LOLA MONTEZ

Australia, 1988, 45 minutes, Colour.
Linda Cropper, Nicholas Eadie, Peter Whitford.
Directed by Ian Gilmour.

Lola Montez is one of Mike Willesee's Australians. She is a strange choice. After a spectacular career in Europe and in America, she visited Australia in the 1850s, playing successfully on the Ballarat goldfields. However, it was at the end of her career, her health was declining, she clashed with the management of her theatrical tour. She then returned to the United States, ill, penniless and dying.

Linda Cropper is quite lively as Lola Montez. (She had played Melba in Rodney Fisher's mini-series at the same period.) The screenplay was written by Tony Morphett and directed by actor-director Ian Gilmour. There is, as in the whole series, excellent re-creation of period and strong supporting performances. This time they are from Nicholas Eadie as Noel Follett and Peter Whitford as the manager of Lola's tour.

1. The choice of Lola Montez as an Australian? Mike Willesee's project for the Bicentenary?

2. The quality of the telemovie, brevity of its running time, re-creating the period, focusing on a character and interactions? Audience knowledge of Lola Montez? (The tradition in films from the serious French Lola Montez to the satire in the film version of George MacDonald? Frazer's Royal Flash.)

3. Her origins, myths? her fostering of these myths?, The lover of Ludwig of Bavaria? San Francisco and the gold rush? Her tour of Australia?

4. The focus on the Australian tour: the Crosbys and their plans, Lola and ' Noel in the United States, the decision to come to Australia? Her situation, relationships, his leaving his family and infatuation? Her visit to the doctor and the explanation of her disease? Forgetfulness and moods? Her eventual death? The arrival in Australia and its flamboyance? The press, their questions and her handling? Her performances and their vitality? The dance? The re-creations of history?

5. Melodramatic touches? The response of the audiences? Melbourne and the critics? The comments on morals? Raising the prices, the sensation? Ballarat, the interview with the editor, the later clash with him and whipping him? Her performance? The clash with the Crosbys? Mrs. Crosby and her breakdown? The relationship with Noel, returning to the U.S.? At sea, the Captain? Noel, the money and the bag- his death? Her dying in poverty? Wilful, strong, wanting control, the exotic dance, greed, lovers, re-enactment of her relationship with Ludwig? How genuinely did she love Noel? her final concern about her shrewdness? The stuff of legend?

6. Noel and leaving his family, American background, infatuation, acting with Lola, problems about management and theatres, the tour? Pacifying the Crosbys? Too much being asked of him? His taking the money? suicide?

7. The Crosbys: Mr Crosby and his eagerness for the tour, his bowing and scraping to Lola, attitude to his wife, the question of money, Crosby's attack?

8. The editor and his visit to the hotel, the clash with Lola? The whipping?

9. The range of audiences and her appeal, gentry, miners?

10. A glimpse of Australia and the goldfields and theatres in the 19th century?