PROMISED WOMAN
Australia, 1974, 80 minutes, Colour.
Yelena Zigon, Takis Emmanuel, Nicos Gerissimou, Kate Fitzpatrick.
Directed by Tom Cowan.
Promised Woman is a very interesting Australian drama, written and directed by Tom Cowan (pictured) who made such films as The Office Picnic and Journey Among Women. This is a more commercially orientated film by this director who is also an expert cinematographer, eg. Mouth to Mouth. It shows the plight of a middle-aged Greek migrant coming to Sydney and trying to cope. There is good observation of life in Sydney, the life among the Greek community, the problems encountering human beings taken away from their environment, remembering it with fondness and with regret and trying to make a new life. It is a warm, human drama and offers insight into the problems that face migrants. It is well worth discussing.
1. An entertaining film, interesting, of social value?
2. For Greek audiences, Australians, migrant Australian audiences? Insight into social awareness and the value of giving this through story and film?
3. How authentic a film: the atmosphere of Greece, migration, Australian? The comparison and contrast of the two environments? Country and city? Distance, barriers, language?
4. How authentic a picture of Australian society: the people within the situations and their behaviour, the problems, the patterns of society, behavioural questions?
5. The reality of the situation: Antigone and the nightmarish prologue of sleeping in Australia with the mother coming to get her and her refusal? The contrast with the prologue in Greece? The significance of the letter, money, arrangements of marriages? Love and pride, dignity? How trapped are people with these situations? The importance of Antigone's flashbacks and the gradual revelation of cruelty and rejection, pride? Indications for homesickness, romanticising the past, bitterness? The importance of the structure and placing of the flashbacks?
6. The question of the language – especially for an Australian audience with so much Greek not translated? Empathy for the experience of the migrant? The importance of language for communication, breaking through isolation, being trapped?
7. The initial transition from Greece to Sydney? The arrival, Antigone and her anticipation? What kind of person was she in terms of age, experience, dignity and pride and independence? As a woman? The significance of her rejection and her reaction to this? Her pride and repaying the money to Telis? Her being made welcome in the block of flats? The importance of her isolation, the reaction of the old lady, the old couple, the two brothers, Narj and Ken and the various friends? Her gradually being able to cope and yet her daydreaming? Work, experience of Australian society and its contrasts? The importance of her marriage dress and the dreams of marriage sexuality? How credible a person was she? How much sympathy did she elicit from the audience?
8. Now was Antigone revealed in the various aspects of her behaviour: her searching for work and being lost in the suburbs, her work in the cafe, in the hotel and Manolis and his reaction to this? Her attending the rehearsal of the play? The party? Her relationship with Marj and talking to Marj, to the girl at the cafe? The behaviour at home, loneliness, walking? The dance leading to the fight? Her behaviour in the hospital? Ner reasons for dignity against Telis, rejection of Manolis' proposal? Would she eventually accept?
9. The picture of Australians and their reaction to migrants e.g. the girl in the suburb who was in a hurry, the people at the party at Narj's place, the people in the pub, in the streets? How realistic a picture of Australia? Comment on attitude to migrants?
10. The importance of the environment of Sydney and its suburbs, the importance of the visit to the Opera House as a location for a discussion about the past and migration? Suburban streets and their look, church, theatre, shops? The comparison with the Greek landscapes?
11. The character portrayal of Telis: his expectations and pride, his rejection of Antigone and his selfishness, the guest ion of money, Manolis's rebuking him? Seeing him in his work and ambitions, being attacked for black labour, the deals and his ambitions? The man about town and the King's Cross episode? At the dance? The way he talked about himself to others e.g. the guitar player? His mood during the dance, fighting with his brother? Finally seeing him at the hospital? How interesting a portrait of such a man?
12. The contrast with Manolis as a man; his authority over his brother, his work, Australia for twenty years, dignity, way of helping Antigone, talking to her, the visit to the Opera House? His proposal as well thought out? The fight and its effects on him? Being left at the end – what would the future be?
13. Narj as representing the Australians? Her explanation of herself, seeing her in her apartment with Ken and the way that she talked? At the play and her description of being tied in – its reference to herself as well as to Antigone? The throwing of the party, the gap between herself and Ken with his talk of Hemingway etc.? The end and was Ken leaving her?
14. The portrait of the old lady and her holding of Greek ways, her seeming to haunt everyone? Her lashing of the dress? The contrast with the middle-aged couple and their having settled into Australia, arranged the marriage, reminiscing over the past and wanting to return? The woman and her prayers?
15. What of the future for all of them? Greek migrants in Australia? For example, the boy with the guitar and his being bashed at his gambling? The groups e.g. the marriage ceremonies, local cafes? People joining the Greeks in their traditional ways?
16. The kind of insight into migrant problems? The human problems of relationship and dignity?
