Eliza Fraser (film)
Encyclopedia
Eliza Fraser is a 1976 Australian
bawdy adventure drama film
, directed by Tim Burstall
and starring Susannah York
, Trevor Howard
, Noel Ferrier
and John Castle
. The screenplay was written by David Williamson
.
The film was the first Australian film with a big-budget, costing $A1.2m to make. English actors Susannah York and Trevor Howard were brought from the United Kingdom to headline this Australian picture, which was filmed in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. The film has been described as a classic Aussie tale of colonial hardship and bawdy beginnings, and has been described as a sex romp. The film contains nudity, with exposure of female breasts (including those of York and a nude cameo by Abigail
) and numerous back shots.
), and his young wife, Eliza Fraser
(Susannah York
), share adventures after they and the ship's crew are shipwrecked on an island near Australia in the 1830s, and live with the indigenous Aboriginal people. Her lively exploits among the refugees help to make Eliza famous - or rather, notorious - throughout the British empire. Once rescued, Eliza earns her keep at county fairs by regaling audiences with her own tales of her adventures.
Cinema of Australia
Cinema of Australia, more commonly referred to as the Australian film industry, refers to the system of production, distribution, and exhibition of films in Australia. Film production commenced in Australia in 1906 with the production of The Story of the Kelly Gang, the earliest feature film made...
bawdy adventure drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
, directed by Tim Burstall
Tim Burstall
Tim Burstall was an Australian film director, writer and producer, best known for the motion picture Alvin Purple....
and starring Susannah York
Susannah York
Susannah York was a British film, stage and television actress. She was awarded a BAFTA as Best Supporting Actress for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe for the same film. She won best actress for Images at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival...
, Trevor Howard
Trevor Howard
Trevor Howard , born Trevor Wallace Howard-Smith, was an English film, stage and television actor.-Early life:...
, Noel Ferrier
Noel Ferrier
Noel Ferrier AM was an Australian television personality, stage and film actor, raconteur and theatrical producer. He had an extensive theatre career which spanned over fifty years.-Biography:...
and John Castle
John Castle
John Castle is an English actor. Castle has acted in theatre, film and television. He is well known for his role as Postumus in the 1976 BBC television adaptation of I, Claudius and for playing Geoffrey in the 1968 film, The Lion in Winter. He also played Dr...
. The screenplay was written by David Williamson
David Williamson
David Keith Williamson AO is one of Australia's best-known playwrights. He has also written screenplays and teleplays.-Biography:...
.
The film was the first Australian film with a big-budget, costing $A1.2m to make. English actors Susannah York and Trevor Howard were brought from the United Kingdom to headline this Australian picture, which was filmed in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. The film has been described as a classic Aussie tale of colonial hardship and bawdy beginnings, and has been described as a sex romp. The film contains nudity, with exposure of female breasts (including those of York and a nude cameo by Abigail
Abigail
Abigail was the wife of Nabal; she became a wife of David after Nabal's death .In the passage, Nabal demonstrates ingratitude towards David, and Abigail attempts to placate David in order to stop him taking revenge...
) and numerous back shots.
Plot
An old captain, Captain James Fraser (Noel FerrierNoel Ferrier
Noel Ferrier AM was an Australian television personality, stage and film actor, raconteur and theatrical producer. He had an extensive theatre career which spanned over fifty years.-Biography:...
), and his young wife, Eliza Fraser
Eliza Fraser
Eliza Fraser was a Scottish woman whose ship was shipwrecked on the coast of Queensland, Australia, on 22 May 1836, and who was captured by Aborigines. Fraser Island is named after her....
(Susannah York
Susannah York
Susannah York was a British film, stage and television actress. She was awarded a BAFTA as Best Supporting Actress for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe for the same film. She won best actress for Images at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival...
), share adventures after they and the ship's crew are shipwrecked on an island near Australia in the 1830s, and live with the indigenous Aboriginal people. Her lively exploits among the refugees help to make Eliza famous - or rather, notorious - throughout the British empire. Once rescued, Eliza earns her keep at county fairs by regaling audiences with her own tales of her adventures.
Cast
- Susannah YorkSusannah YorkSusannah York was a British film, stage and television actress. She was awarded a BAFTA as Best Supporting Actress for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe for the same film. She won best actress for Images at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival...
– Eliza Fraser - Trevor HowardTrevor HowardTrevor Howard , born Trevor Wallace Howard-Smith, was an English film, stage and television actor.-Early life:...
– Captain Foster Fyans - Noel FerrierNoel FerrierNoel Ferrier AM was an Australian television personality, stage and film actor, raconteur and theatrical producer. He had an extensive theatre career which spanned over fifty years.-Biography:...
– Captain James Fraser - John CastleJohn CastleJohn Castle is an English actor. Castle has acted in theatre, film and television. He is well known for his role as Postumus in the 1976 BBC television adaptation of I, Claudius and for playing Geoffrey in the 1968 film, The Lion in Winter. He also played Dr...
– Captain Rory McBride - John WatersJohn Waters (actor)John Russell Waters is a film, theatre and television actor and musician best known in Australia, to where he moved in 1968...
– David Bracefell - AbigailAbigail (actress)Abigail is an actress who emigrated to Australia in 1968 and via the media of television became one of that country's significant sex symbols of the mid-1970s. Although born in England, she was educated in France. Her mother was a Ceylonese of Dutch Burgher/Eurasian ethnicity...
– Buxom girl - Gerard KennedyGerard Kennedy (actor)Gerard Kennedy is an Australian actor and two-time Gold Logie winner. He played six different characters in guest appearances in Homicide, all in 1966...
– Martin Cameron - Arna-Maria Winchester – Mrs Cameron
- Charles TingwellCharles TingwellIn 1941, aged 18, he volunteered for war service overseas with the Royal Australian Air Force. Under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, personnel from Commonwealth air forces were part of a joint training and assignment system. Consequently, Tingwell trained as a pilot in Canada during 1942...
– Duncan Fraser - Gus MercurioGus MercurioAugustino Eugenio "Gus" Mercurio was an American-born Australian character actor who appeared on both film and television.-Early life :...
– Darge - Lindsey Roughsey – Euenmundi
- George Mallaby – Leuitenant Otter
- Carole SkinnerCarole SkinnerCarole Skinner is an Australian actress who works mainly in the theatre and is well known to armchair viewers for her roles in many long running soap operas.Skinner played top dog Nola McKenzie in Prisoner...
– Mrs Shortland - Vicki Bray – Mrs Annie Fraser