Hey, doll face
Summer of the Seventeenth Doll
Join us on trip back to 1950s Melbourne, with the 50th anniversary of Summer of the Seventeenth Doll.
Adapted from Ray Lawler's landmark play of the same name, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll is a subtle examination of the changing face of Australian society.
The film is set in the 1950s, when Australia was in the midst of an economic boom. Robert Menzies was Prime Minister and the post-war immigration program was slowly challenging the idea of Australian identity. Artists such as Sidney Nolan and Arthur Boyd were emerging and Australian literature was flourishing. Summer of the Seventeenth Doll not only captured this cultural resurgence, but was at the heart of it, questioning the nature of the Australian dream and whether it could survive the evolving culture.
This classic Australian story is built around the tradition of a 'lay off' period, and explores the failure of Australia's characters to grow up and recognise a future beyond high times and livin' it up.
The film revolves around four characters - Barney, Roo, Olive and Pearl. Since they were teenagers, Barney and Roo (John Mills and Ernest Borgnine), now pushing forty, have had a long-standing rendezvous with the same two women. They travel to Sydney for fun in the sun for 5 months of every year. But this year everything seems to go wrong, and their 'lay off' fails to capture the old magic of their youth.
With its universal themes, such as the nature of happiness, the destruction and loss of idealism, aging and the inability to accept change, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll remains just as relevant to audiences today as it was fifty years ago.
For session times and bookings click here.
Published Monday, 23 November 2009
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