The Night The Prowler

Umbrella Entertainment

All Regions

Nowadays we tend to regard class-conscious people as anachronisms or even objects of ridicule, but in post-World War II society attitudes were different. Regardless of their war service people were expected to know their place and social climbing was a popular occupation among the wannabees. Doris Bannister is one such. She has a nice house, a circle of appropriate friends, a husband of course, and a daughter Felicity. Felicity is very much Doris’ trophy daughter. She is brought up in the image Doris has planned for her. She doesn’t have many friends and is becoming withdrawn, but any personality she might develop is swamped by Doris’ gentle but firm dominance of her life. He father is no help – he also is dominated by Doris.

One night the parents are awoken by Felicity’s screams. Felicity claims a man has entered her room and raped her, but there is something a little unconvincing in her story. She refuses to be examined by the family doctor. Doris is horrified. You get the impression that she is more concerned that her carefully arranged life has been disrupted than any feeling of sympathy for her daughter. For Felicity, however, it is the start of a new feeling – a rebellion against her mother for her own independence.

Felicity’s personality changes. She starts to visit clubs for young people and make some friends of her own, she (gasp) rides pillion on a motorbike, and she finally starts to experience life after the stultifying repression at home.

Doris catches her sneaking out one night wearing her motorbike leathers and is horrified. Can this really be her daughter? What will the neighbours think? In a burst of self-assertion Felicity tells her “I’m not the record you like to play”. Having finally broken her mother’s overbearing control Felicity goes further. She becomes a night prowler herself.

One day she is walking through a derelict house and comes across an old man who is dying on a filthy mattress. Felicity stays with him, recognising in him a similar lonely soul like her. Will it change her outlook? Can she survive without her mother’s firm guidance? Can she maintain her independence?

The film was not widely accepted on its release, except by the critics. This is a pity as it features a wonderful performance by the brilliant Ruth Cracknell who went on to a long and distinguished career in Australian film. There are unmistakeable echoes of Doris in the character of Thelma in the TV series Kingswood Country.

Kerry Walker as Felicity doesn’t get much chance to shine until later in the film. Then she plays the rebellious Felicity with just the right amount of confusion and growing excitement at her independence.

The only extras are commentary by the director, Jim Sharman, and Kerry Walker, plus of course the inevitable and pointless trailer.

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