I haven't read Colleen McCullough's source novel - maybe there was more to it than what we see here, but if there wasn't the source should have been changed.
The "world" is good - a hospital camp on an island just after the end of World War Two. Wendy Hughes is ideal as the nursing sister in charge of a group of odd balls, played by some excellent actors like Gary Sweet, Richard Moir, Mark Little and Bruno Lawrence.
The photography is excellent and it helps that it's been shot on location. Some of the island shots are beautiful. There's not enough of them though - too much of this feels like a play and it may as well have been shot in the studio. You don't really feel on an island - the characters could be cut off going troppo, etc. It lacks atmosphere.
It also lacks decent secrets and a spine. The whole thing should have been a murder investigation or something. Like we start with the death of Richard Moir and flash back.
The secrets feel weak - Richard Moir is a rapacious bisexual but that is telegraphed; Gary Sweet is kind of gay but not really - he kills John Sherrin (in flashback) who made a move on him and another soldier "loved" him and gets it up for Wendy Hughes. Sweet should have been gay, Hughes could have driven the investigation, or something.
There's a little but of nudity and violence but the story is muddled and it doesn't have the courage of its melodramatic convictions. There's no sense of threat - Hughes' life is never in danger. Its no tragedy she doesn't get with Sweet because he's probably gay.
It looks gorgeous. Hughes gives a fine performance as does Hunter and Sweet and Lawrence. Moir goes over the top but where else can he go. I liked Caroline Gilmer too.
Ah, what a misfire.
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