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IMDbPro

Travelling North

  • 19871987
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
341
YOUR RATING
Travelling North (1987)
  • Comedy
  • Drama
After their late-life marriage, a middle-aged Australian couple move to the countryside. Their life and tempestuous marriage is detailed.After their late-life marriage, a middle-aged Australian couple move to the countryside. Their life and tempestuous marriage is detailed.After their late-life marriage, a middle-aged Australian couple move to the countryside. Their life and tempestuous marriage is detailed.
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
341
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Carl Schultz
  • Writer
    • David Williamson(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Leo McKern
    • Julia Blake
    • Henri Szeps
Top credits
  • Director
    • Carl Schultz
  • Writer
    • David Williamson(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Leo McKern
    • Julia Blake
    • Henri Szeps
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 5User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 5 wins & 2 nominations

    Photos13

    Julia Blake and Leo McKern in Travelling North (1987)
    Julia Blake, Diane Craig, and Michele Fawdon in Travelling North (1987)
    Carl Schultz in Travelling North (1987)
    Julia Blake in Travelling North (1987)
    Leo McKern in Travelling North (1987)
    Julia Blake and Leo McKern in Travelling North (1987)
    Leo McKern in Travelling North (1987)
    Julia Blake and Leo McKern in Travelling North (1987)
    Travelling North (1987)
    Travelling North (1987)
    Carl Schultz in Travelling North (1987)
    Travelling North (1987)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Leo McKern
    Leo McKern
    • Frank
    Julia Blake
    Julia Blake
    • Frances
    Henri Szeps
    • Saul
    Michele Fawdon
    • Helen
    Diane Craig
    • Sophie
    Andrea Moor
    Andrea Moor
    • Joan
    Drew Forsythe
    • Martin
    John Gregg
    John Gregg
    • Jim
    Graham Kennedy
    Graham Kennedy
    • Freddie
    Rob Steele
    Rob Steele
    • Syd
    John Black
    • Alan
    Roger Oakley
    Roger Oakley
    • Stan
    Joe MacColum
    • Boat Owner
    Nick Holland
    • Waiter
    Steve Shaw
    • Estate Agent
    Genevieve Mooy
    • Gallery Attendant
    Bevan Wilson
    • Celebrant
    • (as Beavan Wilson)
    Andrew McMahon
    • Child
    • Director
      • Carl Schultz
    • Writer
      • David Williamson(screenplay) (play)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Final screen performance of Graham Kennedy.
    • Quotes

      Frank: There's nothing unreasonable about my convictions. Patriotism is the final refuge of scoundrels!

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Big Business/A Taxing Woman/The Presidio/Bull Durham/Travelling North (1988)

    User reviews5

    Review
    Top review
    interstate ruminations
    Carl Schultz adaptation of the play of Australian David Williamson benefits from the casting of Leo McKern as Frank, described as a "rude despotic arrogant bully", his bluster overcoming a few too many sunsets and pictaresque vistas accompanied by classical music.

    Schultz has opened out the play so that we get long stretches without dialogue, and the treatment only feels stagebound when we hear about the childhood resentments of the daughters of Frank's companion Frances (Julia Blake), whom Frank amusingly calls Goneril and Regan (being tow of the daughters of King Lear). The narrative never shows us how Frank and Frances meet, rather beginning with Frank's retirement from being a civil engineer and their decision to travel north ie move from Melbourne to Port Douglas, a tropical rainforest area located on the coast of Queensland. However as the title also alludes to death, Frank suffering from angina telegraphes the end.

    Williamson's wit includes lines like "I had a cousin who shot himself in Melbourne. Yes, it can affect one that way", "The fact that a man fought for his country is no excuse for him to behave like a cretin when he gets back", "I may be old. I'm not defunct", "The last fish that came out of the lake was so lonely it gave itself up", and regarding a heart monitor "A circuit blew this morning. I thought I died". Frank gets a repeated line "While I've loved mankind in general, I've been thoughtless to some of those I've been involved with in particular" in reference to his former wife and later, Frances.

    If Frances' character is disappointingly thinly drawn, Williamson does give her daughter Sophie (Diane Craig) a funny drunk scene in a restaurant, and as Frances' other daughter, Helen, Michelle Fawdon gets a laugh from her prim disapproval of Frank. Schultz also makes Henri Szeps as Frank's doctor Saul affable, and their scenes together amusing in Frank's beligerence. As their Port Douglas neighbour, Freddie, Graham Kennedy has little to do though still conveys a touching loneliness.

    The film is pleasant without being dramatically challenging, and not sentimental in it's embrace of Frank, whose final image is rather odd.
    helpful•11
    2
    • petershelleyau
    • Mar 16, 2003

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 23, 1987 (Australia)
    • Countries of origin
      • Australia
      • Canada
    • Official site
      • Umbrella Entertainment (Australia)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Reise in den Norden
    • Filming locations
      • Sydney, Australia
    • Production companies
      • Queensland Film Corporation
      • View Films
      • The Australian Film Commission
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $214,722
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 36 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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