THE UMBRELLA WOMAN

Australia, 1987, 95 minutes, Colour.
Rachel Ward, Bryan Brown, Sam Neill, Steven Vidler.
Directed by Ken Cameron.

The Umbrella Woman (also known as The Good Wife) is set in central New South Wales in 1939. It is a portrait of a repressed wife who becomes obsessed with the attractive stranger who works at the hotel.

Rachel Ward is quite effective as the repressed and bewildered wife, driven on by her obsession. Bryan Brown gives a sympathetic performance as her husband. Steven Vidler is his naive young brother. Sam Neill is particularly effective as the self-opinionated Lothario. There is a good supporting cast re-creating the atmosphere of the town of the period.

The film makes comments on Australian country life, standards and external behaviour, the realities under the surface. The film was directed by Ken Cameron (Fast Talking, Monkey Grip, Bangkok Hilton, Brides of Christ).

1. Interesting drama? Rural New South Wales? The country community? Marriage, relationships? Universal themes?

2. The 1939 settings, the town and its life, the forest and the work, the rural setting? The background score?

3. The two titles and their reference to and description of Marge?

4. The frame of the film with Marge watching out her window? Windows throughout the film, Marge looking out, observing? Interiors and outside scenes? Her world? The good wife, her relationship with Sonny? Its lack of imagination? Subdued passion? Her work in the house and its detail? Love for Sonny, care for Sugar? Her yearnings? Her visit to her mother and her mother's reputation? The interactions and the effect on her? Her own background? Sonny and his love, her longings, going to the town, her dress, the umbrellas? The initial encounter with Neville, the dropping of the umbrella? His attractive words? The beginning of the infatuation? Her watching, the meal in the hotel? Her visits, misinterpretation? Her life at home, with Sonny, the card games, Sugar and the proposition about her sleeping with him? The lack of a definite decision? The experience and its effect? Shattering her values? Her pursuit of Neville, rejection of propriety? Her being hurt, going away, the clashes with Mrs Jackson, her taking Sugar's flat? Creating scenes, drinking in the hotel, the encounter with her mother? Mrs Gibson's kindly help? Observing from the window? Warning Neville about Mr Fielding coming? Being ousted from the room by Sonny, packing and going to the train, the encounter with Neville, his disillusioning words, literally throwing her out? Sonny's taking her home, her being ashamed, receiving Sonny's love? Her final looking out the window - content, ashamed, yearning? Marge as a realistic figure? Symbolic?

5. Sonny as an average Australian man? Sympathetic, masculine, tender? His work, relationship with the men, the logging? The rural setting? His relationship with his brother, protectiveness? Getting Sugar out of difficulties? At home, domestic detail? Love for Marge? Joking, the evenings? The question of Sugar and his wanting to sleep with her, the non-decision and the action, the effect? Disturbed about Marge? The meals, the hotel? Having to cope, his disappointment, bewilderment? Her going away and his searching for her? Getting Mrs Gibson to help? The final fight with Sonny and not wanting to see him again? Her return? `Who else is there to give my love to?'

6. Sugar, young, naive, his presumption, work and recklessness, the dangers, his sexual yearnings? Attracted to Marge? At home, the proposition, the night with her, the effect? His going to town? About the town, discussions with Neville, advice? Eyeing the girls? Bewilderment? Neville putting him down? Warning Fielding and trying to orchestrate behaviour, to get rid of Neville? Misfire? Wanting his room back, the final fight with Sonny, his being sent away?

7. Neville and his smooth style, appearance, reputation? Arrival, eyeing the women, at work in the hotel, attractive? The encounter with Marge and flirting with her? Mrs Jackson and the rules of the hotel? Attraction to Mrs Fielding? Marge, her visit, the talk, misinterpretation? His irritation with her? Talking with Sugar, his theories of seduction? The philosophy of the right woman coming along? Sneering at Marge and her spying? Caught with Mrs Fielding, warned by Marge? His going, encountering her on the train, disillusioning her, throwing her off? His future?

8. Mrs Jackson and her attraction, warning Marge, the rules of the hotel? Arriving with Mr Fielding, ousting Neville?

9. Fielding, his work at the bank, at the hotel, his wife, her attraction towards Neville, the seduction, going to his room, being caught, her spurning of her husband?

10. Mrs Gibson, her kindliness, helping Sonny, giving advice to Marge, cups of tea, etc?

11. The presentation of the town, shops, the hotel, its style, people drinking, service, maids?

12. The world of the loggers, their hard work? The aboriginal presence?

13. Marge's mother, her experience and background, advice to Marge, influence, the visit, the drinking?

14. The manners and morals of the town? Repression, code of behaviour, drinking, sexuality and relationships? Repression and obsession? Breaking out?