Serpent in the Rainbow

Serpent in the Rainbow
Genrehistorical family drama
Written by
Directed byDouglas Sharp
Starring
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes4
Production
Executive producerAlan Burke
ProducerBrian Bell
CinematographyLloyd Shiels
Running time4 x 1 hour
Production companyABC
Original release
NetworkABC
Release22 August (1973-08-22) –
12 September 1973 (1973-09-12)

Serpent in the Rainbow is an Australian mini series which first screened on the ABC in 1973. It was set in the late 19th century.[1][2][3]

The Bulletin called it "a classical allegory about two squatting families who play out their own version of the Trojan War."[4]

Premise

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In outback Australia toward the end of the 19th century, two families that down sheep stations have different views - the austere and religious Quiggs, of "Sinai" station and the more liberal Lovetts, of "Woolumbra".

Helen Quigg leaves her husband, falls for Phillip Lovett and seeks refuge with the Lovetts. The Quiggs want her back but the Lovetts refuse.

The head of the families, Pryor Lovett and Simeon Quigg, do not want violence but the younger members are harder to contain.

Cast

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Production

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The title refers to an Aboriginal legend of a snake that controls the destiny of humans.[5]

Episodes

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  1. 22 August 1973 - Helen Quigg leaves her husband, falls for Phillip Lovett and seeks refuge with the Lovetts.
  2. 29 August 1973
  3. 5 September 1973
  4. 12 September 1973

(The above air dates are for Sydney. It aired in Melbourne starting 1 November 1973.)

Reception

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The Sun Herald called it "another drama beauty... all perform beautifully... don't miss this one."[6]

The Bulletin gave it a negative review stating:

It is difficult to imagine any viewer not familiar with the stately languor of the Russian dramatists staying more than five minutes with the first episode. The whole 50 minutes were so soporific and inconclusively brooding that I stayed the distance only because a cast of gifted Australians wrought small miracles with the script... Serpent in the Rainbow is like a radio play with pictures. The pictures are superb... episode 1 was so slow-moving and uninformative as almost to be incomprehensible... the most earnestly solemn play I can remember the ABC ever producing... awkward, unreal and unnaturally sombre. The characters they have created are potentially interesting but spoilt because they are all developed in monochrome... The performances, though, were excellent.[7]

The Age said the series "requires a little concentration but the rewards in terms of worthwhile viewing is quantum."[8]

A sequence in the final episode where Adam Quigg broke the neck of Paul Lovett in a fist fight prompted complaints about violence. The ABC's Director of Television Drama, John Cameron, said, "It was an essential part of the play, which was four hours on the theme of violence and the inability of two men to control and avoid violence."[9]

References

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  1. ^ Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford University Press, 1996 p233
  2. ^ "Aunty's Dramatic year". The Sunday Sydney Morning Herald. 8 April 1973. p. 105.
  3. ^ Australian Broadcasting Commission. (1963), "The Year at the A.B.C.", 21 v. : ill. ; 25 cm., Annual Report of the Australian Broadcasting Commission., Parliamentary paper (Australia. Parliament) (1972/1973), Sydney: ABC: 192, ISSN 0313-3222, nla.obj-2074244937, retrieved 17 June 2023 – via Trove
  4. ^ "DRAMA The biggest make-believe factory", 105 volumes : illustrations (chiefly coloured), portraits (chiefly coloured) ; 30-40 cm., The Bulletin, John Ryan Comic Collection (Specific issues)., 95 (4840), Sydney, N.S.W: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, 3 February 1973 [1880], ISSN 0007-4039, nla.obj-1628114640, retrieved 15 June 2023 – via Trove
  5. ^ "ALF GARNETT MOVES UP!". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 41, no. 12. Australia, Australia. 22 August 1973. p. 10. Retrieved 5 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ Marshall, Valda (2 September 1973). "New outback drama scores again". The Sydney Morning Herald (Sunday). p. 72.
  7. ^ "TELEVISION Slow-moving serpent", 105 volumes : illustrations (chiefly coloured), portraits (chiefly coloured) ; 30-40 cm., The Bulletin, John Ryan Comic Collection (Specific issues)., 95 (4869), Sydney, N.S.W: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, 1 September 1973 [1880], ISSN 0007-4039, nla.obj-1629175065, retrieved 5 June 2023 – via Trove
  8. ^ "Teletopics". The Age TV Guide. 8 November 1973. p. 2.
  9. ^ "Fight stirs protests". Sun Herald. 16 September 1973. p. 84.
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Serpent in the Rainbow at IMDb


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