Ben Lewin directed and Ann Brooksbank wrote this one which looks at the famous combo of Lottie Lyell (Odile Le Clezio) and Raymond Longford (Robert Coleby). Michelle Fawdon, long time collaborator of Brooksbank's husband Bob Ellis, plays Mrs Longford, who won't give him a divorce. Judi Farr is Lottie's mum and Danny Adcock is Arthur Higgins. Bob Ellis is CJ Dennis. Jeff Truman is Arthur Tauchert. Peter Adams is someone called Mr Dutton.
Le Clezio looks quite like Lyell. Robert Coleby isn't quite like I imagined Longford, who can be glimpsed in some old Australian films, but he does have charisma and polish - you believe Lyell would be attracted to him and that he was an actor.
The story starts in 1918 but they show screenings of The Romantic Story of Margaret Catchpole which was made a few years earlier... but I'm just so chuffed they did it, it doesn't matter. The guts of the plot concerns the production of The Sentimental Bloke. The making of that doesn't seem that interesting. I thought there were some troubles with the police about filming... that's not in here. It ends with the successful premiere of the film, not her death. Maybe that wasn't the right way to go. A lot of the dialogue and scenes are exposition-y in that biopic way.
Still, I love, love that this was made. Production values are high.
How would I have done it? Hmmm... maybe tried to condense the whole relationship. At 44 minutes that would've been tricky. But it could be done.
Maybe... 1) meeting 2) theatre and fall for each other 3) films 4) Longford turns director 5) Lotte stunts 6) Banning of Woman Suffers 7) Sentimental Bloke 8) form own company 9) Lotte director 10) Death
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