PRINCESS KATE

Australia, 1988, 96 minutes, Colour.
Justine Clark, Claudia Karvan, Lorna Lesley, Martin Sacks, Alan Cassell.
Directed by George Ogilvie.

Princess Kate is a fine Australian telemovie for family audiences. It was one of the Bicentenary project for the Children's Television and Film Foundation, Touch the Sun.

The film focuses on the realities of adoption and the effect of the truth about adoption on the child and on the real parents and the adoptive parents. The screenplay was written by husband and wife team, playwright David Williamson and Kristin Williamson. The film, set in Sydney, has an excellent cast with Justine Clarke as Kate. Lyndel Rowe and Alan Cassell are her parents. Lorna Lesley has a good role as Kate's real mother. Martin Sachs is Lorna Lesley's husband. The supporting cast of children includes Mouche Phillips (Playing Beattie Bow) and Claudia Karvan (Molly, High Tide).

Direction is by George Ogilvie (Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, Short Changed, The Place at the Coast).

1. The contribution of the Touch the Sun series to the Bicentenary? To family audiences? An ABC-Revcom production? Its qualities?

2. A focus on family theme's, adoption questions, children's and parents rights, the rights and wrongs of revelation?

3. The Sydney background, Elizabeth Bay and the Harbour, the wealthy school? the contrast with the western suburbs? The contrast with the country sequences?

4. The introduction to Kate, her first champagne birthday, the lavish gift of the boat called Princess Kate, her loving family and friends? Opportunities, school, the lavish apartment? Her parents, their wealth, style?

5. The television programme about adoption and Kate's alertness to her mother's reaction? The girls at school discussing the programme? The girl who was adopted? The visitors and Kate's decision to ask her father? her father unable to conceal the truth? Her mother's reaction? Her disdaining of her, brother and saying that he was not her real brother? Her concern and preoccupation, playing the piano? The continued nagging question about the identity of her real mother? Her discussion with Sarah, Sarah betraying her and telling others? The reaction of the girls at school? Her reaction to her parents, going away, not seeking their permissions, playing the piano? How well could audiences identify with Kate's predicament?

6. The visit to her grandmother, discussions, her grandmother knowing the truth, her being a collector, her having taken the band from the hospital garbage tin, knowing the identity of the mother? Giving Kate the information?

7. Kate and her visit to the Kellys, their help, their need for parents' permission? Their home life, the relationship, their family? Telling Kate the story about their youthfulness, the boy, their not being able to tell him the truth? Their going to the swimming pool to watch him?

8. Kate's searching - for her mother: the information about the Higher School Certificate, the various phone calls, ringing Glenys's father, the reaction? Kate's talking to Glenys? Sally's support? Glenys hanging up? Phoning again, sending the photo? Kate's decision to visit, audiences identifying with her search? Her parents and their hesitance, their strong stand, not wanting her to go?

9. The visit to the country, the train, the garage at the early morning, the taxi, spending the day at the farm, occupying herself, thinking? Hearing May playing the violin, the interaction? Telling her she was a cousin? Glenys and her surprise, dismay? Greg's sudden arrival? The tension, Glenys having to tell Greg the truth? her emotional response to Kate's presence? The talk with Kate, the truth and the information about her father, giving her the photo? Playing the piano with May and the violin? Kate's interference about May's schooling? Glenys's final anger and resentment? her being sorry?

10. The filling in of Glenys's story, the schoolgirl, the teacher, pregnancy, the exam, the home for unmarried mothers, the immediate adoption? Her stopping her music studies? The lies? Not telling Greg the truth? The marriage, the consequences, the family?

11. Kate 's phone call to her parents, the return, their relief, sharing the news with her parents and being at home with them? Permission for May to come to their place?

12. Her parents and their love, the adoption, not knowing the truth? Their anxiety about Kate's finding out? Their forbidding her? The pressures, the father and his pressure of work, having to sell the apartment?

13. The conservatorium, the competition? The collage of musical pieces? Kate's piano, May's violin? Winning their sections? Kate's immediate disappointment but pleasure at May's winning? The grouping of the two families, communication, the photo collage at the end?

14. What was the audience left with in terms of understanding, questions about adoption, secrecy in the past, the need to know, the consequences?

15. Family themes? The possibility of healthy relationships with openness and truth?