How a 1950s melodrama sought to find drama in a world of pain
In short: In an era of relatively bland modern living, creator Bevan Lee looked backward to find the friction necessary for great television. By recreating the high-stakes social pressures of post-war Australia, he built a world where secrets, religious shifts, and identity could collide with devastating consequences.
Created by Bevan Lee, the Australian drama *A Place to Call Home* premiered in 2013. Lee, who previously developed the 'domestic trilogy' of *Always Greener*, *Packed to the Rafters*, and *Winners & Losers*, drew inspiration from the 1950s melodramas of director Douglas Sirk, including *All That Heaven Allows* (1955) and *Written on the Wind* (1956). Lee's intent was to escape the perceived conflict-free nature of contemporary life by immersing viewers in a period defined by 'pain and damage' following World War II.
The series is primarily set in the fictional New South Wales locations of Ash Park and Inverness, with the latter filmed against the backdrop of Camden and the Southern Highlands. The production was technically ambitious; the first season, which began filming on 9 July 2012, was the first Australian television production to be shot on a Sony F65 camera. The narrative follows Sarah Adams (Marta Dusseldorp), who returns to Australia after twenty years abroad, clashing with the wealthy Bligh matriarch, Elizabeth (Noni Hazlehurst).
The show explores heavy themes of identity and social standing. For example, James Bligh (David Berry) struggles with his sexuality, undergoing electroconvulsive and aversion therapy in an attempt to change his desires. The series also touches on the complexities of post-war trauma, seen through characters like Frank Gibbs (Aaron Pedersen), a veteran broken by service and racism, and Rene Nordmann (Ben Winspear), whose psychological damage stems from Nazi imprisonment and shrapnel in the brain. Though the show faced an initial cancellation after its second season, it secured further funding to conclude successfully in 2018 after six seasons.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: A Place to Call Home (TV series)
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