A Town Like Alice 

Set against the brutal chaos of World War II, a love story begins that will take two lovers through a living nightmare of captivity, across three continents and two decades. From the steamy... See full summary »

Stars:

Helen Morse, Bryan Brown, Gordon Jackson

Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 8 wins.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Helen Morse	...	Jean Paget (3 episodes, 1981)
Bryan Brown	...	Joe Harman (3 episodes, 1981)
Gordon Jackson	...	Noel Strachan (3 episodes, 1981)
Dorothy Alison	...	Mrs. Frith (3 episodes, 1981)
Yuki Shimoda	...	Sergeant Mifune (3 episodes, 1981)
Anna Volska	...	Sally Wilson-Hayes (3 episodes, 1981)
Donald MacDonald	...	Derek Wilson-Hayes (3 episodes, 1981)
Jennifer West	...	Mrs. Horsefall (3 episodes, 1981)
Pat Evison	...	Mrs. Collard (3 episodes, 1981)
Mandy Boocock	...	Marlene Collard (3 episodes, 1981)
Rebecca Marshall	...	Rita Collard (3 episodes, 1981)
Debbie Baile	...	Audrey Forbes (3 episodes, 1981)
Cecily Polson	...	Eileen Holland (3 episodes, 1981)
Melissa Crawford	...	Robyn Holland (3 episodes, 1981)
John Allen	...	Bill Holland (3 episodes, 1981)
Sean Hinton	...	Freddie Holland (3 episodes, 1981)
Lucy Bell	...	Jane Holland (3 episodes, 1981)
Crispian Ashby	...	Jonnie Horsefall (3 episodes, 1981)
John Howard	...	Donald Paget (3 episodes, 1981)
Patrick Dickson	...	Tommy Smythe (3 episodes, 1981)
Kenneth Brown	...	Ben Leggatt (3 episodes, 1981)
Richard Narita	...	Captain Sugamo (3 episodes, 1981)
Hatsuo Uda	...	Captain Koniata (3 episodes, 1981)
Lim Beng Choon	...	Major Nemu (3 episodes, 1981)
Akio Fukuwa	...	Japanese Lieutenant (3 episodes, 1981)
Zain Ariff	...	Mat Amin (3 episodes, 1981)
Zainal Aziz	...	Suleiman (3 episodes, 1981)
Antony Croser	...	James McFadden (3 episodes, 1981)
John Lee	...	Lester 'Les' Robinson (3 episodes, 1981)
Joan Lord	...	Miss Carter (3 episodes, 1981)
Peter Collingwood	...	Dr. Kennedy (3 episodes, 1981)
Maggie Dence	...	Mrs. O'Connor (3 episodes, 1981)
Lorna Lesley	...	Rose Sawyer (3 episodes, 1981)
Maurie Fields	...	Al Burns (3 episodes, 1981)
Arkie Whiteley	...	Annie (3 episodes, 1981)
Tim McKenzie	...	Pete Fletcher (3 episodes, 1981)
Steve Bisley	...	Tim Whelan (3 episodes, 1981)
Lois Ramsey	...	Mrs. Driver (3 episodes, 1981)
Isabel Kirk	...	Mrs. Duveen (3 episodes, 1981)
Tommy Lewis	...	Bourneville (3 episodes, 1981)
Syd Heylen	...	Art Foster (3 episodes, 1981)
Peter Kowitz	...	TAA Pilot (3 episodes, 1981)
Ross Thompson	...	Beetchcraft Pilot (3 episodes, 1981)
Robert Noble	...	Dragon Pilot (3 episodes, 1981)
Ed Turley	...	Police Sergeant (3 episodes, 1981)
Peter Paulson	...	Flying Doctor (3 episodes, 1981)
Derek Wyness	...	Don Curtis (3 episodes, 1981)
Gertude Treloar	...	Palmolive (3 episodes, 1981)
Gary Priest	...	Bush Brother (3 episodes, 1981)
Lofty Cannard	...	Crocodile Shooter (3 episodes, 1981)
Anne Haddy	...	Aggie Topp (3 episodes, 1981)

Storyline

Set against the brutal chaos of World War II, a love story begins that will take two lovers through a living nightmare of captivity, across three continents and two decades. From the steamy jungles of Malaya to the dusty and desolate outback of Australia Based on Nevil Shute' international bestselling novel A TOWN LIKE ALICE follows the lives of Jean Paget and Joe Harman. Meeting in Malaya--sh an attractive young English captive and he a cheerful Australian POW tortured for a simple act of kindness. Separated first by their captors then by the distance of passing years, the two are finally reunited in the rugged outback of Australia-to face a challenge every bit as demanding as their wartime trials.

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Plot Keywords:

australian | jungle | australia | japanese invasion | kuala lumpur malaysia | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Details

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 October 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der lange Weg nach Alice Springs

Filming Locations:

Farmcote Station, Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia

Company Credits

Production Co:

7 Network, Mariner Films, Victorian Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

301 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The "Alice" of the mini-series' title A Town Like Alice (1981) refers to the town of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia.

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Goofs

Although set in 1948, Jean Paget boards a Routemaster London bus. Routemasters weren't introduced until the mid-1950s.

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Connections

Version of A Town Like Alice (1956)

User Reviews

A Town Like Alice

I remember watching this series avidly and being so disappointed when it came to an end. Over the years since then, I have tried to find out if I could obtain a copy of it on either video or d.v.d., to no avail. However, I was delighted to find this website with details of it, only to be disappointed again at the point of purchase, that the videos available will not play on English recorders! This production was so wonderful, being absolutely accurate with Nevil Shute's novel, taking the storyline through after the end of the war, with Joe and Jean's subsequent life together - absolutely marvellous - and I just wish I were able to see it again, as since it's original screening, there have been no repeats of it on British television.