The Purple Jacaranda

''The Purple Jacaranda'' was an Australian television mini-series which aired on ABC in 1964 based on a novel by Nancy Graham. Cast included James Condon, Margo Lee, Ronald Morse, Diana Perryman, Walter Sullivan and John Unicomb.

It was first broadcast on 28 June 1964, in Sydney.

Plot

Anne James is asked by Colonel Thomson of "Security" ( ASIO) to visit and stay with her friend Darcy, now married to David Crawford. The Crawfords live at "Jacaranda House", in Sydney. Anna has misgivings but eventually agrees.

Cast

*Margo Lee as Anne James
* Diana Perryman as Darcy Crawford
*Ronald Morse as Colonel Thomson
*Walter Sullivan as David Crawford
*James Condon is artist Max Stevenson
*Nick Tate as Bill
*Camilla Christensen as Kelly
*John Unicombe as Bannister
*Aileen Britton as Housekeeper

Episode guide

*Episode One – Anne James, living in Perth, is confronted by Colonel Thomson of Security who asks her to travel to Sydney and stay with her friend Darcy, who has recently married David Crawford.

Background

In the early 1960s, ABC aired a series of historical mini-series: ''Stormy Petrel'' (1960), '' The Outcasts'' (1961), '' The Patriots'' (1962), and ''The Hungry Ones'' (1963). ''The Purple Jacaranda'', however, featured a then-contemporary setting. It was based on a 1958 radio serial which in turn was based on a novel. Exteriors for the mansion were shot in Melbourne.

Colin Dean said historical "serials take years of research and steeping in the period. Writers can't produce one at a moment's notice. I quite like this year's change to a modern serial, but I would be sad if we stopped doing historical serials. They are very rewarding."

The set designer was Desmonde Dowling. The main interior set, a private house, was built at the ABC Studios in Gore Hill, Sydney; exteriors were shot at the municipal library in Mosman. Other locations included the Commonwealth Centre and the northern Sydney beaches.

Reception

Unlike the historical serials, which got largely positive response by viewers and critics, ''The Purple Jacaranda'' was a critical failure.

Reviewing the pilot episode the ''Tribune'' said "It has its moments but the stiff and stagey acting and production will need to improve if it is to hold the viewer's attention." The ''Woman's Weekly'' said it " didn't come to life in its first episode. The good part of it was producer Colin Dean's opening sequence of the body on the beach, the skilful blending of indoor and outdoor shots, and John Unicombe'sacting as Bannister; the bad parts of it were some bad flaws in the story, the general air of unreality, and the overacting of the ladies."

The ''Canberra Times'' called it "the unintentionally funniest thing the A.B.C. has ever done."

The ''Tribune'' later said "A completely wrong slant has been given o what is supposed to be a
thriller. Every element of surprise is telegraphed and foreshadowed. . The actors move like automatons and with about as much feeling. The dialogue which is certainly not -"ery good is made even – worse by this treatment."

The ''Canberra Times'' said ", Richard Lane's script would have been funny, had not Colin Dean's direction been vulgar."

The ''Bulletin'' said "Perhaps the most harshly treated is Margo Lee. In the first episode she was a young woman intelligent enough to be asked to shadow dangerous criminals. Since then she has represented simpering stupidity. Miss Lee still wears a look of pained surprise at this perfidy on the part of the scriptwriter."
The ''Weekly'' later called it "hideous".

The Sunday ''Sydney Morning Herald'' said "what a sorry business it turned out to be."

Richard Lane called it "disappointing".

References

External links

''The Purple Jacaranda'' at IMDb

{{DEFAULTSORT:Purple Jacaranda
Australian drama television series
1964 Australian television series debuts
1964 Australian television series endings
Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming
Black-and-white Australian television shows