"The Sweet Sad Story of Elmo and Me" | |
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Wednesday Theatre episode | |
Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 30 |
Directed by | Henri Safran |
Teleplay by | Ric Throssell |
Featured music | Nigel Butterley Frank Lvons[1] |
Original air dates | 28 July 1965 (Melbourne, Sydney)[2][3] |
Running time | 45 mins |
The Sweet Sad Story of Elmo and Me is a 1965 Australian television film which aired on ABC as part of Wednesday Theatre.[4]
A satire about suburbia, it was written by Canberra-based writer Ric Throssell, and based on a stage play titled Dr. Homer Speaks : 'Oh, Ai-lar-tsua Farewell'.[5] Aired in a 60-minute time-slot, it was produced in ABC's Sydney studios by Henri Safran.[6]
Per a search of their website, the National Archives of Australia may hold an (incomplete?) copy of this program, with running time listing as 43:44.
According to one paper "throughout the play the author pokes his tongue at suburbia, materialism, education and television, among other things. "[7]
"Digger" Smith returns from World War Two to his wife "Shirt" a baby girl, Betty, and a modest house in the suburbs. A happy, uncomplicated man, "Digger" Smith stays so until prosperity catches up with him and he makes strenuous efforts to "keep up with the Joneses." Betty's boyfriend is Elmo.
The Sun Herald critic wrote "it was well done, whatever it was.... It was fast moving, all right. Elmo started out as a baby, and finished up as a grey-haired tycoon. Somewhere in the one hour of bafflement there was also Ron Haddrick brilliantly playing something or other, and Doreen Warburton as his wife. Accents switched from Australian to American, dollar bills floated from the sky, and it wound up in what looked like the Australian bush. Somewhere there was a message, but it escaped me. At any rate, it is good to see the A.B.C. with enough courage to tackle such an offbeat offering... Whatever it was, they did it extremely well."[8]
The Age called it "clever but unconvincing."[9] A later review in the same paper called it "a bright effort, well staged, well acted and with an ingenious script."[10]
The Bulletin said his "only possible reaction is to sit like a stunned mullet wondering was it all a ridiculous dream, and finally peering around to discover whether he is alone in all this."[11]
Films and TV directed by Henri Safran | |
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TV plays |
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Feature Films |
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Miniseries |
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