Travelling North totally by chance

 

Travelling North tells the story of Frank (Leo McKern), a crotchety old man with an unending zest and passion for life and Frances (Julia Blake) his much younger companion travelling to Queensland to enjoy their retirement and each other. Unfortunately the idyllic North cannot calm Frank’s complex personality and desire to live life to the fullest and Frances watches helplessly as Frank struggles to understand his own emotional and physical limitations.

 

I was searching YouTube for a copy of "The Hustler" with Paul Newman to email to someone in Port Moresby whom I had known more than fifty years ago in Rabaul as "Felson", when totally by chance I came across a full-length copy of one of my all-time favourites, "Travelling North", with Leo McKern and Julia Blake.

It was uploaded only eight days ago by "Throwback TV - Australian Classic Movies & TV" and, knowing YouTube, it won't last long, so watch it now!

(The same YouTube channel has more than a dozen very "watchable" Australian movies, including "Cliffy" and "Caddie" and "Fields of Fire".)

 

 

The movie is based on a play by David Williamson - who also wrote "Don's Party" and "The Removalists" and more than fifty others - which in essence is a serious drama with some comedic touches. It has been described as "a deeply moving comedy with insightful ruminations on youth, vigour, ageing and death" and is considered one of Williamson's best loved works.

I've watched it at least half a dozen times, and I'm sure you will, too.

 

 

P.S. Sorry, Grahame, but I couldn't find a full-length copy of "The Hustler".