Winter of Our Dreams (1981)

Director:

John Duigan

Writer:

John Duigan (written by)

Release Date:

August 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

For both of them life had become a habit...until they met.

Plot Keywords:

Australia | Independent Film

Awards:

2 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Judy Davis	...	Lou
Bryan Brown	...	Rob
Cathy Downes	...	Gretel
Baz Luhrmann	...	Pete
Peter Mochrie	...	Tim
Mervyn Drake	...	Mick
Margie McCrae	...	Lisa Blaine
Joy Hruby	...	Marge
Kim Deacon	...	Michelle
Caz Lederman	...	Jenny
Virginia Duigan	...	Sylvia
Rosemary Lenzo	...	Girl in Bookshop
Alex Pinder	...	Terry
John Smythe	...	Jon Hartz
Bassia Carole	...	Tom McCarthy

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Kings Cross, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Australian Film Commission, The

Soundtrack:

Till Time Brings Change

An overlooked gem.

I saw this film on TV years ago and have always had very fond memories of it. I've just seen it again and thankfully unlike many a film you remember affectionately only to find it's nowhere near as good as you thought on second viewing, this is still a great film. Criminally overlooked now, as indeed is the great Australian star Judy Davis, this film really does show just how absolutely superb some of the late 70's/early 80's Australian films were. Judy Davis gives one of the finest performances of her career and is utterly and heartbreakingly convincing. Bryan Brown, so often a tough action star, or wise-cracking charmer/rogue, is equally good in a very understated way, in fact when the two stars are together it almost seems like we the audience are actually intruding on their lives by watching. Excellent support too from Cathy Downes as Brown's wife and from a very young Baz Lurhman (before he took up directing). I don't think it's available on DVD (though i may be wrong), so it's probably going to be hard to track a copy down, but if you do get the opportunity and like thought-provoking human drama then do see it. I guarantee if you don't know how great an actress Judy Davis is or have never really seen her in anything other than a Hollywood film, then see this and you'll be totally blown away, just like i was all those years ago. Highly recommended !. p.s, If after seeing this you want to see Judy in more films which show just how versatile she can be then check out films like; A PASSAGE TO India, MY BRILLIANT CAREER, HOSTILE HOSTAGES (a.k.a, THE REF), or the TV-Film, ONE AGAINST THE WIND, not to mention the superb ensemble film from Woody Allen, HUSBANDS AND WIVES..