Winter of Our Dreams (1981) Movie Script
1
[dramatic music]
[phone rings]
- Who could it be
at this time of night?
- Hello.
Hello?
Missed em'.
[traffic clamors]
[man shouting]
[guitar strums]
[robotic voice] From B8 to C6.
- Yeah, alright, shut up.
[robotic voice] B4, B5.
From B5 to C4.
Pawn takes bishop.
- Do you think I could buy this?
- Yeah.
[customer] Sorry to disturb you.
- That's alright, how much is it?
- $20.
Jeez, it's a ripoff.
- Yeah, I know.
But, I'm saving for Space Invaders.
- You winning?
- No.
Machine's got me by the balls.
- Must be painful for you.
- It's murder.
[announcer] This is
the ABC, it's 5 o'clock.
[beeping]
- So.
- Bye.
- See ya.
[news announcer] The body of the woman
found floating in Sydney Harbour
three days ago,
has been identified as that of
Lisa Blaine, 30 from Potts Point.
Police forensic experts say
the body had been in the
water for about a week.
There are no suspicious circumstances.
A Pentagon spokesman has refused...
- Hey, Robby, do you want a kid?
- No thanks, fellas. Not today.
- See you later, bye.
- See you, then.
[news announcer] The report claimed
that over 200 men, women,
and children were killed
when army units descended on...
- In the blessing of God Almighty.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be with you.
Amen.
- Amen.
- You're a friend of Lisa's?
- No, not really.
I hardly knew her.
But, I wanted to come today.
- How did you know her?
- We've all been down at the
docks for the last few weeks
at a demonstration.
- Anti-uranium?
- Yes.
She used to come down
and just sit with us.
She was very quiet, didn't talk much.
None of us really knew her.
Didn't take much notice, I suppose.
So many people coming and going.
I recognized her picture in the paper.
- Did she seem depressed?
- Yeah, I think she was. Who isn't?
I remember she tried to play
a song on her guitar once.
She kept forgetting the words.
I've got to go anyway.
- See you then.
- Bye.
- I dropped in at the shop this afternoon.
How come you were closed?
- I didn't get any visits.
- God, you're getting slack.
Got anything on tomorrow night?
- Probably, why?
- Mind if I go out with Tim?
- No.
- You sure?
- Sure.
- You have to get something
going again yourself.
- Right.
- Or, I'll start feeling guilty.
- There's no need to feel guilty.
- Do you feel jealous?
- Sometimes.
- I do, thinking about you with someone.
- Jealous, but turned on.
- This isn't gonna be how we
maintain our interest in each other?
- I'm still interested.
[knocks on the door]
Hi.
I was a friend of Lisa's.
- Oh yeah.
- Just thought I'd have a look around.
- Not much here.
They're cleanin' the place out.
Not that there was anything much.
Some relation of hers come down,
says it wasn't worth keepin'.
- You with them?
- I'm not St Vincent de Paul.
- Sorry.
- I live next door.
- So, you knew Lisa pretty well then.
- I used to lend her things.
That's why I came in.
Still a few things of mine around.
Where do you know her from?
- Years ago.
- Oh, thought so.
You don't look like her usual cronies.
- Who were they?
- Oh, no one much.
Cross people, they were.
Into drugs and that.
Well, there was a man, of course.
I never talked to him much.
She liked him, so I suppose
he couldn't have been too bad.
Apart from walkin' out on her.
They weren't too pleased about that,
the agents, I'll tell ya.
Ah, ah, don't touch that. That's mine.
- Did she have any other close friends?
- Oh, the was Lou, she was often here.
- Who was she?
- She works at the Cross,
you can see her up there.
- Could you point her out to me?
- Why?
- I'd like to find out
what happened to Lisa.
[sighs] I suppose so.
Come around one night,
you can buy me a coffee.
- What about tomorrow?
- Oh, you are keen, aren't you?
Alright.
- Ta.
[clamor of the city, man shouting]
- Eleven minutes.
I wonder if he reckoned
he got his money's worth.
- I'd say.
- I think I will have another coffee.
- Another coffee, I'm in.
- There she is.
- Hi.
- Were you a friend of Lisa Blaine's?
- Why?
- Well, I'm doin' a story on her.
I just wondered if we could talk.
I'll buy you a drink, pay for your time.
- What do you wanna know?
- Just how you remember her.
- How'd you know who I was?
- Woman who lived next
to Lisa pointed you out.
- Alright.
But you're paying.
- How long had you known Lisa?
- About a year, since
she got back from Holland.
- With her boyfriend?
- How long you wanna talk?
- Probably about five minutes.
- 15 minutes, you pay for?
- Okay.
- $30.
Her boyfriend shot through.
- Yeah.
- It was a fair while ago.
- Was she upset about that?
- For a bit.
- But she got over it?
- She was down about herself.
She never carried on about it,
but she was.
- She used to shoot up?
- Yeah.
- You think it was suicide?
- Yeah.
- Why do you think that?
- 'Cause she was so down,
I didn't know what she was.
- Apparently that afternoon
she had been at a
demonstration at the docks.
- She'd been talkin' about that.
- The anti-nuclear thing?
- Yeah, various other things.
Issues.
- Yeah, I used to know her at university.
She was interested in politics, yeah?
- Just lately, she'd been goin'
on about that sort of stuff.
- What started that?
- I don't know.
I don't wanna talk about it anymore.
- Sure.
That's yours.
- Take it.
She was a friend, okay?
[robotic voice] D4.
C2.
B4.
C3.
From D8 to C4.
[phone rings]
- Hello?
- Hi.
[Rob] Oh, hi, how's it going?
- What do you mean, how's it going?
- Well, you havin' a good time?
- Well, reasonable.
- You sound like a conspiracy.
- Well, it's not a very private place.
[Gretel] Did you do
anything interesting?
- No, not really.
[Rob] You don't have to feel guilty.
- Yeah, I know.
- Actually, I'm meetin'
with a couple of nymphets.
Let go. Go on, get out of it.
Picked them up hitchhiking.
- Hey, look, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?
- Okay, bye.
- Bye.
[tapping]
[piano music]
- Mind if I join ya?
- Do you live around here?
- No, Balmain.
Buy you a coffee?
- Okay.
- Two cappuccinos, thanks.
- What do you do?
- Run a bookshop.
Write stories for newspapers sometimes.
- You interested in prostitutes, eh?
- Why?
- Is that why you're hanging around?
Do you wanna hire me?
- No.
[laughs]
I had a guy like you once.
Used to pay to talk, some
kind of religious freak.
Tried to convert me.
I told him I wasn't interested,
then he did want something
for his money after all.
Tell me about you.
Who are you?
- Rob MacGregor.
- Did you ever ask me my name?
- Lou.
- Louise.
- But, you can call me Lou.
What do you do, Rob?
That's right, you run a book shop.
Where is your bookshop, Rob?
- Oxford Street, Lou.
Just down from the junction.
- I got a rotten taste in my mouth.
- Have you really?
Gotta go now.
[Rob] What about your coffee?
- There's no way you're getting
another room, I'm tellin' ya.
- Come on Tony. Get off my back.
- Just don't give me a hard time.
- Hey, what's the problem?
- There's no problem.
- Who's this?
- I'm a friend of hers.
- Oh, piss off, would ya?
[knocks on door]
[Lou] Who is it?
[Pete] Who do you think?
It's me.
- Shut the door, would ya?
- I got a present for you.
Here.
Not until you say, thank you.
- Shut up, Pete
- Shut up Pete.
[groans]
- I wanna go to sleep.
- Hmm?
Yeah, well.
Don't mind me, eh.
- Don't.
Get off me, will ya?
Don't tickle me!
[Lou shouts]
You get on my nerves, you know?
- Wine before sugars, thanks.
What's the matter?
- You.
- What have I done?
Lou.
- Look.
I just wanna sit down,
relax, and have a quiet drink by myself.
Okay?
- Yeah.
Well.
You don't really, really,
wanna have a drink, do ya?
- What are you doin' that for?
- Why shouldn't I?
[scoffs]
- You don't understand
women at all, do ya?
You're so young.
[Pete] I know I'm not as
experienced as you are.
You wouldn't know the difference
who you were with, would ya?
All those faces.
It'd just be one big blur.
I suppose you do need a rest
anyway.
A bit sore, are ya?
- Go away, will ya, Pete.
- Okay.
- Go on.
- Have a good night.
- Hello.
- Oh, hello.
- I was walkin' past,
thought I recognized ya.
- You wanna buy a book?
- Pretty good place.
- Would you like a glass of claret?
- Yeah, okay.
Secret supply.
[Rob] Yup.
Here ya are.
- I got some photos of Lisa
before they cleaned our her flat.
- Do you wanna see them?
- Yeah, I'd like to.
[Lou] I found one of her old diaries too.
That was India, she was
there for a fair while.
Place called, um, Goa?
- Goa, yeah.
[Lou] That was her guy.
She used to write her own
songs.
I got some of them on tape.
Some guy was taking
pictures for a magazine.
He gave 'em to us.
What was she like when you knew her?
- We went to the same
school in the country.
She was quiet, unsure of herself.
At university, she used
to talk at meetings
even though she'd get really embarrassed.
[laughs]
- She was great.
- She ever tried getting off junk?
- Oh yeah, after Thomas went.
She tried for a long time.
She reckoned she couldn't make it.
- Did you think she might kill herself?
- No.
Makes me feel I really didn't know her.
Otherwise, I could have
done something for her.
She did a real lot for me.
That was hers.
[Lou] She gave it to me.
She was giving me lessons.
Anyway.
- Do you want some more?
- No, I'd better be going.
You still gonna write
that article about her?
- Yup.
- She woulda liked you.
She never saw any of those
people she knew from uni.
She used to say it was like another
life.
You go through lots of different lives.
- Come in again.
- I will.
[jazzy music plays on radio]
[tv host]
Arachnophobia is a fear of?
Stevens?
[buzzer]
[tv contestant] Spiders.
[tv host] Spiders is right,
$60 more.
[cheering]
[tv announcer] A beautiful
fur like this one
would be a luxurious coat to own.
So perfectly designed and styled,
it's been made from natural China mink
and features a blouson
waist, bat wing sleeves,
and ties neatly at the neckline.
Normally priced at $2,600.
Our price only $195 from Seymour
Cornelius
and Sale of the Century.
[applause]
[tv host] And shown
magnificently, I might add,
by our beautiful Simone Gardener.
Simone.
And, that's our
first long one we've had I think.
Isn't it superb?
[tv contestant] Beautiful.
[tv host] Great.
Nice job.
Moving right along, please, Peter.
[tv announcer] A truly a magnificent
watch.
An 18 carat gold bracelet,
surrounded by a delicate
frame of diamonds.
Electronic time keeping and
stylish brilliance at its best.
An elegant creation,
normally priced at $4,500,
our price only $250 from...
[Lou reading] "July fourth, 1970.
We performed a straight
theater play with my new song,
and Robby and I joined
the main demonstration.
[Lou reading] The atmosphere was
incredible.
We feel everyone marching as your friend.
Robby's great.
He goes up to cops, cracks joke with
them.
Tries to keep things calm.
I love being with him.
He's still so distant with me, though.
Nothing like how it used to be at school."
- Out.
- Bullshit.
- It was miles out.
- Double fault.
That's game. Five all.
- Four-five!
[laughs] How come we changed ends
at the end of the last game, then?
- We didn't.
- Yes we did.
[Gretel] Oh, God, I'm sweating.
- Tough game.
- Your returns are vicious.
- You should talk.
- I need a back scratch.
- I gave you one last night.
- Oh, it's really itching.
- You owe me at least two.
- What about that massage I gave you?
- That wasn't me.
- Liar.
- It wasn't.
It must've been one of your other lovers.
- Oh, very funny.
- Those blokes enjoyed watching you
serve.
- Yeah, and being pervy.
God, you're hopeless with
tennis dresses, aren't you?
- Yup.
Still miss the old me.
[moans]
[phone rings]
- Oh, bugger it.
- Let it ring.
[Lou] Is that you, Rob?
- It's for you.
- Yeah?
- Hello, this is Lou.
I was wonderin' if I could come over.
- Yeah, if you like.
What's up?
- Oh, I'm a bit freaked.
Need someone to talk to.
- Everything alright.
[Lou] Yeah, I'm down at the Quay.
Thought I'd catch the last ferry.
Do you live far from the wharf?
- No.
I'll meet you there if you like.
- Would you?
That'd be great.
- See you then.
- Bye.
- Competition.
- It was my mother.
[laughing]
[sax music]
Hi.
- Hi.
- What's this?
- Nothin', I'm just sayin' hi.
- So, what happened?
- Oh, some guy heavied me.
Client.
Must've followed me to my
place after I knocked off.
- Did he hurt ya?
- No. A bit.
I wanted to visit someone.
Thought I could visit you.
- Sure.
- It's a bit late for a visit.
- That's alright.
[ship's horn blows]
Coffee or a drink?
- You got some of your claret?
- Yup.
- Hello, I'm Gretel.
- Lou.
- Look, um, I'm marking essays.
So, um, I won't be sociable.
- Would you like a cup of coffee?
- No thanks.
- I didn't know you were married.
- You didn't ask.
- Why didn't you tell me on the phone?
- Just 'cause I'm married
doesn't mean I can't have visitors.
- Well, it's pretty late.
I feel like an idiot.
- Well, there's no need.
- I left my cigarettes.
- Hold on.
- Does she know about me?
- What?
- Your wife. What I do.
- No.
Here's an old picture of Lisa.
That's me.
[Lou laughs] Right.
You look really good.
- Thanks.
- Well, you still look okay now, though.
That was a really good time
for her, the theater thing.
She used to talk about that.
- Yeah.
- How long have you been married?
- Six years.
Have you ever been?
- Once.
Didn't work. Didn't last long.
That was the last ferry.
I'm gonna have to get
a cab when I get home.
- You can stay the night here.
- Would she mind?
- No.
We often have nocturnal guests.
[train rumbles in the distance]
- You're a dark horse, aren't you?
- Sure am.
- She was most surprised to see me.
- Well, she didn't know you existed.
- Oh, don't you tell your
ladies you're married.
- Not if I can help it, no.
- Well, she's the hooker.
- Among other things.
- Well, I'm sure she's more interesting
than most of our friends.
Hey, she can come tomorrow night.
- Why, what's happening tomorrow?
- Oh, Tim's going on his
Tasmanian trip on Saturday,
wants me to have dinner.
- Oh, I see.
So, you've been waiting for a
favorable opportunity to mention this.
- Not at all.
- How's it going?
- It's okay.
He's a nice guy.
I could never get serious, though.
We don't have much to talk
about in the mornings.
Also, I can remember when I was 21.
33 would have seemed ancient.
[laughs]
- Wish I'd had understanding tutors.
- Almost failed his last essay.
- That make you feel good?
- Oh yeah, it was most indignant.
- Well, I don't blame him.
[mother] Anyway, the
garden's looking nice.
Where's Rob?
[Gretel] Hurry up, Rob!
[mother] Did you stop being busy?
[Gretel] A bit quiet at the moment.
[mother] I suppose after Christmas,
everyone's spent their money.
[father] When you're gonna
leave this afternoon, do you know?
[Gretel] I should be
back by three, I suspect.
[father] Hopefully we'll miss
the worst of the traffic.
[chatter continues]
[mother] It's got that horrible smell
in the upholstery new cars always have.
- Hello.
Gretel's folks.
They bore me shitless.
- Why don't you hide in here then?
- Alright.
I'll be able to leave for work
in a couple minutes.
- Maybe I should get dressed.
- No, no, you have breakfast.
You don't have to leave
just because we do.
Nice day.
- Did you mind me comin' round here.
- Of course not.
[Gretel's mother laughs]
[Rob mimics Gretel's mother's laugh]
- Suppose I better make an appearance.
- You can come out and meet him too.
Then he'll be really alarmed.
- What do you mean?
- Well, another woman staying here.
Very protective of their
daughter, suspicious of me.
- Wouldn't wanna meet me.
- Maybe you could come out like that.
[laughs]
You want her to be red?
- Why wouldn't she then?
[mother] Bye Rob!
[father] Bye!
- Good Christ, I missed 'em.
Bye.
Anyway, there's, um, food in
the fridge and everything.
And, uh,
I'll see you later.
- Bye.
- Tata.
[Gretel] You could have at
least come in and said hello.
[Rob] I was in the shower.
[Gretel] Oh, bullshit.
You can't be bothered to make
the slightest effort.
[Rob] I'm sure they're heartbroken.
[engine revs]
[cat meows]
[man on tape] Lisa Blaine
demo tape take one.
[guitar music]
There I go, one more time
Tryin' to balance on the line
I've landed on my feet again
This time you're not around
I thought the door was open wide
I only meant to stand outside
The door closed shut behind me
And I'm caught on solid ground
And it's time for burning bridges
I wish there was some other way
A way to take the words back
That I never meant to say
'Cause it hurts to see your tears
I didn't need to make you pay
The cost of burning bridges,
turning night to day
I toss and turn
And watch these burning bridges
turning night to day
Here I go, once again
I guess I had forgotten then
Someone reached out a hand to me
Like this with no demands
Can't you see my crazy pride
Was tearing me apart inside
I didn't want to hurt you
Please try and understand
And it's time for burning bridges
- Rob?
It's me.
- Oh.
[horn honks]
Is there a white Peugeot outside?
- Yeah.
Some guy in it.
[Gretel] Right.
Well, I'm off.
Uh, Rob'll be back in a minute.
So, just, um, give him my love.
- Alright.
- See ya.
- Bye.
[dog barks]
[engine revs]
[guitar strums]
And it's time for burning bridges
I wish there was some other way
[hums]
I didn't mean to make you pay
The cost of burning bridges,
turning night to day
- Hello.
- Hi.
- Still with us?
- Yeah, I didn't wake up until
after a couple of hours ago.
- That's alright.
- Where's Gretel.
Been and gone?
- Yeah.
- You want some coffee?
- Yeah, that'd be good.
So, what have you been doing?
- Oh, lookin' around.
Went down to the harbor.
[Rob] Swim?
- No.
[Rob] Any mail?
- Yeah.
[horn blares]
This for Gretel.
Who was the guy Gretel was goin' out
with?
- That's her young boyfriend.
Did you meet him?
- No, he didn't come in.
- Probably scared I'd be here.
Afraid of a punch-up.
Those things'll kill ya.
[laughs]
[jazzy music]
[Rob] So, why'd ya split with your
husband?
[Lou] Oh, he got bored, I guess.
Then I moved into a place
with this other guy.
He was pretty incredible.
He used to shoot straight
into a vein in his eye.
- Must've impressed his friends.
- What do you mean?
- Good party trick.
- Well, it wasn't an act.
The veins in his arms folded up.
- That his story, was it?
I don't find the dope scene very romantic.
- I don't think you
know anything about it.
- I see.
- You wouldn't have any idea
the kinds of things I've had to do.
This girl and I had to do this party once.
[Rob] I'm not really interested.
[sighs]
- I do wanna get out of it.
- Then why don't you?
- Thought you were sympathetic.
- I am.
- Well, it's not easy.
- You have to make the decision.
[sighs]
- I hadn't been on the
street all that long, anyway.
Only about four months.
Do you like folk music?
- Not much, no.
- Gretel's late.
- She won't be back tonight.
- Where's she staying?
- With her friend.
- Is that why you're upset.
- I'm not upset.
- Don't you care?
[Rob] No.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Do you feel like talking?
- Okay.
- Tell me about you and Lisa.
- What?
- Well, you went out together
for a while, didn't you?
- Not really, no.
I merely knew her through
political groups at university.
- She used to talk about that time.
- Yeah?
Issues were much clearer cut then.
- What about the people
demonstrating on the dock?
Is that important?
- Sure.
- Gretel's rarely around, isn't she?
- Yup.
- I think I should stay with you tonight.
[Rob] I don't think that's probably
a good idea.
Lou.
- Look, I really wanna make you feel good.
Come on.
- Hey.
- Don't you find me attractive?
- Come on.
- Hmm?
- Wow.
- It's okay.
- I know.
Come on, get off.
Of course I find you attractive.
[Rob] There's no point, okay.
- Doesn't matter.
[melancholic music]
- Do you wanna sign my arm.
- No thanks.
[young men] Come on sign it.
Come on.
- Come on, sign my arm.
- Piss off, would ya.
[jeering]
[bluesy sax music]
[jeering]
[whistles]
- Do you wanna sign my arm?
- Get stuffed.
[cheering]
[shouting]
[shouting and whistling]
[dog barks]
[overlapping conversations]
[thunder roars]
[dog barks]
- Louie.
- Hi.
- G'day.
- Oh, it smells in here.
Cats and socks.
Don't you ever wash your socks?
- Of course I do.
Tony's really angry at you.
Where have you been?
- Well, I told him I was sick.
I need somewhere to stay.
- You can stay here if you want.
- Okay.
- Hey.
How's this?
Okay, ready for it?
Dun.
[Pete] Dun.
Dun!
Dun! [laughs]
What do you reckon?
- What's it for?
- I dunno. It's just a thing, that's all.
[groans]
[Lou] You got any dope?
- Do you need it now?
[Lou] No, I need some for later.
- Yeah, okay.
[machine gun fires]
[explosion]
[screaming]
- Prime the bomb!
Finish him off.
- No, let him burn.
[gun fires]
- Here you go.
It's just a movie about some war.
So, what have you been doin'?
- Nothin' much.
Massage my feet.
- Okay.
How's that?
- It's okay.
You tryin' to seduce me, are you?
- No.
- Didn't realize my
feet stretched that far.
- Yeah, well, now it's a leg massage.
- Well, don't go above the knees, okay?
- Why not.
- You might fall in.
[groans]
- Come on, huh?
Go on.
- Don't.
- Come on.
[sharp slap]
- This is hopeless, I
wouldn't get any sleep here.
- Well, what'd you come here for, anyway?
- Well, I shouldn't have, should I?
- You're mad.
You really have it, you know.
Lou?
[knocks on door]
- Hi, Jenny.
-Hi. What do you want?
- I just wanted to say hi.
- I thought you were sick or something.
- I'm okay now.
- Well, there's nothing here.
[Lou] I just scored.
- Okay.
It's Lou, she's just done a deal.
[rain patters]
Once again by myself
These words I'll face upon the shelf
Hope some night you'll hear and know
The way I feel tonight
You're just a poor excuse
[shirtless man] G'day.
- Hi.
I watched these burning
bridges burning bright
What's the time?
- I dunno.
Three, maybe?
Who's she?
[Lou] I dunno.
- What you listening to?
- A friend of mind who died.
[Lou reading] "September 16th, 1970.
Last night, Robby finally came over.
As a precaution,
I put an old globe that doesn't work
in the bedside light
so he wouldn't think I was prudish
for wanting to switch it off.
We sat on the bed, and I was
so nervous I was shivering.
He must've noticed,
so I said I was cold and
we got under the blankets.
He was really sweet and it happened.
But I must've said something hopeless,
or been really dumb or juvenile,
'cause he was so strange afterwards.
He said, "There you are.
"It's not such a big deal
after all, is it?"
It was very strained.
We talked for a while, mainly
about his speech on Cambodia.
Then he left.
I never felt so lonely."
[Lady reading] "They stood staring
at each other, both too overcome to speak.
Celia felt a sudden rush of exultation.
She was free of him at last.
The impossible had happened.
His mouth was forming
one last rationalization.
She felt the old urge to comfort him,
but repressed it, put
her finger to his lips."
But, even the most paranoid male reader
couldn't be threatened by this book.
On the contrary, Anne
MacKenzie's sympathies
are equally evident for
her male characters.
In a sense, all are ultimately victims.
I found the book touching
and compassionate.
But, without those traces
of mawkish self-pity
that have, for me,
marred so many recent books of this
genre.
It is with the greatest pleasure
that I declare launched
The Badge of Despair.
[applause]
[overlapping conversations]
- Do you mind movin' out of here,
this is a private function.
Would you move out, please.
I know, but it has nothing to do with you.
It's a private function.
[overlapping conversations]
- Oh, I don't know, I find
places like that absolutely great.
[jazzy music]
[knocks on door]
[Gretel] Yeah, what
does that exactly mean?
It's nothing, it's a euphemism.
I don't see how a nuclear war
could be limited.
- Long time no see.
- You got people.
- Yup.
- Men disturbing your flat again?
- I've been locked out, actually.
I brought you some pictures of Lisa.
I thought you might want
to use them in your article.
- You left rather early
in the morning last time.
- Yeah, I was gonna send you that money,
I really needed it.
[Rob] Better come in, then.
- Thanks.
[Michelle] Oh, he's the same I'd say.
[Tim] That's not saying much.
- Anyway, they all sit around pretending
they're Napoleon or Hitler or someone.
It goes on for hours and hours.
- This is Lou.
Tim, Michelle.
You know Gretel.
Sit down.
[Tim] What I was saying, Rob,
was there is some chance of
containing the whole thing now.
- You want a drink?
- No thanks.
- You mean, just killing a
couple of hundred million.
[Rob] Look, when they've blown us up
once,
there'll be enough left
over to blow our ghosts up.
- What's that got to do with it?
- What have you been doing, Lou?
- Oh, nothing much.
Got some flu.
- You working?
- No.
I was.
- Dole?
- Yeah.
- When you gonna write
that article, by the way?
- Which one?
[Tim] About the poverty line.
[Gretel] Why don't you write it?
- Well, I haven't got those
little letters after my name, have I?
[Tim] Wouldn't seem quite so impressive.
Besides, according to you,
my writing style's shit-house.
- One essay, that was.
- God, you're a hard marker.
[Michelle] Hey.
[Tim] What?
- I'm having one of those
'I've experienced this all before' things.
- Deja vu?
- Mm.
[Michelle] Just that I've been sitting
here listening to those words,
same thing that I'm saying now.
That's the trouble,
it's always so trivial.
Guess Tim and I are a bit telepathic.
Sometimes I'm thinking things
and I don't have to ask
him what he's thinking, I just know.
- That thing Michelle
said about telepathy.
You think she knows about Tim and me?
- I'm sure she does.
- Thought he was a pompous idiot tonight.
- He's alright.
- Oh, its well and truly run its course.
- I dunno.
I quite like Michelle.
[laughs]
- Didn't you see her eyeing me up?
- Oh, wishful thinking.
Why do you think Lou turned up?
- I'm not sure.
- I hope she's not gonna
be a constant guest.
[breathes heavily]
[gagging]
[wailing]
Oh, Christ.
- Did you know she was a junkie?
- Yeah.
- Thanks for telling me.
- Well, it's certainly withdrawal.
- Shouldn't she go to hospital?
- No, she won't go.
[doctor] She wouldn't let me give
her anything, either.
She's very determined.
By the way, who is she?
- Friend of ours.
- Well, she's going to need
someone with her all the time.
I'll come back in the morning, okay?
[Gretel] Thanks.
- You two should get some sleep.
- Yeah, thanks.
Sorry to get you up.
[sobbing]
[moaning]
[breathes erratically]
- I'm cold.
[heavy breathing]
[tense music]
[overlapping dialogue]
[animals braying]
[cat mews]
[deep growling]
[sirens blare]
[breathes heavily]
- How is she?
- She was dreaming, crying out.
She's quiet now.
- Should be just about over.
- I guess she should
stay here for a few days.
- I don't think she's
got anywhere else to go.
[piano music]
[yawns]
[Lou reading]
"Halfway through the speech,
Robby jumped up and shouted out,
'What about corruption in S... Sai...gon?'
Everybody started cheering."
[Gretel] G'day.
- Hi.
Thought I'd find you here.
- Eaten?
- No.
- We're just getting an appetite.
- How are you?
- Okay.
- Ian wants us to come to
dinner on Friday night.
Christen his new place.
- Another super vegetarian meal.
[Gretel] I wonder if his latest lady
will be there?
[Rob] Oh, she's bound to be.
It's partly to show off, I think.
By the way, I finished the article.
Dropped it to Mick.
[Rob] This is the one partially on Lisa.
- Funny how the night makes you whisper.
When I was about four
and had this girlfriend,
we used to whisper in the dark
so we wouldn't wake the monsters
under the bed.
- The night's a different world
when you're a kid.
- I'm sorry, I just don't
understand what it's about.
What's it about?
[Rob] It's about people from that time,
what happened to them.
[Lou] So, it's not about her at all.
[Rob] She's an example of one direction.
- You told me it was gonna be about Lisa.
- Look, I hadn't seen her for 10 years.
- She really loved you, you know.
- No she didn't.
That stage I wasn't getting
involved with anyone.
[Lou] Is that what you told her?
[Rob] Probably, I don't know.
- It's a bit cruel, isn't it?
- Look, I'm really sorry,
I'm trying to sleep.
I've gotta work in about four hours.
Okay?
- It's alright, I'm going.
[door shuts]
- She has gone.
- Oh God.
I feel guilty now.
- I gave her some money
yesterday to get a place.
- Oh, I'm glad you did that.
Difficult, isn't it?
I suppose it's terrible to think this,
but I can't help but wondering if
anything else has been borrowed.
- I doubt it.
- I hope she does contact us.
It'll be great having the
place to ourselves again.
But, I can't help but wondering
what's gonna happen to her.
[Rob] She said she'd try and find a
job.
[Gretel] Yeah, how long for?
What's chance has
someone like that's got?
- Maybe you should ask around,
see if anyone knows of anything going.
- You were becoming
quite important to her.
- It's probably good she
didn't come too close.
[Lou reading] "October 10th, 1970.
Last time I saw Robby,
he told me that after the exams
I should go away for a while.
I take things too seriously.
I'm too intense.
Now, when I try and ring him,
they say he's not there.
He must've told them to say that.
It's really humiliating.
If I knew we could just even be friends.
I feel really desperate."
[guitar music]
[Lisa sings] Poor excuse
For loving arms, it's just no use
I watch these burning bridges
burning bright
And it's time for burning bridges
I wish there was some other way
A way to take the words back
That I never meant to say
'Cause it hurts to see your tears
I didn't mean to make you pay
The cost of burning bridges
Turning night to day
I toss and turn
And watch these burning bridges
turning night to day
- I was very angry with you
the other night.
- Why?
- Your teasin'.
You were teasin' me for ages.
You go to bed with stacks of guys
you don't even know.
Then you come over here
in the middle of the night,
reckonin' you're gonna stay,
and you get up and go again.
I reckon ya like me.
- That's why it's different, 'cause I do.
I'm not even there with
any of those others.
Trouble with you is, you're too intense.
[sighs]
I will stay with you tonight.
But, it's only gonna be just this once.
- What do you mean?
- 'Cause I'm not gonna see you again.
- Tony wanted me to tell him
if I saw you round.
- You can tell him I've left Sydney.
- What for?
You've got a regular supply here.
- Come to bed.
- I just hid it.
- I'm straight.
Pete.
Really.
You comin' to bed?
- I don't know.
[sighs]
- You're a nice kid.
- Why don't you wanna see me anymore?
- Because I'm getting out of everything.
- I'll miss you.
No you won't.
No one will miss me.
- I will.
- It's funny how night
makes you whisper, isn't it.
[phone rings]
- Rob and Gretel's residence.
- Can I speak to Rob, please?
- Who's calling?
- I wanna speak to Rob.
- Okay.
Rob.
[Rob] Yeah?
- It's me.
- Oh, hi, how's it going?
[Lou] Good party?
- Sort of.
- I found a place.
- Hold on.
Turn that down, will ya?
- What?
[Rob] Where are you?
- I wanted to tell you I'm okay.
- Great.
- I was gonna ask you if you
wanted to come over for lunch.
- Yeah, when did you have in mind?
[Lou] Sunday.
- Alright, see you then.
- Uh, it's flat three,
40 Barrett Street, Potts Point.
- Where do I know that from?
- I dunno.
[Lou] Anyway, you go back to your party.
- Alright.
- Bye.
- What sort of material do they like?
- Well, they love ballads,
so they can have a good cry at thing.
- That was Lou.
- Oh yeah, how is she?
- Fair enough.
She wants me to go over
there for lunch on Sunday.
- You gonna go?
- Yup.
- Sunday, what about the game?
- Christ, yeah, I forgot.
- What's this?
- The big match.
- You're a footballer?
- Trotskyites top goal scorer.
Great.
[overlapping conversation]
- Hi.
- Oh, hi.
Thought I missed you.
- Been to the shop.
- I like the headband.
- Listen, I got this
bloody soccer match on.
It's an annual event,
I can't get out of it.
I'd have rung, but you didn't
give me your phone number.
Anyway, I thought I'd better get around
before you started preparing things.
- That's okay.
- I used to play a bit at school.
Actually, it's an excuse for a drink.
You can come and watch, but
I reckon you'd be dreadfully bored.
Hey, look, we'll make it next weekend.
- It isn't any good, is it?
- What, what isn't?
- Doesn't matter.
- Yes it does, tell me.
- We'll make it next week.
- Right.
- So, anyway.
I don't know why I'm whispering,
it's not the nighttime.
- Pardon?
- I don't know.
I'll see you later.
[car starts]
[sobs]
- Conditions for once, yup.
Probably one of the great games.
Standing room only.
I'm expecting a vast stadium.
- Gimmie some of that, will you?
[overlapping conversations]
- Are you going for
another own goal again?
[overlapping conversations]
- It wasn't my fault anyway.
Stretch fouled us up.
[man] Bullshit.
You tried to pass it to Connolly
and it went between his legs.
[football player ] Only because
Stretch distracted him.
[man] You can't take those
risks.
[football player 2]
What's Jana doing, anyway?
[overlapping conversations]
- Okay, fellas, right.
Let's get this show on the road.
Okay, now, who are we?
[all] Mobile Bay Drunks!
- Will we win?
[all] We'll piss on 'em!
- Yeah!
[cheering]
Get 'em!
Let's go.
[cheering and applause]
- Come on, mate,
you'll miss the toss.
- I'll be with you in a minute.
- Are you alright?
- I'll be with you
in a minute, okay?
- Okay.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Come over and play.
- I'm not good at it.
- Oh, that doesn't matter.
We all have a go.
You should hear me.
Have you been down here before?
- No.
- One of the guys is bringing
back food in a minute.
So, come and eat.
- Thanks.
[guitar music]
My windblown grass
In fields of time
My love for you
It turns my life around
Through clouds of circumstance
Like morning leaves
That dims the trees
I hear your voice
Without a sound
So, we share
I've come and gone
And face the turmoil
that surrounds
Till time brings change
Till time brings change
Like August winds
That send the rain
Your love for me
It fills my empty cup
Sometimes someone
Might want to die
And giving in
And giving up
Might find their life
And so though
It might not show
You turn my pain to joy
Till time brings change
Till time brings change
And so though
It might not show
You turn
My pain to joy
Till time brings change
Till time brings change
Till time brings change
[dramatic music]
[phone rings]
- Who could it be
at this time of night?
- Hello.
Hello?
Missed em'.
[traffic clamors]
[man shouting]
[guitar strums]
[robotic voice] From B8 to C6.
- Yeah, alright, shut up.
[robotic voice] B4, B5.
From B5 to C4.
Pawn takes bishop.
- Do you think I could buy this?
- Yeah.
[customer] Sorry to disturb you.
- That's alright, how much is it?
- $20.
Jeez, it's a ripoff.
- Yeah, I know.
But, I'm saving for Space Invaders.
- You winning?
- No.
Machine's got me by the balls.
- Must be painful for you.
- It's murder.
[announcer] This is
the ABC, it's 5 o'clock.
[beeping]
- So.
- Bye.
- See ya.
[news announcer] The body of the woman
found floating in Sydney Harbour
three days ago,
has been identified as that of
Lisa Blaine, 30 from Potts Point.
Police forensic experts say
the body had been in the
water for about a week.
There are no suspicious circumstances.
A Pentagon spokesman has refused...
- Hey, Robby, do you want a kid?
- No thanks, fellas. Not today.
- See you later, bye.
- See you, then.
[news announcer] The report claimed
that over 200 men, women,
and children were killed
when army units descended on...
- In the blessing of God Almighty.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be with you.
Amen.
- Amen.
- You're a friend of Lisa's?
- No, not really.
I hardly knew her.
But, I wanted to come today.
- How did you know her?
- We've all been down at the
docks for the last few weeks
at a demonstration.
- Anti-uranium?
- Yes.
She used to come down
and just sit with us.
She was very quiet, didn't talk much.
None of us really knew her.
Didn't take much notice, I suppose.
So many people coming and going.
I recognized her picture in the paper.
- Did she seem depressed?
- Yeah, I think she was. Who isn't?
I remember she tried to play
a song on her guitar once.
She kept forgetting the words.
I've got to go anyway.
- See you then.
- Bye.
- I dropped in at the shop this afternoon.
How come you were closed?
- I didn't get any visits.
- God, you're getting slack.
Got anything on tomorrow night?
- Probably, why?
- Mind if I go out with Tim?
- No.
- You sure?
- Sure.
- You have to get something
going again yourself.
- Right.
- Or, I'll start feeling guilty.
- There's no need to feel guilty.
- Do you feel jealous?
- Sometimes.
- I do, thinking about you with someone.
- Jealous, but turned on.
- This isn't gonna be how we
maintain our interest in each other?
- I'm still interested.
[knocks on the door]
Hi.
I was a friend of Lisa's.
- Oh yeah.
- Just thought I'd have a look around.
- Not much here.
They're cleanin' the place out.
Not that there was anything much.
Some relation of hers come down,
says it wasn't worth keepin'.
- You with them?
- I'm not St Vincent de Paul.
- Sorry.
- I live next door.
- So, you knew Lisa pretty well then.
- I used to lend her things.
That's why I came in.
Still a few things of mine around.
Where do you know her from?
- Years ago.
- Oh, thought so.
You don't look like her usual cronies.
- Who were they?
- Oh, no one much.
Cross people, they were.
Into drugs and that.
Well, there was a man, of course.
I never talked to him much.
She liked him, so I suppose
he couldn't have been too bad.
Apart from walkin' out on her.
They weren't too pleased about that,
the agents, I'll tell ya.
Ah, ah, don't touch that. That's mine.
- Did she have any other close friends?
- Oh, the was Lou, she was often here.
- Who was she?
- She works at the Cross,
you can see her up there.
- Could you point her out to me?
- Why?
- I'd like to find out
what happened to Lisa.
[sighs] I suppose so.
Come around one night,
you can buy me a coffee.
- What about tomorrow?
- Oh, you are keen, aren't you?
Alright.
- Ta.
[clamor of the city, man shouting]
- Eleven minutes.
I wonder if he reckoned
he got his money's worth.
- I'd say.
- I think I will have another coffee.
- Another coffee, I'm in.
- There she is.
- Hi.
- Were you a friend of Lisa Blaine's?
- Why?
- Well, I'm doin' a story on her.
I just wondered if we could talk.
I'll buy you a drink, pay for your time.
- What do you wanna know?
- Just how you remember her.
- How'd you know who I was?
- Woman who lived next
to Lisa pointed you out.
- Alright.
But you're paying.
- How long had you known Lisa?
- About a year, since
she got back from Holland.
- With her boyfriend?
- How long you wanna talk?
- Probably about five minutes.
- 15 minutes, you pay for?
- Okay.
- $30.
Her boyfriend shot through.
- Yeah.
- It was a fair while ago.
- Was she upset about that?
- For a bit.
- But she got over it?
- She was down about herself.
She never carried on about it,
but she was.
- She used to shoot up?
- Yeah.
- You think it was suicide?
- Yeah.
- Why do you think that?
- 'Cause she was so down,
I didn't know what she was.
- Apparently that afternoon
she had been at a
demonstration at the docks.
- She'd been talkin' about that.
- The anti-nuclear thing?
- Yeah, various other things.
Issues.
- Yeah, I used to know her at university.
She was interested in politics, yeah?
- Just lately, she'd been goin'
on about that sort of stuff.
- What started that?
- I don't know.
I don't wanna talk about it anymore.
- Sure.
That's yours.
- Take it.
She was a friend, okay?
[robotic voice] D4.
C2.
B4.
C3.
From D8 to C4.
[phone rings]
- Hello?
- Hi.
[Rob] Oh, hi, how's it going?
- What do you mean, how's it going?
- Well, you havin' a good time?
- Well, reasonable.
- You sound like a conspiracy.
- Well, it's not a very private place.
[Gretel] Did you do
anything interesting?
- No, not really.
[Rob] You don't have to feel guilty.
- Yeah, I know.
- Actually, I'm meetin'
with a couple of nymphets.
Let go. Go on, get out of it.
Picked them up hitchhiking.
- Hey, look, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?
- Okay, bye.
- Bye.
[tapping]
[piano music]
- Mind if I join ya?
- Do you live around here?
- No, Balmain.
Buy you a coffee?
- Okay.
- Two cappuccinos, thanks.
- What do you do?
- Run a bookshop.
Write stories for newspapers sometimes.
- You interested in prostitutes, eh?
- Why?
- Is that why you're hanging around?
Do you wanna hire me?
- No.
[laughs]
I had a guy like you once.
Used to pay to talk, some
kind of religious freak.
Tried to convert me.
I told him I wasn't interested,
then he did want something
for his money after all.
Tell me about you.
Who are you?
- Rob MacGregor.
- Did you ever ask me my name?
- Lou.
- Louise.
- But, you can call me Lou.
What do you do, Rob?
That's right, you run a book shop.
Where is your bookshop, Rob?
- Oxford Street, Lou.
Just down from the junction.
- I got a rotten taste in my mouth.
- Have you really?
Gotta go now.
[Rob] What about your coffee?
- There's no way you're getting
another room, I'm tellin' ya.
- Come on Tony. Get off my back.
- Just don't give me a hard time.
- Hey, what's the problem?
- There's no problem.
- Who's this?
- I'm a friend of hers.
- Oh, piss off, would ya?
[knocks on door]
[Lou] Who is it?
[Pete] Who do you think?
It's me.
- Shut the door, would ya?
- I got a present for you.
Here.
Not until you say, thank you.
- Shut up, Pete
- Shut up Pete.
[groans]
- I wanna go to sleep.
- Hmm?
Yeah, well.
Don't mind me, eh.
- Don't.
Get off me, will ya?
Don't tickle me!
[Lou shouts]
You get on my nerves, you know?
- Wine before sugars, thanks.
What's the matter?
- You.
- What have I done?
Lou.
- Look.
I just wanna sit down,
relax, and have a quiet drink by myself.
Okay?
- Yeah.
Well.
You don't really, really,
wanna have a drink, do ya?
- What are you doin' that for?
- Why shouldn't I?
[scoffs]
- You don't understand
women at all, do ya?
You're so young.
[Pete] I know I'm not as
experienced as you are.
You wouldn't know the difference
who you were with, would ya?
All those faces.
It'd just be one big blur.
I suppose you do need a rest
anyway.
A bit sore, are ya?
- Go away, will ya, Pete.
- Okay.
- Go on.
- Have a good night.
- Hello.
- Oh, hello.
- I was walkin' past,
thought I recognized ya.
- You wanna buy a book?
- Pretty good place.
- Would you like a glass of claret?
- Yeah, okay.
Secret supply.
[Rob] Yup.
Here ya are.
- I got some photos of Lisa
before they cleaned our her flat.
- Do you wanna see them?
- Yeah, I'd like to.
[Lou] I found one of her old diaries too.
That was India, she was
there for a fair while.
Place called, um, Goa?
- Goa, yeah.
[Lou] That was her guy.
She used to write her own
songs.
I got some of them on tape.
Some guy was taking
pictures for a magazine.
He gave 'em to us.
What was she like when you knew her?
- We went to the same
school in the country.
She was quiet, unsure of herself.
At university, she used
to talk at meetings
even though she'd get really embarrassed.
[laughs]
- She was great.
- She ever tried getting off junk?
- Oh yeah, after Thomas went.
She tried for a long time.
She reckoned she couldn't make it.
- Did you think she might kill herself?
- No.
Makes me feel I really didn't know her.
Otherwise, I could have
done something for her.
She did a real lot for me.
That was hers.
[Lou] She gave it to me.
She was giving me lessons.
Anyway.
- Do you want some more?
- No, I'd better be going.
You still gonna write
that article about her?
- Yup.
- She woulda liked you.
She never saw any of those
people she knew from uni.
She used to say it was like another
life.
You go through lots of different lives.
- Come in again.
- I will.
[jazzy music plays on radio]
[tv host]
Arachnophobia is a fear of?
Stevens?
[buzzer]
[tv contestant] Spiders.
[tv host] Spiders is right,
$60 more.
[cheering]
[tv announcer] A beautiful
fur like this one
would be a luxurious coat to own.
So perfectly designed and styled,
it's been made from natural China mink
and features a blouson
waist, bat wing sleeves,
and ties neatly at the neckline.
Normally priced at $2,600.
Our price only $195 from Seymour
Cornelius
and Sale of the Century.
[applause]
[tv host] And shown
magnificently, I might add,
by our beautiful Simone Gardener.
Simone.
And, that's our
first long one we've had I think.
Isn't it superb?
[tv contestant] Beautiful.
[tv host] Great.
Nice job.
Moving right along, please, Peter.
[tv announcer] A truly a magnificent
watch.
An 18 carat gold bracelet,
surrounded by a delicate
frame of diamonds.
Electronic time keeping and
stylish brilliance at its best.
An elegant creation,
normally priced at $4,500,
our price only $250 from...
[Lou reading] "July fourth, 1970.
We performed a straight
theater play with my new song,
and Robby and I joined
the main demonstration.
[Lou reading] The atmosphere was
incredible.
We feel everyone marching as your friend.
Robby's great.
He goes up to cops, cracks joke with
them.
Tries to keep things calm.
I love being with him.
He's still so distant with me, though.
Nothing like how it used to be at school."
- Out.
- Bullshit.
- It was miles out.
- Double fault.
That's game. Five all.
- Four-five!
[laughs] How come we changed ends
at the end of the last game, then?
- We didn't.
- Yes we did.
[Gretel] Oh, God, I'm sweating.
- Tough game.
- Your returns are vicious.
- You should talk.
- I need a back scratch.
- I gave you one last night.
- Oh, it's really itching.
- You owe me at least two.
- What about that massage I gave you?
- That wasn't me.
- Liar.
- It wasn't.
It must've been one of your other lovers.
- Oh, very funny.
- Those blokes enjoyed watching you
serve.
- Yeah, and being pervy.
God, you're hopeless with
tennis dresses, aren't you?
- Yup.
Still miss the old me.
[moans]
[phone rings]
- Oh, bugger it.
- Let it ring.
[Lou] Is that you, Rob?
- It's for you.
- Yeah?
- Hello, this is Lou.
I was wonderin' if I could come over.
- Yeah, if you like.
What's up?
- Oh, I'm a bit freaked.
Need someone to talk to.
- Everything alright.
[Lou] Yeah, I'm down at the Quay.
Thought I'd catch the last ferry.
Do you live far from the wharf?
- No.
I'll meet you there if you like.
- Would you?
That'd be great.
- See you then.
- Bye.
- Competition.
- It was my mother.
[laughing]
[sax music]
Hi.
- Hi.
- What's this?
- Nothin', I'm just sayin' hi.
- So, what happened?
- Oh, some guy heavied me.
Client.
Must've followed me to my
place after I knocked off.
- Did he hurt ya?
- No. A bit.
I wanted to visit someone.
Thought I could visit you.
- Sure.
- It's a bit late for a visit.
- That's alright.
[ship's horn blows]
Coffee or a drink?
- You got some of your claret?
- Yup.
- Hello, I'm Gretel.
- Lou.
- Look, um, I'm marking essays.
So, um, I won't be sociable.
- Would you like a cup of coffee?
- No thanks.
- I didn't know you were married.
- You didn't ask.
- Why didn't you tell me on the phone?
- Just 'cause I'm married
doesn't mean I can't have visitors.
- Well, it's pretty late.
I feel like an idiot.
- Well, there's no need.
- I left my cigarettes.
- Hold on.
- Does she know about me?
- What?
- Your wife. What I do.
- No.
Here's an old picture of Lisa.
That's me.
[Lou laughs] Right.
You look really good.
- Thanks.
- Well, you still look okay now, though.
That was a really good time
for her, the theater thing.
She used to talk about that.
- Yeah.
- How long have you been married?
- Six years.
Have you ever been?
- Once.
Didn't work. Didn't last long.
That was the last ferry.
I'm gonna have to get
a cab when I get home.
- You can stay the night here.
- Would she mind?
- No.
We often have nocturnal guests.
[train rumbles in the distance]
- You're a dark horse, aren't you?
- Sure am.
- She was most surprised to see me.
- Well, she didn't know you existed.
- Oh, don't you tell your
ladies you're married.
- Not if I can help it, no.
- Well, she's the hooker.
- Among other things.
- Well, I'm sure she's more interesting
than most of our friends.
Hey, she can come tomorrow night.
- Why, what's happening tomorrow?
- Oh, Tim's going on his
Tasmanian trip on Saturday,
wants me to have dinner.
- Oh, I see.
So, you've been waiting for a
favorable opportunity to mention this.
- Not at all.
- How's it going?
- It's okay.
He's a nice guy.
I could never get serious, though.
We don't have much to talk
about in the mornings.
Also, I can remember when I was 21.
33 would have seemed ancient.
[laughs]
- Wish I'd had understanding tutors.
- Almost failed his last essay.
- That make you feel good?
- Oh yeah, it was most indignant.
- Well, I don't blame him.
[mother] Anyway, the
garden's looking nice.
Where's Rob?
[Gretel] Hurry up, Rob!
[mother] Did you stop being busy?
[Gretel] A bit quiet at the moment.
[mother] I suppose after Christmas,
everyone's spent their money.
[father] When you're gonna
leave this afternoon, do you know?
[Gretel] I should be
back by three, I suspect.
[father] Hopefully we'll miss
the worst of the traffic.
[chatter continues]
[mother] It's got that horrible smell
in the upholstery new cars always have.
- Hello.
Gretel's folks.
They bore me shitless.
- Why don't you hide in here then?
- Alright.
I'll be able to leave for work
in a couple minutes.
- Maybe I should get dressed.
- No, no, you have breakfast.
You don't have to leave
just because we do.
Nice day.
- Did you mind me comin' round here.
- Of course not.
[Gretel's mother laughs]
[Rob mimics Gretel's mother's laugh]
- Suppose I better make an appearance.
- You can come out and meet him too.
Then he'll be really alarmed.
- What do you mean?
- Well, another woman staying here.
Very protective of their
daughter, suspicious of me.
- Wouldn't wanna meet me.
- Maybe you could come out like that.
[laughs]
You want her to be red?
- Why wouldn't she then?
[mother] Bye Rob!
[father] Bye!
- Good Christ, I missed 'em.
Bye.
Anyway, there's, um, food in
the fridge and everything.
And, uh,
I'll see you later.
- Bye.
- Tata.
[Gretel] You could have at
least come in and said hello.
[Rob] I was in the shower.
[Gretel] Oh, bullshit.
You can't be bothered to make
the slightest effort.
[Rob] I'm sure they're heartbroken.
[engine revs]
[cat meows]
[man on tape] Lisa Blaine
demo tape take one.
[guitar music]
There I go, one more time
Tryin' to balance on the line
I've landed on my feet again
This time you're not around
I thought the door was open wide
I only meant to stand outside
The door closed shut behind me
And I'm caught on solid ground
And it's time for burning bridges
I wish there was some other way
A way to take the words back
That I never meant to say
'Cause it hurts to see your tears
I didn't need to make you pay
The cost of burning bridges,
turning night to day
I toss and turn
And watch these burning bridges
turning night to day
Here I go, once again
I guess I had forgotten then
Someone reached out a hand to me
Like this with no demands
Can't you see my crazy pride
Was tearing me apart inside
I didn't want to hurt you
Please try and understand
And it's time for burning bridges
- Rob?
It's me.
- Oh.
[horn honks]
Is there a white Peugeot outside?
- Yeah.
Some guy in it.
[Gretel] Right.
Well, I'm off.
Uh, Rob'll be back in a minute.
So, just, um, give him my love.
- Alright.
- See ya.
- Bye.
[dog barks]
[engine revs]
[guitar strums]
And it's time for burning bridges
I wish there was some other way
[hums]
I didn't mean to make you pay
The cost of burning bridges,
turning night to day
- Hello.
- Hi.
- Still with us?
- Yeah, I didn't wake up until
after a couple of hours ago.
- That's alright.
- Where's Gretel.
Been and gone?
- Yeah.
- You want some coffee?
- Yeah, that'd be good.
So, what have you been doing?
- Oh, lookin' around.
Went down to the harbor.
[Rob] Swim?
- No.
[Rob] Any mail?
- Yeah.
[horn blares]
This for Gretel.
Who was the guy Gretel was goin' out
with?
- That's her young boyfriend.
Did you meet him?
- No, he didn't come in.
- Probably scared I'd be here.
Afraid of a punch-up.
Those things'll kill ya.
[laughs]
[jazzy music]
[Rob] So, why'd ya split with your
husband?
[Lou] Oh, he got bored, I guess.
Then I moved into a place
with this other guy.
He was pretty incredible.
He used to shoot straight
into a vein in his eye.
- Must've impressed his friends.
- What do you mean?
- Good party trick.
- Well, it wasn't an act.
The veins in his arms folded up.
- That his story, was it?
I don't find the dope scene very romantic.
- I don't think you
know anything about it.
- I see.
- You wouldn't have any idea
the kinds of things I've had to do.
This girl and I had to do this party once.
[Rob] I'm not really interested.
[sighs]
- I do wanna get out of it.
- Then why don't you?
- Thought you were sympathetic.
- I am.
- Well, it's not easy.
- You have to make the decision.
[sighs]
- I hadn't been on the
street all that long, anyway.
Only about four months.
Do you like folk music?
- Not much, no.
- Gretel's late.
- She won't be back tonight.
- Where's she staying?
- With her friend.
- Is that why you're upset.
- I'm not upset.
- Don't you care?
[Rob] No.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Do you feel like talking?
- Okay.
- Tell me about you and Lisa.
- What?
- Well, you went out together
for a while, didn't you?
- Not really, no.
I merely knew her through
political groups at university.
- She used to talk about that time.
- Yeah?
Issues were much clearer cut then.
- What about the people
demonstrating on the dock?
Is that important?
- Sure.
- Gretel's rarely around, isn't she?
- Yup.
- I think I should stay with you tonight.
[Rob] I don't think that's probably
a good idea.
Lou.
- Look, I really wanna make you feel good.
Come on.
- Hey.
- Don't you find me attractive?
- Come on.
- Hmm?
- Wow.
- It's okay.
- I know.
Come on, get off.
Of course I find you attractive.
[Rob] There's no point, okay.
- Doesn't matter.
[melancholic music]
- Do you wanna sign my arm.
- No thanks.
[young men] Come on sign it.
Come on.
- Come on, sign my arm.
- Piss off, would ya.
[jeering]
[bluesy sax music]
[jeering]
[whistles]
- Do you wanna sign my arm?
- Get stuffed.
[cheering]
[shouting]
[shouting and whistling]
[dog barks]
[overlapping conversations]
[thunder roars]
[dog barks]
- Louie.
- Hi.
- G'day.
- Oh, it smells in here.
Cats and socks.
Don't you ever wash your socks?
- Of course I do.
Tony's really angry at you.
Where have you been?
- Well, I told him I was sick.
I need somewhere to stay.
- You can stay here if you want.
- Okay.
- Hey.
How's this?
Okay, ready for it?
Dun.
[Pete] Dun.
Dun!
Dun! [laughs]
What do you reckon?
- What's it for?
- I dunno. It's just a thing, that's all.
[groans]
[Lou] You got any dope?
- Do you need it now?
[Lou] No, I need some for later.
- Yeah, okay.
[machine gun fires]
[explosion]
[screaming]
- Prime the bomb!
Finish him off.
- No, let him burn.
[gun fires]
- Here you go.
It's just a movie about some war.
So, what have you been doin'?
- Nothin' much.
Massage my feet.
- Okay.
How's that?
- It's okay.
You tryin' to seduce me, are you?
- No.
- Didn't realize my
feet stretched that far.
- Yeah, well, now it's a leg massage.
- Well, don't go above the knees, okay?
- Why not.
- You might fall in.
[groans]
- Come on, huh?
Go on.
- Don't.
- Come on.
[sharp slap]
- This is hopeless, I
wouldn't get any sleep here.
- Well, what'd you come here for, anyway?
- Well, I shouldn't have, should I?
- You're mad.
You really have it, you know.
Lou?
[knocks on door]
- Hi, Jenny.
-Hi. What do you want?
- I just wanted to say hi.
- I thought you were sick or something.
- I'm okay now.
- Well, there's nothing here.
[Lou] I just scored.
- Okay.
It's Lou, she's just done a deal.
[rain patters]
Once again by myself
These words I'll face upon the shelf
Hope some night you'll hear and know
The way I feel tonight
You're just a poor excuse
[shirtless man] G'day.
- Hi.
I watched these burning
bridges burning bright
What's the time?
- I dunno.
Three, maybe?
Who's she?
[Lou] I dunno.
- What you listening to?
- A friend of mind who died.
[Lou reading] "September 16th, 1970.
Last night, Robby finally came over.
As a precaution,
I put an old globe that doesn't work
in the bedside light
so he wouldn't think I was prudish
for wanting to switch it off.
We sat on the bed, and I was
so nervous I was shivering.
He must've noticed,
so I said I was cold and
we got under the blankets.
He was really sweet and it happened.
But I must've said something hopeless,
or been really dumb or juvenile,
'cause he was so strange afterwards.
He said, "There you are.
"It's not such a big deal
after all, is it?"
It was very strained.
We talked for a while, mainly
about his speech on Cambodia.
Then he left.
I never felt so lonely."
[Lady reading] "They stood staring
at each other, both too overcome to speak.
Celia felt a sudden rush of exultation.
She was free of him at last.
The impossible had happened.
His mouth was forming
one last rationalization.
She felt the old urge to comfort him,
but repressed it, put
her finger to his lips."
But, even the most paranoid male reader
couldn't be threatened by this book.
On the contrary, Anne
MacKenzie's sympathies
are equally evident for
her male characters.
In a sense, all are ultimately victims.
I found the book touching
and compassionate.
But, without those traces
of mawkish self-pity
that have, for me,
marred so many recent books of this
genre.
It is with the greatest pleasure
that I declare launched
The Badge of Despair.
[applause]
[overlapping conversations]
- Do you mind movin' out of here,
this is a private function.
Would you move out, please.
I know, but it has nothing to do with you.
It's a private function.
[overlapping conversations]
- Oh, I don't know, I find
places like that absolutely great.
[jazzy music]
[knocks on door]
[Gretel] Yeah, what
does that exactly mean?
It's nothing, it's a euphemism.
I don't see how a nuclear war
could be limited.
- Long time no see.
- You got people.
- Yup.
- Men disturbing your flat again?
- I've been locked out, actually.
I brought you some pictures of Lisa.
I thought you might want
to use them in your article.
- You left rather early
in the morning last time.
- Yeah, I was gonna send you that money,
I really needed it.
[Rob] Better come in, then.
- Thanks.
[Michelle] Oh, he's the same I'd say.
[Tim] That's not saying much.
- Anyway, they all sit around pretending
they're Napoleon or Hitler or someone.
It goes on for hours and hours.
- This is Lou.
Tim, Michelle.
You know Gretel.
Sit down.
[Tim] What I was saying, Rob,
was there is some chance of
containing the whole thing now.
- You want a drink?
- No thanks.
- You mean, just killing a
couple of hundred million.
[Rob] Look, when they've blown us up
once,
there'll be enough left
over to blow our ghosts up.
- What's that got to do with it?
- What have you been doing, Lou?
- Oh, nothing much.
Got some flu.
- You working?
- No.
I was.
- Dole?
- Yeah.
- When you gonna write
that article, by the way?
- Which one?
[Tim] About the poverty line.
[Gretel] Why don't you write it?
- Well, I haven't got those
little letters after my name, have I?
[Tim] Wouldn't seem quite so impressive.
Besides, according to you,
my writing style's shit-house.
- One essay, that was.
- God, you're a hard marker.
[Michelle] Hey.
[Tim] What?
- I'm having one of those
'I've experienced this all before' things.
- Deja vu?
- Mm.
[Michelle] Just that I've been sitting
here listening to those words,
same thing that I'm saying now.
That's the trouble,
it's always so trivial.
Guess Tim and I are a bit telepathic.
Sometimes I'm thinking things
and I don't have to ask
him what he's thinking, I just know.
- That thing Michelle
said about telepathy.
You think she knows about Tim and me?
- I'm sure she does.
- Thought he was a pompous idiot tonight.
- He's alright.
- Oh, its well and truly run its course.
- I dunno.
I quite like Michelle.
[laughs]
- Didn't you see her eyeing me up?
- Oh, wishful thinking.
Why do you think Lou turned up?
- I'm not sure.
- I hope she's not gonna
be a constant guest.
[breathes heavily]
[gagging]
[wailing]
Oh, Christ.
- Did you know she was a junkie?
- Yeah.
- Thanks for telling me.
- Well, it's certainly withdrawal.
- Shouldn't she go to hospital?
- No, she won't go.
[doctor] She wouldn't let me give
her anything, either.
She's very determined.
By the way, who is she?
- Friend of ours.
- Well, she's going to need
someone with her all the time.
I'll come back in the morning, okay?
[Gretel] Thanks.
- You two should get some sleep.
- Yeah, thanks.
Sorry to get you up.
[sobbing]
[moaning]
[breathes erratically]
- I'm cold.
[heavy breathing]
[tense music]
[overlapping dialogue]
[animals braying]
[cat mews]
[deep growling]
[sirens blare]
[breathes heavily]
- How is she?
- She was dreaming, crying out.
She's quiet now.
- Should be just about over.
- I guess she should
stay here for a few days.
- I don't think she's
got anywhere else to go.
[piano music]
[yawns]
[Lou reading]
"Halfway through the speech,
Robby jumped up and shouted out,
'What about corruption in S... Sai...gon?'
Everybody started cheering."
[Gretel] G'day.
- Hi.
Thought I'd find you here.
- Eaten?
- No.
- We're just getting an appetite.
- How are you?
- Okay.
- Ian wants us to come to
dinner on Friday night.
Christen his new place.
- Another super vegetarian meal.
[Gretel] I wonder if his latest lady
will be there?
[Rob] Oh, she's bound to be.
It's partly to show off, I think.
By the way, I finished the article.
Dropped it to Mick.
[Rob] This is the one partially on Lisa.
- Funny how the night makes you whisper.
When I was about four
and had this girlfriend,
we used to whisper in the dark
so we wouldn't wake the monsters
under the bed.
- The night's a different world
when you're a kid.
- I'm sorry, I just don't
understand what it's about.
What's it about?
[Rob] It's about people from that time,
what happened to them.
[Lou] So, it's not about her at all.
[Rob] She's an example of one direction.
- You told me it was gonna be about Lisa.
- Look, I hadn't seen her for 10 years.
- She really loved you, you know.
- No she didn't.
That stage I wasn't getting
involved with anyone.
[Lou] Is that what you told her?
[Rob] Probably, I don't know.
- It's a bit cruel, isn't it?
- Look, I'm really sorry,
I'm trying to sleep.
I've gotta work in about four hours.
Okay?
- It's alright, I'm going.
[door shuts]
- She has gone.
- Oh God.
I feel guilty now.
- I gave her some money
yesterday to get a place.
- Oh, I'm glad you did that.
Difficult, isn't it?
I suppose it's terrible to think this,
but I can't help but wondering if
anything else has been borrowed.
- I doubt it.
- I hope she does contact us.
It'll be great having the
place to ourselves again.
But, I can't help but wondering
what's gonna happen to her.
[Rob] She said she'd try and find a
job.
[Gretel] Yeah, how long for?
What's chance has
someone like that's got?
- Maybe you should ask around,
see if anyone knows of anything going.
- You were becoming
quite important to her.
- It's probably good she
didn't come too close.
[Lou reading] "October 10th, 1970.
Last time I saw Robby,
he told me that after the exams
I should go away for a while.
I take things too seriously.
I'm too intense.
Now, when I try and ring him,
they say he's not there.
He must've told them to say that.
It's really humiliating.
If I knew we could just even be friends.
I feel really desperate."
[guitar music]
[Lisa sings] Poor excuse
For loving arms, it's just no use
I watch these burning bridges
burning bright
And it's time for burning bridges
I wish there was some other way
A way to take the words back
That I never meant to say
'Cause it hurts to see your tears
I didn't mean to make you pay
The cost of burning bridges
Turning night to day
I toss and turn
And watch these burning bridges
turning night to day
- I was very angry with you
the other night.
- Why?
- Your teasin'.
You were teasin' me for ages.
You go to bed with stacks of guys
you don't even know.
Then you come over here
in the middle of the night,
reckonin' you're gonna stay,
and you get up and go again.
I reckon ya like me.
- That's why it's different, 'cause I do.
I'm not even there with
any of those others.
Trouble with you is, you're too intense.
[sighs]
I will stay with you tonight.
But, it's only gonna be just this once.
- What do you mean?
- 'Cause I'm not gonna see you again.
- Tony wanted me to tell him
if I saw you round.
- You can tell him I've left Sydney.
- What for?
You've got a regular supply here.
- Come to bed.
- I just hid it.
- I'm straight.
Pete.
Really.
You comin' to bed?
- I don't know.
[sighs]
- You're a nice kid.
- Why don't you wanna see me anymore?
- Because I'm getting out of everything.
- I'll miss you.
No you won't.
No one will miss me.
- I will.
- It's funny how night
makes you whisper, isn't it.
[phone rings]
- Rob and Gretel's residence.
- Can I speak to Rob, please?
- Who's calling?
- I wanna speak to Rob.
- Okay.
Rob.
[Rob] Yeah?
- It's me.
- Oh, hi, how's it going?
[Lou] Good party?
- Sort of.
- I found a place.
- Hold on.
Turn that down, will ya?
- What?
[Rob] Where are you?
- I wanted to tell you I'm okay.
- Great.
- I was gonna ask you if you
wanted to come over for lunch.
- Yeah, when did you have in mind?
[Lou] Sunday.
- Alright, see you then.
- Uh, it's flat three,
40 Barrett Street, Potts Point.
- Where do I know that from?
- I dunno.
[Lou] Anyway, you go back to your party.
- Alright.
- Bye.
- What sort of material do they like?
- Well, they love ballads,
so they can have a good cry at thing.
- That was Lou.
- Oh yeah, how is she?
- Fair enough.
She wants me to go over
there for lunch on Sunday.
- You gonna go?
- Yup.
- Sunday, what about the game?
- Christ, yeah, I forgot.
- What's this?
- The big match.
- You're a footballer?
- Trotskyites top goal scorer.
Great.
[overlapping conversation]
- Hi.
- Oh, hi.
Thought I missed you.
- Been to the shop.
- I like the headband.
- Listen, I got this
bloody soccer match on.
It's an annual event,
I can't get out of it.
I'd have rung, but you didn't
give me your phone number.
Anyway, I thought I'd better get around
before you started preparing things.
- That's okay.
- I used to play a bit at school.
Actually, it's an excuse for a drink.
You can come and watch, but
I reckon you'd be dreadfully bored.
Hey, look, we'll make it next weekend.
- It isn't any good, is it?
- What, what isn't?
- Doesn't matter.
- Yes it does, tell me.
- We'll make it next week.
- Right.
- So, anyway.
I don't know why I'm whispering,
it's not the nighttime.
- Pardon?
- I don't know.
I'll see you later.
[car starts]
[sobs]
- Conditions for once, yup.
Probably one of the great games.
Standing room only.
I'm expecting a vast stadium.
- Gimmie some of that, will you?
[overlapping conversations]
- Are you going for
another own goal again?
[overlapping conversations]
- It wasn't my fault anyway.
Stretch fouled us up.
[man] Bullshit.
You tried to pass it to Connolly
and it went between his legs.
[football player ] Only because
Stretch distracted him.
[man] You can't take those
risks.
[football player 2]
What's Jana doing, anyway?
[overlapping conversations]
- Okay, fellas, right.
Let's get this show on the road.
Okay, now, who are we?
[all] Mobile Bay Drunks!
- Will we win?
[all] We'll piss on 'em!
- Yeah!
[cheering]
Get 'em!
Let's go.
[cheering and applause]
- Come on, mate,
you'll miss the toss.
- I'll be with you in a minute.
- Are you alright?
- I'll be with you
in a minute, okay?
- Okay.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Come over and play.
- I'm not good at it.
- Oh, that doesn't matter.
We all have a go.
You should hear me.
Have you been down here before?
- No.
- One of the guys is bringing
back food in a minute.
So, come and eat.
- Thanks.
[guitar music]
My windblown grass
In fields of time
My love for you
It turns my life around
Through clouds of circumstance
Like morning leaves
That dims the trees
I hear your voice
Without a sound
So, we share
I've come and gone
And face the turmoil
that surrounds
Till time brings change
Till time brings change
Like August winds
That send the rain
Your love for me
It fills my empty cup
Sometimes someone
Might want to die
And giving in
And giving up
Might find their life
And so though
It might not show
You turn my pain to joy
Till time brings change
Till time brings change
And so though
It might not show
You turn
My pain to joy
Till time brings change
Till time brings change
Till time brings change