''The Alternative'' is a 1978 Australian television film about an unmarried editor of a woman's magazine who finds herself pregnant. She has a relationship with another woman.Ed. Scott Murray, ''Australia on the Small Screen 1970–1995'', Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p5-6

Plot

Melanie is an unmarried woman working for a women's magazine. She falls pregnant and decides to raise the baby on her own.

Cast

Wendy Hughes Wendy Hughes (29 July 19528 March 2014) was an Australian actress known for her work in theatre, film and television. Her career spanned more than forty years and established her reputation as one of Australia's finest and most prolific actors. ...

as Melanie Hilton * Peter Adams as Noel Denning * Carla Hoogeveen as Linda *

Tony Bonner Anthony Frederick Bonner (born 23 November 1943) is an Australian television, film and stage actor and singer. Bonner became famous in the 1960s children's television series '' Skippy the Bush Kangaroo'', later moving on to lead roles in the ...

as Peter *

Alwyn Kurts Alwyn Cecil Kurts (28 October 1915 – 4 May 2000) was an Australian drama and comedy actor of radio, television and film, best remembered for his role as gruff Inspector Colin Fox in the TV series ''Homicide''. Biography Kurts' father, David D ...

as Doherty * Ken Goodlet as Melanie's Father *

Betty Lucas Betty Helen Lucas (31 May 1924 – 7 April 2015), also known as Betty Lucas Peterson, was an Australian character actress and theatre director, known for her numerous roles on stage and television, starting from the post-WWII years in 1945. Biog ...

as Melanie's Mother *

Anne Haddy Anne Haddy (5 October 1930 – 6 June 1999), credited also as Anne Hardy, was an Australian actress, television presenter and voice artist, who worked in various facets of the industry including radio, stage and television. She was married ...

as Helen * Mary Mackie as Mrs. Millbank * Jackie Rees as June

Production

It was one of a series of TV movies Robert Bruning made for Channel 7. The film was shot in Sydney. It was the first to air after '' Is There Anybody There?''. He sold it to Paramount to distribute world wide.

Awards

At the Annual Penguin Awards, given by the Television Society of Australia, the film was awarded best Actress (Wendy Hughes), Actor (Peter Adams) and Supporting Actor (Alwyn Kurts), as well as Best Adult Drama.

References

External links

*
Clips from the film
at

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

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Screen Australia Screen Australia is the Australian Federal Government's key funding body for the Australian screen production industry, created under the ''Screen Australia Act 2008''. From 1 July 2008 Screen Australia took over the functions of its predecess ...

The Alternative
at BFI
The Alternative
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National Film and Sound Archive The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national co ...

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AustLit AustLit: The Australian Literature Resource (also known as AustLit: Australian Literature Gateway; and AustLit: The Resource for Australian Literature), usually referred to simply as AustLit, is an internet-based, non-profit collaboration betwee ...

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