THE WELL
Australia, 1997, 102 minutes, Colour.
Pamela Rabe, Miranda Otto, Frank Wilson, Paul Chubb.
Directed by Samantha Lang.
The Well has been made by a strong group of women: from Elizabeth Jolley's novel, adapted by Laura Jones, produced by Sandra Levy, photographed by Mandy Walker, directed by first-time feature director, Samantha Lang, and with two intense performances from Pamela Rabe and Miranda Otto. While men are at the periphery of the action, the focus is on two women, one repressed, caring for her ageing father in the country, the other, young and modern, employed in housekeeping. Each changes the other, the younger becoming shrewder and the older literally letting her hair down (a little) until a disaster which breaks through the dependence.
Filmed in southern NSW, the often stark landscapes are like painted backdrops to the action. The action is more contemplative than intense (though it can be intense) which gives the film a more `European' tone and pace. Which means that an action-oriented audience could get impatient, judging that little is happening. But, much is happening interiorly.
The Well is a film that grows on you after seeing it, pondering the lives of the characters, trying to understand the female psyche, appreciating the symbols, especially that of the well, and realising that Australian film-makers can explore deeper understandings in familiar landscapes.
1.Psychological drama? Women's psyche? In the Australian landscape and in the Australian context?
2.Elizabeth Jolley's novel, the adaptation, the feel of the novel?
3.The colour photography? Its bleached style? The focus on landscapes - like paintings? Characters posed and acting in a landscape? The impact of the visual style?
4.The landscapes, the Australian characteristics, the open spaces, framed paintings? The roads, the bend of the roads? The paddocks and hills? The houses? The contrast with the town and the shops? The dance hall? An environment for this drama?
5.The musical score? The songs, Mahler, Hester's world? The contrast with Kathy's younger and more popular world of music?
6.The structure of the film: the prologue, going back, resuming at the dance halfway through the film? The further dramatic development? The prologue and the dance? The relationship between Hester and Kathy? After the dance, the driving, their behaviour, the danger and the thrills? The crash and the death of the pedestrian?
7.The mood of the first half? As flashback from the accident? Katherine coming to the house? Harry and Hester's father and their friendship, working relationship, financial advice? The work in the house? Molly going? Katherine and her reaction, deciding to leave, returning immediately? Finding her place in the house?
8.Pamela Rabe and the portrait of Hester? Her age, appearance, manner? Experience and lack of experience? Her relationship with her father, working for him, loving him, resenting him? The friendship with Harry, Harry and his attentions - unspoken? Repressing so much of her feelings, not growing emotionally? Her work, keeping the house, her tidiness? The arrival of Katherine, the attraction to her, settling her in? The chores and the regulations? The cleaning? Katherine's reaction, leaving, her return and Hester's response? The growing friendship between the two? Seeing Katherine as lively, dancing, the music? Hester literally letting her hair down? The change, buying the radio, picnics and outings?
9.The contrast with Katherine and Miranda Otto's portrait? The scarce details of Katherine's background - friends, the letters, the friend possibly coming to stay, institutions? Her arrival? Father and the innuendo? Her reaction to the quiet place, no TV? Wanting to go out, the picnic, Hester's gift of the radio, the driving lessons and driving the car?
10.Harry, the staid country type? His presence in the household? Work, friendship with Hester's father, admiration for Hester? The father's death? His financial advice, the sale of the house? The dance? His courting of her - and her rejection of him?
11.The contrast with her father, his place in the household, domination, dominance of Hester? His raucous style, the meals? The veranda? His death and its impact?
12.The sketch of the people in the town, at the dance, the policeman's wife as a Mother Earth figure? The police? The workers, hitch-hikers?
13.The dance at the centre of the film? Hester's presence and reaction? The songs and the dancing? The aftermath of reality and unreality?
14.Katherine and the dance, her excitement? Hester and her transformation? Acting like two schoolgirls, being daring, spending the money in a spendthrift way? Hester's change, the smaller house, television, at home? Reactions to Harry? Katherine and her threats? Hester getting out of the car, going behind the rock and screaming?
15.The drive home from the dance, hitting the man, their different reactions? The decision to put the body down the well - and the consequences?
16.The well as a symbol? Source of water, source of life, a place for hiding, disposing of the body? The sexual symbolism of the well? Female symbolism? The man in the well - Katherine's wanting to bring him to the surface, Hester's wanting to keep him contained?
17.Katherine and the aftermath, her fears, reaction, sleep and nightmares? Her dialogue with the man in the well, bringing him to imaginary life, in love with him, feeding him, wanting to rescue him? Her appearance in Hester's dream? Katherine obeying Hester - with doing her hair, looking after her? Katherine's decision to leave? The fact that she took the money - deliberately or not?
18.Hester and her strength, her fears, the interrogation by the police, the workers? Her not believing Katherine? Her reaction to Katherine's dialogue? Her own nightmares? The rope, covering up the well? Her reaction to Katherine's leaving? Giving her the money - but Katherine taking all the money? Her being left bereft?
19.Katherine and the road - to a new life? Where would Hester go?
20.A dramatic study of the female psyche? Interdependence? Growth and change? Sexuality? The impact of the narrative and its allusions?
