Country Life / A Personal History of the Australian Surf (1994)

Recommended for mature audiences

When prodigal son Alexander (Michael Blakemore) returns to his homeland in rural Australia, he not only brings with him beautiful English wife Deborah (Greta Scacchi) but a whole lot of baggage that seems to weigh down the perception of his past. Settling into the dusty sheep station where his loyal and hardworking family have lived for generations, it is not long before the interminable flies and heat of the harsh sunburnt land get to the couple, sparking a spectacular movement of discontent. Frustrated by the arrogance and distraction of their new lodgers, Jack (John Hargreaves) and Sally (Kerry Fox) take umbrage at the suggestion that they sell up the farm and move on, determined to defend their estate by any and all means possible. And when local doctor and resident playboy Max (Sam Neill) joins the mix, he instantly becomes drawn to the flirtatious Deborah, compelled to make regular house calls, raising scandalous suspicion within the otherwise conservative community.

A lively retelling of Anton Chekhov's classic play Uncle Vanya, Country Life is a cheeky romp, lusciously capturing an era of Australian history with both pathos and aplomb. Special features include Michael Blakemore's rarely seen autobiographical documentary, A Personal History of the Australian Surf - an insightful cultural treat cheekily subtitled Being the Confessions of a Straight Poofter.