A SUPERB cast of Australian actors led by a notable British, older leading lady populates Fred Schepisi’s film using Judy Davis’ well-crafted adaptation of Patrick White’s novel.

It’s 1970. In her Eastern Suburbs mansion, wealthy former beauty, Elizabeth (the magnificent Charlotte Rampling) lives opulently while she waits to die. Her knighted actor son Basil (Geoffrey Rush) and daughter Dorothy (Judy Davis), ex-wife of a petty Italian princeling, arrive at her bedside.

This trio of selfish game-playing manipulators and exploiters are losers at the game of living, with few redeeming features and mutual antagonisms.

Refugee cook Lotte (Helen Morse) entertaining Elizabeth with German cabaret songs and dances of the between-wars era, merits sympathy. The other household staff do not.

The film radiates Patrick White’s equal disdain for its social classes both above and below stairs. An underlying current of greed for the bequests they hope for from Elizabeth’s estate suffuses the story.

Schepisi, his cast and his behind-the-camera team have created an impressive work. I try to judge films objectively but occasionally one comes along that presses the subjective button. Much of this one I enjoyed. But I am glad not to occupy its social milieu.

At Greater Union