FOR LOVE ALONE

Australia, 1986, 102 minutes, Colour.
Sam Neill, Helen Buday, Hugo Weaving, Huw Williams, Hugh Keays- Byrne, Odile le Clezio, Naomi Watts.
Directed by Stephen Wallace.

For Love Alone is based on a novel by internationally celebrated Christina Stead. The producer of the film is Margaret Fink who produced 'My Brilliant Career.' At the end of that film, Judy Davis/Sybilla at the end of the 19th century, was ready to take on the world as a women, for a career. This film moves 30 years on. She is further along the road of self-determination as she too sets out for England.

The film is an exploration of feminine sensibility in the context of Sydney and London of the '30s. Helen Buday (Mad Max 2, Mad Max III) is interesting as Theresa, portraying her as an idealist for love and freedom to love. Hugo Weaving (Bodyline, The Right Hand Man) is a misogynist student who strangely draws her devotion. Sam Neill is a socialist banker with whom she feels kinship (Neill made his international debut in My Brilliant Career).

In beautifully photographed Sydney locations and in a drab England, Theresa is on her quest. The film is often talkative, Theresa's behaviour unpredictable, but it is elegantly-made and tackles its subject seriously. Direction is by Stephen Wallace who wrote the screenplay. Wallace had previously made Love Letters from Teralba Road, Stir, episodes of Women of the Sun, Mail Order Bride, The Boy Who Had Everything.

1. An interesting and enjoyable film? Period? Themes? Australiana?

2. The work and reputation of Christina Stead? The success of adapting her novel to the screen? The literary tone of the screenplay? Cinematic style for a novel?

3. The colour photography, the '30s, Sydney? Sydney lifestyle: homes, university and schools, trams and ferries? The use of water locations? Decor and costumes? Sense of period? The contrast with England, interiors and exteriors? The score and its mood, its classical tone?

4. The title and indication of themes? The exploration of feelings, intelligence, relationships, sexuality, the interchanges between men and women, marriage?

5. The focus on women? Could the film, be called 'a women's film'? Themes of feminism? The focus on Theresa? The voice-over and her comments on her behaviour, attitudes? Invitation for the audience to share these? Theresa in her society? In Australia? In England? The Victorian expectations about the place of women? Home, marriage? Relationships with men, serving then? Women meant to be beautiful? Domestic? Their status? Women as persons, not to be measured by the standards of judging men? Freedom, freedom in relationships, in career? Independence and dependence? The film's contribution to appreciating the emerging 20th century women?

6. The film as a portrait of Theresa? Her character, the voice-over and its contribution to understanding her? The impact of the opening, Paddington Station, the encounter with Harry, the train ride, romance, the '30s, Oxford, sharing the experience, sexuality and, love, Theresa trying to assess the experience, her not wanting to have missed it? The audience puzzle and the nature of the flashbacks? The understanding of the relationship with Harry after the flashbacks? Theresa and her growing up, experience, relationships with men, the attraction towards Harry, it being an episode in her life, an opportunity for self-awareness and exploration? Helping her to understand true love and self-giving?

7. Theresa at home: her father and his boisterous style, attitudes towards women, his own women friends? The memory of his dead wife? Her brothers and their support and lack of support of her? her love for Kitty? Kitty at home, her plainness? Getting ready for the wedding, the tram ride? The focus of the wedding sequence: the dress, the hurry, the flurry? On the ferry? Theresa's encounter with the bride and her mother? Her behaviour at the wedding? Tensions? Her understanding of the nature of marriage, of a woman virtually being imprisoned by the marriage? The clash? The run along the beach? The importance of Kitty and her decision to leave home, Theresa's support? Her friendship and discussions with Alice Havilland (and the mutual attraction towards Jonathan, the later postcards in England)? Her friendship with Jonathan, infatuation with him? Classes, discussion of ideas? The walk around the city, her declaration of love on the jetty and its effect on him? His departure and her seeing him off? - Her working hard in order to save from going to England? The collage of her walking to and fro, her comments on saving money, not reading the papers etc.? Devotion? Her letters to him?

8. The voyage and its excitement, a new world? The encounter with James, his pleasant style, his rude jokes? Her reading Keynes? Sharing interests, her being charmed? The job offer? Her later taking it up? The visit and interview? Outings and meals with him? Meeting his socialist friends? Harry and his woman friend and her flamboyance, dominance? His proposal to her? Her sexual liaison with him? Leaving him for Harry momentarily? His giving her her freedom? Her return to him - marriage and security?

9. Jonathan and London? A puzzle for Theresa? Her expectations of him, her declarations of love, sharing his life? His manner, arrogance, erratic behaviour, offhand? His room, his comments on the maid? The cafe sequences and clashes? Theresa realising his affair with the maid? The walk and its being a test? The rain, the mill, the mill-wheel? The break between the two? A shattering of her illusions? Seeing him in the distance in the crowded London street?

10. Theresa's attraction towards Harry, a romantic figure, going to Spain, socialist, Oxford, the night with him and its effect on her? Her ability to leave him and go back to James?

11. The women in Sydney: Kitty and her narrow life, the desire to breakout and elope? Anne and the pressure of her mother at the wedding? The expectations about married women? Alice and her ideas about freedom?

12. The sketch of Theresa's father, his arguing with her, his women friends, his taunting her, the boys at home? A man's world?

13. The sketch of the workplace in the '30s? Theresa and the factory, her hard work, small amount of money? Saving?

14. Jonathan and his charm, his eagerness to succeed, his study, the tutorials, his views on free love, on women? The attraction towards Theresa? Their discussions, going out? His ideas about freedom, his anger at being poor, his background in the inner city? The declaration by Theresa on the jetty and his response, lack of response? Leaving for overseas? The plans for a doctorate? In London and receiving her letters? The passing of the years? Meeting Theresa at the wharf? His bitterness? The lack of progress with the thesis? His seeing himself as the perennial student? Anger, the maid and her child, rules? The outings? Shared experiences? Not enough for Theresa? The scene with the letters and his tearing up of the photos, his seeming callousness? His harsh words towards her? Their night with the maid visiting his room? His attitudes towards England, the coming of Hitler and fascism? His confusion? His despising women? At the mill, his cruel words, the break with Theresa? his being seen wandering the streets?

15. The contrast with James and his world, suave, manners, crude jokes, books, the games on board ship, meals? Elegance? The offer of the job to Theresa? His offices? At work? The restaurants? Taking Theresa out and introducing her to style? introducing her to Harry and his friends? His friendship with the Socialists? Advice, being able to be there for Theresa's needs? Falling in love with her, the announcement of the engagement, giving her her freedom? his love being tested by the night with Harry? Her return to him? His offering love and security?

16. Harry and his socialist friends, poetry, Spain, his girlfriend and her dominance, stranglehold, the significance of the affair with Theresa?

17. The background of Bloomsbury in the '30s, the bohemians, the artists, the socialists, idealists, the vision for a better world on the eve of World War Two and after the Depression? Theresa moving away from this world? Coming to terms with the world?

18. A portrait of a woman? Of a world? Exploration of themes?