Crime Passionel

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Crime Passionel
Based onplay by Jean-Paul Sartre
Directed by Royston Morley
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time90 minutes
Production companyABC
Release
Original networkABC
Original release11 November 1959 (1959-11-11) (Sydney, live)
17 November 1959 (1959-11-17) (Brisbane)
10 February 1960 (1960-02-10) (Melbourne)

Crime Passionel is a 1959 Australian television play. It was based on a play by Jean-Paul Sartre and was directed by Royston Morley.

Contents

The play had been broadcast that year by the BBC.

It was broadcast live in Sydney on 11 November 1959. A recording was made of this and shown in Brisbane on 17 November 1959 [1] and Melbourne on 10 February 1960. [2] It went for 90 minutes. [3]

Australian TV drama was relatively rare at the time. [4]

Plot

At the end of World War Two, in the mythical European country of Illythia, the German armies are retreating from the Russians. Hugo, a young intellectual who wants to be revolutionary hero, sets about assassinating Hoederer, leader of the local communist party. Hugo is Hoederer's secretary. Hugo has a wife Jessica, and a fellow party member, Olga.

Cast

Production

Brian James was flown in from Melbourne to play the lead. [5]

Reception

The Sydney Morning Herald TV reviewer wrote that the play was "a little slow in movement, because of the sheer weight of its talk... [but] was given an absorbing live performance... the cast was uncommonly strong." [6]

See also

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References

  1. "Bomb in the Studio". TV Times. 12 November 1959. p. 5.
  2. "Wednesday Television". The Age. 4 February 1960. p. 11 Radio TV Supplement.
  3. "TV Guide". Sydney Morning Herald. 9 November 1959. p. 14.
  4. Vagg, Stephen (18 February 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
  5. "Telecast Of Crime Drama". Sydney Morning Herald. 9 November 1959. p. 13.
  6. "Crime Passionel on ABN". Sydney Morning Herald. 12 November 1959. p. 14.