A Piece of Ribbon

A Piece of Ribbon
Advertisement in The Age 10 July 1963
Based onplay by Leslie Thomas
StarringElspeth Ballantyne, Dennis Miller
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerChristopher Muir
Running time60 mins[1]
Production companyAustralian Broadcasting Commission
Original release
NetworkABC
Release10 July 1963 (1963-07-10) (Melbourne)
Release24 July 1963 (1963-07-24) (Sydney)[2]

A Piece of Ribbon is a 1963 Australian television play filmed. It was based on an English TV play by Leslie Thomas that had already been performed by the BBC.[3][4]

It was filmed in Melbourne and was directed by Christopher Muir.[5] Beach scenes were shot in Beaumaris, Victoria.[6]

Although based on a British script it is the only Australian made television drama set during the Malayan Emergency.[7]

Plot

During the Malayan Emergency, British soldiers are having a break from jungle patrol at a Malay Beach Club House. Several of them are attracted to a Eurasian girl, Marianna de Souza, who is there to meet her boyfriend Corporal Cutliffe. He arranges to meet Marianna later at a beach.

Marianna is found murdered. Investigations into her death are cut short when the company is sent out on patrol under Sergeant Wiley.

Cast

  • Neville Thurgood as Sgt Wiley
  • Jeffrey Hodgson
  • Heather Leembruggen as Marianna de Souza
  • Geoffrey Hodgson as Corporal Cutliffe
  • George Whaley
  • Roly Barlee
  • Terry Beattie
  • Kurt Beimel
  • Robin Farquhar
  • Joseph Gentile
  • Charles Haggith
  • Max Horder
  • Paul Karo
  • Dennis Miller
  • Alwyn Owen
  • Joseph Szabo
  • Christine Veld

Production

There was a cast of 25 including five models from the Mannequin and Models Guild. The producers shot scenes for the beach at Beaumauris. Heather Leembruggen was from Sri Lanka.[8] The set was designed by Kevin Bartlett.[9]

Reception

The Bulletin said the cast, "with one minor exception", were believable as British soldiers.[10]

Filminkg called it "a very good production."[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ "TV Guide". Sydney Morning Herald. 22 July 1963. p. 11.
  2. ^ "Beach Scenes of Murder Play". Sydney Morning Herald. 15 July 1963. p. 12.
  3. ^ "Murder Thriller On Channel 3". The Canberra Times. Vol. 37, no. 10, 596. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 24 July 1963. p. 35. Retrieved 22 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Leslie Thomas obituary". The Guardian. 7 May 2014. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022.
  5. ^ "The Age - Google News Archive Search".
  6. ^ "Beach Scenes in Melbourne". Sydney Morning Herald. 15 July 1963. p. 11.
  7. ^ Vagg, Stephen (27 August 2022). "3 Forgotten Australian Television Plays". Filmink.
  8. ^ "Malaya Provides Set for Beach Murder". The Age. 4 July 1963. p. 12.
  9. ^ "TV Guide". The Age. 4 July 1963. p. 31.
  10. ^ The bulletin, John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, 1880, retrieved 23 March 2019
  11. ^ Vagg, Stephen (27 August 2022). "3 Forgotten Australian Television Plays". Filmink.


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