretel and their free way of life? Playing computer chess games? His shop? His articles for the press? Hearing the news about Lisa and wanting to find out what happened? The memories of the relationship with her and its lack of fulfilment? Discussing with the landlady? His liking of Lou and talking with her, taking her out? The seeming hints that he would like a sexual relationship? His resistance of it? His ability to help Lou, welcoming her to his how? The regrets about the soccer match? His strength of character - causes, the revelation from the photos, capacity for speaking well? The diary and Rob as seen by Lisa? Genial but ... ? His regret that the issues of 1980 were not as clear as those of 1970?
11. The marriage and arrangement between Rob and Gretel? The genuine relationship? Yet Rob not having liaisons with Lou or Michelle? Gretel and her free style, her beauty, social manner, professional skills? Relationship with Tim and ringing Rob? Failing Tim in an essay? Her helping Lou in the withdrawal? Her feeling guilty about driving her away? The trendy way of life - book launchings, discussions of trendy themes, parties, dinner? The importance of Rob's article showing what happened to the young people of 1970 ? settling down, academia, trends, suicide?
12. The supporting men and the image of men in Lou's world: Tony as pushing her around, Pete and his genuine friendship though using her (and his artwork with the knives), Tim and his callow relationships and ambitions? The soccer players and the Australian male syndromes? The glimpses of Lou's clients?
13. Women: the other prostitutes, the friendly landlady, the demonstrators, Michelle?
14. The world of King's Cross and prostitutes ? atmosphere, night life, the people in the streets, men picking up the women, the way of life? Did the film judge or not? Rob and Lou in this atmosphere? Her wanting out and having to make decisions? Rob's judgment on the world of King's Cross? His disapproval of drugs, the scenes of her taking them? Her decision to withdraw and its pain? The memories and dreams and the way they were visualised? Recapitulation of Lous experience?
15. Social themes: life in Sydney, trends, King's Cross, drug world, suicides, social issues - uranium and demonstrators? 1980 compared with 1970? A compassionate film of observation and critique?
