The Alternative (film)

The Alternative
Written by	Tony Morphett
Directed by	Paul Eddey
Starring	Wendy Hughes Peter Adams
Country of origin	Australia
Original language	English
Production
Producer	Robert Bruning
Cinematography	Russell Boyd
Editor	Trevor Ellis
Running time	74 mins
Production company	Gemini Productions
Budget	A$105,000 [1] or $90,000 [2]
Original release
Release	1978 (1978)

The Alternative is a 1978 Australian television film about an unmarried editor of a woman's magazine who finds herself pregnant. She has a relationship with another woman. ^{[1] [3]}

Plot

Melanie is an unmarried woman working for a women's magazine. She falls pregnant and decides to raise the baby on her own.

Cast

• Wendy Hughes as Melanie Hilton
• Peter Adams as Noel Denning
• Carla Hoogeveen as Linda
• Tony Bonner as Peter
• Alwyn Kurts as Doherty
• Ken Goodlet as Melanie's Father
• Betty Lucas as Melanie's Mother
• Anne Haddy as Helen
• Mary Mackie as Mrs. Millbank
• Jackie Rees as June

Production

It was one of a series of TV movies Robert Bruning made for Channel 7. ^[4] The film was shot in Sydney. ^[2]

It was the first to air after Is There Anybody There? . ^[5]

He sold it to Paramount to distribute world wide. ^[6]

Awards

At the Annual Penguin Awards, given by the Television Society of Australia, the film was awarded best Actress (Wendy Hughes), Actor (Peter Adams) and Supporting Actor (Alwyn Kurts), as well as Best Adult Drama. ^{[7] [8]}

References

1. Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970–1995, Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p5-6
2. "First Look for a Thrill". Sydney Morning Herald. 8 August 1976. p. 89.
3. "G.F.F." Filmnews . New South Wales, Australia. 1 August 1977. p. 4. Retrieved 4 January 2020– via Trove.
4. Beilby, Peter; Murray, Scott (September–October 1979). "Robert Bruning". Cinema Papers. pp. 517–519.
5. "Gather around for a 'woman's picture'". Sydney Morning Herald. 17 April 1977. p. 105.
6. "Selling our films to the world". Sydney Morning Herald. 29 May 1977. p. 47.
7. "TV's Penguin Awards". The Canberra Times . 7 November 1977. p. 3. Retrieved 14 July 2013– via National Library of Australia.
8. "CB RADIO Skip faces short legal life". The Canberra Times . Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 11 November 1977. p. 21. Retrieved 5 January 2020– via Trove.

External links

• The Alternative at IMDb
• Clips from the film at YouTube
• The Alternative at Screen Australia
• The Alternative ^{[ dead link ]} at BFI
• The Alternative at National Film and Sound Archive
• The Alternative at AustLit (subscription required)