''Cass'' is a 1978 Australian TV movie about a woman returning home and struggling to put her life back together.Ed. Scott Murray, ''Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995'', Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p23

Synopsis

Cass ( Michele Fawdon) is a film-maker returning to Sydney after a stint filming the traditional lives of the island Mulala people. Her producer Frank ( Peter Whitford) conspires to hijack her footage for a TV special, despite Cass having made a vow to the Mulala people that it would only be shown in specialist academic circles. Cass's doctor husband Mike (

John Waters John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, actor, writer, and artist. He rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films, including '' Multiple Maniacs'' (1970), '' Pink Flamingos'' (1972) and '' Fe ...

) senses a change in Cass on her return from the islands, and is irritated that she wants to abstain from sex and becoming pregnant. Cass also feels disconnected from her friends and like she no longer fits in. On her way to an event, Cass stumbles on a couple of hippies, Margo (

Judy Morris Judith Ann Morris (born 17 February 1947) is an Australian character actress, as well as a film director and screenwriter, well known for the variety of roles she played in 58 different television shows and films, starting her career as a child ...

) and Tom ( Peter Carroll), living eco-friendly lives, that shun

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and capitalism. Cass proceeds to the event, a formal dinner party full of pretentious people - making her feel further disillusioned. Cassie proposes introducing Mike to the hippies, but he isn’t comfortable with their lifestyle. Cass however, spends time with Margo and their relationship begins to develop. Cass finally sees the exploitative film that Frank has created from her footage, with a focus on sensationalising the nudity. At a big party full of television personalities, Cassie gets drunk and starts behaving in a strange manner. Mike attempts to drag her away from the party, but Cass races away to see Margo, and they consummate their relationship. When Cass returns home to Mike, they argue, so she visits Tom for a heart to heart chat about how she should deal with her life. Cass returns home again to inform Mike of affair with Margo, but Margo later tells Cass that she’s not interested in settling down with her. Cass heads off to work, where Frank is pitching the television special to a couple of executives. Cass sneaks into the production office, grabs both the original footage and the edited version, and returns home where she has a big confrontatiok with Mike. When he tries to sedate her, she escapes and heads to North Head, where she tosses all the film into the ocean. Cass then hits the road, pausing to picking up a couple of hitchhikers.

Cast

as Mike Willis * Michele Fawdon as Cass Willis *

as Margo * Peter Carroll as Tom *

Max Cullen Maxwell Phillip Cullen (born 29 April 1940) is an Australian stage and screen actor. He has appeared in many Australian films and television series but is best known for his role in the film '' Spider and Rose'' and the television series '' The ...

as Terry, the cameraman * Peter Whitford as Frank, the producer *

Terry Camilleri Terrance Camilleri (born 7 November 1949) is a Maltese-born Australian actor who has performed actively in both the United Kingdom and United States. He is best recognised for portraying Emperor Napoleon I in the blockbuster comedy film '' Bi ...

as Roger, an editor *

Anna Volska Anna Volska (born 1 December 1944 in Milanówek, Poland) is an Australian stage and television actress. She arrived in Australia when she was young and has acted from a young age. Early life Anna Volska moved from Poland to Australia with h ...

Anne Haddy Patricia Anne Haddy (5 October 1930 – 6 June 1999), credited also as Anne Hardy, was an Australian actress, television presenter and voice artist, who worked in various facets of the industry including radio, stage and television. She was mar ...

* Kevin Manser * James Condon * Charles McCallum as Mike's Dad * Sandra McGregor as Georgie * Stephen O'Rourke as Tim *

Grant Dodwell Grant Radnor Dodwell is an Australian actor, producer, writer, director, voice artist, and drama teacher. He is best known for his roles in television soap operas including as an original cast member in ''A Country Practice'', '' Willing and Ab ...

* Ron Graham * Paula Duncan * Arna-Maria Winchester

Filming locations

Film Australia’s Lindfield production offices were used to depict the fictional production company.

Sydney Airport Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport — colloquially Kingsford Smith Airport, Sydney Airport or Mascot Airport — is an international airport serving Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, south of the Sydney central business district, in the subu ...

and Sydney’s North Head were also used as backdrops.

References

External links

*
''Cass''
at Oz Movies {{Chris Noonan Australian television films 1978 television films 1978 films 1970s English-language films