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Authors: David Williamson
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compulsive and she canât really help herselfâyou know?
COLIN : [ nodding ] Right.
HELEN : The husband is absolutely devastated. Thereâs this one scene that would have to be one of the most moving scenes Iâve ever seen on film.
COLIN nods.
The husband just sits there crying for two minutes and the camera doesnât move. I sat there bawling my eyes out. Can you imagine an Australian writer or director having the guts to do anything as sensitive as that?
COLIN : [ melancholy ] If an Australian writer scripted something like that it just wouldnât get made. The distributors and merchant bankers and network execs who run this industry wouldnât bother to read the script. All they want is money, lust, power, crime, fashion, intrigue, murder, jewellery and crocodiles.
HELEN : I know. I feel disloyal saying it, but I hate some of the Australian product Iâve had to promote.
COLIN : I hate it too, but Mike and I are writing one to exactly the same formula. Itâs fine for the Poles. They donât have to face commercial pressures.
HELEN : They have to face other kinds. The Ministry of Culture watches this guy like a hawk. He nearly went to prison after his last film because his main character was a corrupt party official.
COLIN : Really?
HELEN : Colin, Iâm going to say something to you I shouldnât say.
COLIN : Please do.
HELEN : I donât think your partnership with Mike is good for either of you.
COLIN : Why not?
HELEN : Mikeâs at home with power, lust, murder and crocodiles and Iâm not knocking him for it. We all have to earn a living. People in glass houses. But occasionally, when Iâve seen a film like that, I wish I lived in a better world where I could say what I felt and mean what I say, and you can write films like that and I think you should.
COLIN : Yes, I should. And you should be doing something better than selling people and products you donât believe in.
HELEN : Yes, I should.
COLIN : I have to say this, and I donât care how corny it sounds. You are one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen.
HELEN looks into his eyes. COLIN becomes nervous, manic.
[ Talking rapidly ] When you first walked into the room, I just stood there dumbstruck. Absolutely dumbstruck. You must have noticed.
HELEN : I did sense there was an extraordinary affinity between us. Right from the start.
COLIN : There was. An extraordinary affinity. And all I did was stand there, mouth agape. Instead of trusting the feeling that you were feeling what I was feeling, I began feeling that I might be wrong. Why is it that at the moment we should throw caution to the wind, weâre struck deaf mute with panic?
HELEN : Do you want to stay here long?
COLIN : I suppose you have to stick around here until the end?
HELEN : I should, but to hell with it. Letâs go and book into a hotel.
COLIN : Hotel? Yes. Hotel. Whatâs a good hotel on this side of the city?
HELEN : Weâll find one.
COLIN : Helen, this is crazy. This is really crazy.
HELEN : Crazy, but right.
COLIN : Did I bring the car? Yes, of course I did. Hotels. Where are we? North Sydney. Hotel. Jesus, my mind is a total blank. God, I didnât bring the car. Weâll get a cab. There is quite a nice hotel somewhere over in Manly. God, no, thatâs miles away. Artarmon! On the highway just down the road. Do you know the one I mean?
HELEN : No.
COLIN : No. Itâs actually pretty appalling. No, thereâs no way weâre going to go there.
HELEN : There must be dozens of places within a few miles of here. Letâs just get a cab and cruise.
COLIN : [ suddenly pulling a set of car keys out of his pocket ] Jesus, I did bring the car. I am going crazy . Can you believe that? I did bring the car.
HELEN : Great. Letâs go then.
COLIN : What about Mike?
HELEN : You go down first. Iâll think of an excuse, then follow.
COLIN hesitates.
Do you want to go, or
COLIN : [ nodding ] Right.
HELEN : The husband is absolutely devastated. Thereâs this one scene that would have to be one of the most moving scenes Iâve ever seen on film.
COLIN nods.
The husband just sits there crying for two minutes and the camera doesnât move. I sat there bawling my eyes out. Can you imagine an Australian writer or director having the guts to do anything as sensitive as that?
COLIN : [ melancholy ] If an Australian writer scripted something like that it just wouldnât get made. The distributors and merchant bankers and network execs who run this industry wouldnât bother to read the script. All they want is money, lust, power, crime, fashion, intrigue, murder, jewellery and crocodiles.
HELEN : I know. I feel disloyal saying it, but I hate some of the Australian product Iâve had to promote.
COLIN : I hate it too, but Mike and I are writing one to exactly the same formula. Itâs fine for the Poles. They donât have to face commercial pressures.
HELEN : They have to face other kinds. The Ministry of Culture watches this guy like a hawk. He nearly went to prison after his last film because his main character was a corrupt party official.
COLIN : Really?
HELEN : Colin, Iâm going to say something to you I shouldnât say.
COLIN : Please do.
HELEN : I donât think your partnership with Mike is good for either of you.
COLIN : Why not?
HELEN : Mikeâs at home with power, lust, murder and crocodiles and Iâm not knocking him for it. We all have to earn a living. People in glass houses. But occasionally, when Iâve seen a film like that, I wish I lived in a better world where I could say what I felt and mean what I say, and you can write films like that and I think you should.
COLIN : Yes, I should. And you should be doing something better than selling people and products you donât believe in.
HELEN : Yes, I should.
COLIN : I have to say this, and I donât care how corny it sounds. You are one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen.
HELEN looks into his eyes. COLIN becomes nervous, manic.
[ Talking rapidly ] When you first walked into the room, I just stood there dumbstruck. Absolutely dumbstruck. You must have noticed.
HELEN : I did sense there was an extraordinary affinity between us. Right from the start.
COLIN : There was. An extraordinary affinity. And all I did was stand there, mouth agape. Instead of trusting the feeling that you were feeling what I was feeling, I began feeling that I might be wrong. Why is it that at the moment we should throw caution to the wind, weâre struck deaf mute with panic?
HELEN : Do you want to stay here long?
COLIN : I suppose you have to stick around here until the end?
HELEN : I should, but to hell with it. Letâs go and book into a hotel.
COLIN : Hotel? Yes. Hotel. Whatâs a good hotel on this side of the city?
HELEN : Weâll find one.
COLIN : Helen, this is crazy. This is really crazy.
HELEN : Crazy, but right.
COLIN : Did I bring the car? Yes, of course I did. Hotels. Where are we? North Sydney. Hotel. Jesus, my mind is a total blank. God, I didnât bring the car. Weâll get a cab. There is quite a nice hotel somewhere over in Manly. God, no, thatâs miles away. Artarmon! On the highway just down the road. Do you know the one I mean?
HELEN : No.
COLIN : No. Itâs actually pretty appalling. No, thereâs no way weâre going to go there.
HELEN : There must be dozens of places within a few miles of here. Letâs just get a cab and cruise.
COLIN : [ suddenly pulling a set of car keys out of his pocket ] Jesus, I did bring the car. I am going crazy . Can you believe that? I did bring the car.
HELEN : Great. Letâs go then.
COLIN : What about Mike?
HELEN : You go down first. Iâll think of an excuse, then follow.
COLIN hesitates.
Do you want to go, or
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