THE TALE OF RUBY ROSE

Australia, 1988, 100 minutes, Colour.
Melita Jurisic, Chris Haywood, Rod Zuanic, Sheila Florance.
Directed by Roger Scholes.

The Tale of Ruby Rose was written by its director, Roger Scholes, a documentary film-maker.

The film is set in Tasmania, in the rugged mountain country. The setting is 1920s. The film focuses on a couple living in isolation, the wife having a seemingly preternatural fear of the dark. The film takes its time in creating its setting, illuminating the characters. Then it takes the central character, Ruby Rose, on a journey into the valley to find out what is behind her phobias, especially of the darkness. The film then opens up traumatic experiences from her childhood.

Melita Jurisic is Ruby Rose and is supported by a very strong cast of Australian character actors including Chris Haywood as her husband, Rod Zuanic (who had emerged as a child actor in the 1980s with Fast Talking) and veteran Sheila Florance.

An opportunity to absorb something of the flavour of Tasmania’s past.

1.The quality of the film, its effect, the first film of the writer-director?

2.The re-creation of Tasmania in the '20s and '30s, the isolation and poverty, hardship? The beauty and ruggedness of the visuals: mountains and the seasons, harshness and snow, the valley, the miners' settlement, the laundry, the houses, the town? Authentic atmosphere? The skills used in local film-making? The score?

3.The title and its focus on Ruby? A naturalistic story? Yet a tale of her fantasy and imagination?

4.Ruby in her context, Tasmania and its isolation, the settlement, her relationship with her father and not talking to anyone but him as she grew up, learning from books, from letters, from the letters and things her grandmother sent her? Growing up, her being expected to marry Bennett? The attraction to Harry, going off with him, marriage? Living in the mountains for so many years, the details of hard work? Her stillborn child? Becoming a mother to Gem? Her diary, the drawings, her unusual experiences and the importance of the diary for her? Wanting to go back to the valley, her not being allowed, planning to go, leaving the notes? The harshness of the journey? Encountering Bennett and his dying? Bringing him down on the horse? The miners' settlement, the laundry, the woman's help? Finding her grandmother dead? Meeting her father? The dream, understanding the animal that had frightened her in the dark? Her return, carrying the chair, the harshness of the journey, the fall? Burning her diary and journal to keep warm? Rescued and healed? A character portrait?

5.Ruby's dreams, the dark, waking from nightmare, fear? Superstitious and religious attitudes, overtones in her diary? Symbols and the psyche? Her being wary, warning Gem, meeting her father, the memories, the truth, the Tasmanian Devil - and the exorcism?

6.The details of her life, the hut, work, the skins, the trapping and the killing? Harry's philosophy of killing and survival?

7.Harry and his style, his British background, life in Tasmania, the details of hard work, working with Gem and training him, arguments about killing? Shooting animals? His love for Ruby? Coming home, enjoying the meals, the talk? Not wanting her to go? The letter, the search for her, finding her, rescuing her, reconciliation?

8.Gem as the orphan wandering the mountains, being adopted by Harry and Ruby,, his work, joy, sensitive about killing, relaxation, the note and the absence of Ruby, sharing in the search?

9.The glimpse of Ruby's father, following her, his absence, his revealing himself, the truth of the dream and her fear?

10.The encounter with Bennett, memories of the past, isolation, his death, carrying him, the difficulties, his being prepared for burial, her taking him and returning him to his wife? The wife and her laconic attitudes, attitudes towards Ruby, receiving her husband?

11.The character of Gran, her influence, letters? Meeting her, her age, the bath and the warmth between the generations? Her explanations? Sharing joy with Ruby? The pathos of her death in the cold? The later discovery of her body?

12.The miners and their toughness, the laundry, the woman and her help?

13.The glimpse of Tasmanian history, the isolation and its effect, environment, the '30s and its heritage?