The Night Nurse

The Night Nurse is a 1978 Australian television film about the relationship between a former opera star and her night nurse.[1]

This article is about the 1977 film. For other uses, see Night nurse.

The Night Nurse
Directed byIgor Auzins
Produced byRobert Bruning
Written byRon McLean
StarringKate Fitzpatrick
Kay Taylor
CinematographyRussell Boyd
Edited byTrevor Ellis
Production
company
Gemini Productions
Release date
5 November 1978
Running time
75 mins
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
Budget$105,000[1]

It was produced by Bruning's Gemini Productions.[2]

Plot

Prudence wants to become independent of her artist ex-boyfriend Rick, and so she arrives at the grand home of The Diva, a once famous opera singer, to interview for a night nurse position. Instantly hired by the wheelchair bound septuagenarian, she soon begins to experience odd things. And the other staff member, stone faced Clara, shows Prudence nothing but resentment, and clearly wants her gone. Prudence soon learns that all is not what it seems in this household, leading her to a ghastly discovery and to unearth dangerous secrets from the past.

Cast
  • Davina Whitehouse as the Diva
  • Kay Taylor as Clara
  • Gary Day as Rick Barrett
  • Kate Fitzpatrick as Prudence Simpson
  • Reg Gillam as Marsden
  • Edward Howell as Morphett
  • Max Meldrum as Dr Leeds

Production

Bruning had made four TV movies for Channel Seven which had rated well. This prompted the network to commission six more from Bruning of which The Night Nurse was the first.[3] These were made for a cost of $750,000. "It's the largest order of locally made product ever," said Greg Brown of Seven "and we are sure viewers will be impressed."[4]

Reception

Don Groves of the Sydney Morning Herald called it "an old fashioned blood curdling thriller" and "a first rate yarn".[5]

References
  1. Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p112
  2. Beilby, Peter; Murray, Scott (September–October 1979). "Robert Bruning". Cinema Papers. pp. 517–519.
  3. "Selling our films to the world". Sydney Morning Herald. 29 May 1977. p. 47.
  4. "Gather around for a 'woman's picture'". Sydney Morning Herald. 17 April 1977. p. 105.
  5. "Critics Corner". Sydney Morning Herald Archive. 20 January 1980. p. 74.


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