The Set (film)

Last updated

The Set
Directed byFrank Brittain
Written byDiane Brittain
Roger Ward
Kenneth Johnson (special material)
Based onThe Set
by Roger Ward
Produced byFrank Brittain
Starring Sean McEuan
Rod Mullinar
Hazel Phillips
Cinematography Sándor Siro
Edited byBob Ritchie
Music by Sven Libaek
Production
company
Mawson Continental Pictures
Distributed by David Hannay Productions
Release date
  • 4 February 1970 (1970-02-04)
Running time
102 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
Budget$60,000 [1]

The Set is a 1970 Australian drama film directed by Frank Brittain and produced by David Hannay and adapted from the unpublished novel by Roger Ward. The film depicts homosexuality in Australia, and was the first feature film in Australia to have homosexuality as a main theme. [2]

Contents

Plot

Paul Lawrence is a working-class man who dates Cara, sells shirts at a Sydney department store, and dreams of attending art school. Cara leaves for London and Paul becomes the protege of designer Marie Rosefield. Through this he enters the 'set', the world of Sydney art society.

Rosefield is friends with Mark Bronoski, an artist who commissions Paul to design a set for British stage director, John L. Fredericks. Paul is helped by art student Tony Brown, who is dating Paul's cousin, Kim Sylvester. Paul and Tony begin a homosexual affair. Kim's mother Peggy has an affair with Boronoski.

Paul and Tony break up and Paul attempts suicide. He is reunited with Cara.

Cast

Production

The script was based on an unpublished novel, written during the sixties, by Australian actor Roger Ward. It was based on diaries he had kept since 1954 reflecting on sexual mores in Australia. [4] The original title of the novel was 'You can never please a people' and was based on Ward's experience in the theatrical world, using the lives of friends of his and his own experiences as a basis. [5] Indeed, the character of John L. Fredericks was based on Sir Robert Helpmann. The actor who played him, Michael Charnley, when told who he was playing, said "My God, I haven't seen Bobby since he lifted me in Swan Lake!". [5]

Ward showed the manuscript to Ed Devereaux who suggested Ward take it to American producer Frank Brittain, who had just made Journey Out of Darkness (1967) and wanted to direct Australian films. Brittain asked Ward to rewrite the material and emphasise the homosexual content. [6] It had not been Ward's goal to have the film made with an emphasis on the gay elements of the story. The original novel was not intended as a gay novel per se, but depicted gay characters as part of wider everyday life. It was the producer's 24-year-old third wife, Dianne Brittain, who upon reading the book pertaining to the purchase of film rights, noted the presence of homosexual characters and told Brittain he would have to buy it as "This guy describes two men making luuurve". [5] According to Ward, the script was rewritten by Dianne Brittain as well as novelist Elizabeth Kata. [4]

Finance was reportedly obtained from a Newcastle industrialist, Richard Mawson. [7]

The film was shot in early 1969. No sets were used, with filming taking place in private houses on Sydney's north shore and in Paddington. Production was highly publicised, in part due to a nude appearance by TV personality Hazel Phillips. [1] Roger Ward later said he was unhappy with the experience:

I was devastated to see the ruination of a previously polished and highly tuned script and spent my short time on set leaping in front of the cameras yelling, "Cut! That is not the dialogue". It got to the stage that the actors were ignoring the director and coming to me in a clandestine manner to ask for interpretations and the correct lines to say. Understandably the director was angered by this and I was packed up and sent out of town on a phony publicity tour so a lot of the film went through without my input or salvaging and ended up in what I thought at the time was a 'cringeworthy state'. So the risks I faced at that time, and they were real risks and they did eventuate, was one of being a laughing stock, of being embarrassed for creating such a badly written script. [4]

The cast of the film was eclectic, featuring professional actor Rod Mullinar, who had an extensive track record in the Crawford stable of productions including Homicide , Division 4 and Matlock Police and went onto appear in Against the Wind and Prisoner . Well-known TV personality Hazel Philips was cast as lead character Peggy Sylvester by producer Frank Brittain, but was not the first choice of writer Ward, who wanted Carol Raye for the role. [8] On casting, Ward said:

Frank chose Hazel Phillips. A non-actress at the time, she was a trier and today, 30 years later, her performance stands up ok, but then, i thought she was a disaster. The lead guy who plays Paul, was an unknown called Sean McEuan, 21 years old, soft, sensitive. I hated him. But looking back he was marvellous. To this day he was a great actor. Micheal Charnley was great, but others were hopeless. Non actors were used when strong actors were needed to deliver such dialogue. [9]

Other casting of note were cameo appearances from Sydney 'gay icons' Ken 'Kandy' Johnson and Tracey Lee. Lee (real name Maxwell Ritchie) was a cabaret artiste and female impersonator who had been active on the Sydney club scene as a female impersonator since 1953. He created the persona of Tracey Lee in 1959.

Johnson, who started drag performances at parties in the early 60's, became a Sydney club entrepreneur in Sydney's 'camp' scene, first opening Kandy's Garden of Eden in Enmore, became a partner in night club The Purple Onion, and opened Ken's Karate Klub, [10] the sauna which became Ken's of Kensington, before closing in 2012. [11]

Release

The censor demanded a dozen cuts before the film was passed for export. The producers appealed and in the end, only four words were deleted. The film was refused registration as an Australian quota production under the quality clause of the New South Wales Film Quota Act. [1]

The film was not a success at the box office. [1] However, it has since come to be regarded as a cult movie in part because of its depiction of homosexuality.[ citation needed ]

Ward's original novel was finally published in 2011. [12] He claimed he was working on a sequel. [4]

The Set was given its first home entertainment release on DVD and VOD, shortly after its 50th anniversary by Bounty Films. The DVD included extensive interviews with the remaining cast and crew, a PDF of Ward's novel, never been before cut and bonus scenes and a 32-page booklet with original newspaper articles and ads from Roger Ward's personal collection. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Weir</span> Australian filmmaker (born 1944)

Peter Lindsay Weir is an Australian retired film director. He is known for directing films crossing various genres over forty years with films such as Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), Gallipoli (1981), The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), Witness (1985), Dead Poets Society (1989), Fearless (1993), The Truman Show (1998), Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003), and The Way Back (2010). He has received six Academy Award nominations, ultimately being awarded the Academy Honorary Award in 2022 for his lifetime achievement career.

<i>Number 96</i> (TV series) 1972 Australian TV series

Number 96 is an Australian primetime soap opera that aired on 0-10 Network from 13 March 1972 to 11 August 1977, originally broadcast in the primetime slot of 8:30 pm for half-hour episodes every weeknight, later 2 1-hour episodes screened per week.

<i>The City and the Pillar</i> Novel by Gore Vidal

The City and the Pillar is the third published novel by American writer Gore Vidal, written in 1946 and published on January 10, 1948. The story is about a young man who is coming of age and discovers his own homosexuality.

<i>Basic Instinct</i> 1992 erotic thriller film by Paul Verhoeven

Basic Instinct is a 1992 neo-noir erotic thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas. Starring Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Wayne Knight, the film follows San Francisco police detective Nick Curran (Douglas) as he investigates the brutal murder of a wealthy rock star. During the course of the investigation, Curran becomes entangled in a passionate and intense relationship with Catherine Tramell (Stone), an enigmatic writer and the prime suspect.

<i>The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert</i> 1994 Australian film by Stephan Elliott

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is a 1994 Australian road comedy film written and directed by Stephan Elliott. The plot follows three drag queens, played by Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce, one being a transgender woman, played by Terence Stamp, as they journey across the Australian Outback from Sydney to Alice Springs in a tour bus that they have named "Priscilla", along the way encountering various groups and individuals.

<i>But Im a Cheerleader</i> 1999 film by Jamie Babbit

But I'm a Cheerleader is a 1999 American satirical teen romantic comedy film directed by Jamie Babbit in her feature directorial debut and written by Brian Wayne Peterson. Natasha Lyonne stars as Megan Bloomfield, a high school cheerleader whose parents send her to a residential in-patient conversion therapy camp to "cure" her lesbianism. At camp, Megan realizes that she is indeed a lesbian and, despite the "therapy", comes to embrace her sexuality. The supporting cast includes Clea DuVall, RuPaul, and Cathy Moriarty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peggy Glanville-Hicks</span> Australian composer and music critic

Peggy Winsome Glanville-Hicks was an Australian composer and music critic.

<i>Maurice</i> (film) 1987 British film

Maurice is a 1987 British romantic drama film directed by James Ivory, based on the 1971 novel Maurice by E. M. Forster. The film stars James Wilby as Maurice, Hugh Grant as Clive and Rupert Graves as Alec. The supporting cast includes Denholm Elliott as Dr Barry, Simon Callow as Mr Ducie, Billie Whitelaw as Mrs Hall, and Ben Kingsley as Lasker-Jones.

Hunter was an Australian espionage adventure television series screened by the Nine Network from Tuesday 4 July 1967 to March 1969. The series was created by Ian Jones and produced by Crawford Productions.

<i>Ryan</i> (TV series) Australian TV series or program

Ryan is an Australian adventure television series screened by the Seven Network from 27 May 1973. The series was produced by Crawford Productions and had a run of 39 one-hour episodes.

Roger Ward is an Australian actor who has had a considerable career in film and television, noted for "tough guy" roles in which he often did his own stunts.

<i>The Lost Language of Cranes</i> (film) British TV series or programme

The Lost Language of Cranes is a 1991 British made-for-television drama film directed by Nigel Finch. It was adapted for television by Sean Mathias, based on the 1986 novel of the same name by David Leavitt. The film was produced by the BBC for their Screen Two series, and aired on 9 February 1992 after being shown at the London Film Festival in November 1991. It stars Brian Cox, Eileen Atkins, Angus Macfadyen, Corey Parker, Cathy Tyson, John Schlesinger, René Auberjonois, Ben Daniels and Nigel Whitmey. Cox was nominated for a British Academy Television Award for Best Actor.

<i>Milk</i> (2008 American film) 2008 film by Gus Van Sant

Milk is a 2008 American biographical drama film based on the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Dustin Lance Black, the film stars Sean Penn as Milk, Josh Brolin as Dan White, a city supervisor, and Victor Garber as San Francisco Mayor George Moscone.

Young Ramsay was an Australian television drama series which ran from 1977 to 1980 on the Seven Network. It was produced by Crawford Productions as two series of 13 episodes each.

Boney is an Australian television series produced by Fauna Productions during 1971 and 1972, featuring James Laurenson in the title role of Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte. Two series, each of thirteen episodes, were filmed.

<i>The Sundowners</i> (novel) 1952 book by Jon Cleary

The Sundowners is a 1952 novel by Australian writer Jon Cleary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Queer Archives</span> LGBT archive in Australia

The Australian Queer Archives (AQuA) is a community-based non-profit organisation committed to the collection, preservation and celebration of material reflecting the lives and experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex LGBTI Australians. It is located in Melbourne. The Archives was established as an initiative of the 4th National Homosexual Conference, Sydney, August 1978, drawing on the previous work of founding President Graham Carbery. Since its establishment the collection has grown to over 200,000 items, constituting the largest and most significant collection of material relating to LGBT Australians and the largest collection of LGBT material in Australia, and the most prominent research centre for gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans and intersex history in Australia.

<i>The Singer Not the Song</i> 1961 film

The Singer Not the Song is a 1961 British Western film based on the 1953 novel of the same title by Audrey Erskine Lindop that was directed by Roy Ward Baker and filmed in Spain. It stars Dirk Bogarde, John Mills, and Mylène Demongeot.

You Can't See 'Round Corners is an Australian drama and military TV series that aired on the Seven Network for 26 episodes from 28 June 1967 based on the 1947 novel by Jon Cleary, updated to be set during the Vietnam War. It was directed by David Cahill and shot around Sydney in black and white, and was adapted into a film version in 1969.

<i>Brothers</i> (1982 film) 1982 Australian TV series or program

Brothers is a 1982 Australian drama television film directed by Terry Bourke. It includes a re-enactment of the 1975 murder of the Balibo Five in East Timor.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 246.
  2. ↑ 'Queer Sydney’s cinema locations', Sydney Star Observer, 26 April 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2012
  3. ↑ IMDb Sean Myers Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 'The Set: An Interview With Roger Ward', Spike Magazine, 15 August 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2012
  5. 1 2 3 "Interview: Roger Ward". Diverse Universe. 19: 16–17. October 2004.
  6. ↑ Richard Kuipers, The Set at Australian Screen Online. Retrieved 11 September 2012
  7. ↑ Hall, Sandra (15 February 1969). "Who's filming what". The Bulletin. p. 42.
  8. ↑ "Interview: Roger Ward". Diverse Universe. 19: 19. October 2004.
  9. ↑ "Interview: Roger Ward". Diverse Universe. 19: 19–20. October 2004.
  10. ↑ Witte, John (January 2006). "Johnson, Ken (Kandy) - Sydney's Pride History Group". Sydney's Pride History Group. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  11. ↑ Potts, Andrew M. (30 April 2012). "Kens at Kensington to close- Star Observer". Star Observer.
  12. ↑ Cara Nash, "Back On Set", Filmink Magazine, 9 June 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2012
  13. ↑ "On the Set with Roger Ward". 23 February 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.