Tail voice over:

After Maurice has shot his wife Ida, he heads up the hill to his dying wife. He holds her in his arms and sobs as she dies.

Jacob gets Ronnie out of the vehicle and pushes the flat bed Toyota upright. Maurice grabs a shovel and begins to dig a grave for his wife.

Jacob carries Ronnie to the truck, and they drive off into the darkness, while Maurice begins the job of digging a hole, pausing to watch the Toyota disappear into the night.

Then the image cuts to Maurice sitting on the verandah of his home in pre-dawn light, at first in close up. As his voice over unfolds, the camera pulls back to offer a wide shot of him on the verandah :

Maurice (v/o): “Some nights I sit here and talk and stare, and stay out until the break of day …waiting, hoping. There’s been no blue lights, no detectives, no sign of Jacob or Ronnie or her musician boyfriend … and it’s been almost a year…

(A kookaburra begins to sound over a wide shot of the dawn light falling on the pasture and the bush).

… Sometimes I see a shadow … (ECU of his eyes) …between the trees. But I know to leave these things alone now …(back to a wide shot of him on the verandah, now with dawn light on it) …I make my confession, wait for redemption …or punishment …(a shot of the sun rising over a distant hill, bathing the screen in a yellow hazy glow) …but there’s only the sun rise …

Music swells, fade to black, and end credits begin to roll ... Developed and Produced with assistance and finance from New South Wales Film and Television Office. NSW Film and TV Office Sydney, Australia - logo Produced in association with the Premium Movie Partnership for Showtime Australia The Premium Movie Partnership - logo

Ida Stubbs Brenda Blethyn

Maurice Stubbs Ray Barrett

Murray Jacob Richard Roxburgh

Ronnie Miranda Otto

Producer Rosemary Blight

Director James Bogle

Screenplay by Peter Rasmussen and James Bogle

Based on the book 'In The Winter Dark' Written by Tim Winton

Director of Photography Martin McGrath ACS

Editor Suresh Ayyar

Composer Peter Cobbin

Production Designer Nicholas McCallum Costume Designer Wendy Cork

Makeup/Hair Designer Nikki Gooley

Executive Producer Marion Pilowsky

Co-Producer Brenda Pam

Sound Recordist Phil Keros

1st Assistant Director Bob Donaldson

Continuity Lynn-Maree Danzey

ADDITIONAL CAST

Nick Steve Le Marquand Daughter Alana Hopcroft Circus Man Justin Monjo Minister Leslie Dayman Cat Woman Marjorie Child Jacob's Wife Melissa Williams Sam Bobbie

Production Manager/Co-Ordinator Sam Thompson Associate Producer Kylie du Fresne Production Secretary Vanessa Critchley Production Runner Scott Lovelock Production Accountant Michele D'Arcey 2nd Assistant Director Jennifer Rees-Brown 3rd Assistant Director Kylie du Fresne Additional Assistant Director Donna McCudden Casting Shauna Wolifson Mulliners Consultants (sic, Mullinars) Focus Puller Katrina Crook Clapper/Loader Simon Williams Camera Attachment Nick Bell Additional Focus Pullers Nick Watt Frank Flick Steadicam Operator Phil Balsdon Boom Operator Sue Kerr Costume Stand-by Andrew Infanti Make-up/Hair Artist Trish Newton Additional Makeup/Hair Artist Kathy Courtney Set Decorator Leanne Cornish Props Buyer Emma Lawes Art Department Co-Ordinator Fiona Donovan Stand-by Props Brian "Jagger" Lang Assistant Stand-by Props Andrew Perrott Construction Supervisor Geoff Howe Carpenter Phillip Ascott Scenic Artists Michael O'Kane Giles Bradbury Location Manager Michael Davis Unit Manager Aubrey Tredget Unit Assistant Geoff Naylor Unit Assistant Ann "Ed" Petty Gaffer Shaun Conway Best Boy Mark Jefferies 3rd Electrics Matt Inglis 4th Electrics Brian Cole Key Grip Brett McDowell Grip Bruce Larter Trade Assistants Michael Anderson Adam White Dennis Locke Louis Simon Vehicle Co-Ordinator Peter Cashman Armourers Ken Jones John Leffler Animal Wrangler Vicki Bourke Stunt Co-Ordinator Guy Norris Stunt Co-Ordinator Safety Supervisor Lawrence Woodward Additional Stunts Safety Co-Ordinator Spike Cherrie Stunt Doubles Nash Edgerton Tony Lynch Avril Wynne Stunt Assistants Paul Doyle Brian Grogan Safety Report Wayne Pleace Armourers Ken Jones John Leffler Nurse Amanda Ling Director's Attachment Cate Shortland Casting Assistant Henrie Stride Caterer Camera Cooks Clare Pollard Gino Lopez Storyboard Artist Dan Potra Stills Photographer Philip Le Masurier Publicists Tracey Mair Gayle Lake Assistant Editor Christian Gazal Editors Attachment Jenny Perrott Sound Mixer Robert Sullivan Dialogue Editor Brent Burge Atmos/FX Editor Antony Gray Sound Assistant Nada Mikas Sound Post Production Soundfirm Ian McLoughlin Liz Wright Additional Sound FX Sam Petty Dolby Sound Consultant Steve Murphy Music Recorded & Mixed by Peter Cobbin Music Arranged & Conducted by Jonathan Allen Tenor Vocal Solo John Bowley Orchestral Contractor Isobel Griffiths Music Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London Music Editor Simon Leadley Post Production Facility Island Films Simon Dibbs Transfers Videolab Laboratory Atlab Australia Laboratory Liaison Ian Russell Opticals DFilm Roger Cowland Main Title Design & Visual Effects Animal Logic Films Producer Chris Godfrey Assistant Producer Fiona Chilton Designer Krista Jordan TD Kirsty Miller Title Design & Shooting Optical & Graphic Camera Equipment Samuelson Film Service

Filmed in Panavision ® - logo Insurance H. W. Wood & Company Completion Guarantor First Australian Completion Bond Company Rob Fisher Legal Representative Hart & Spira Lloyd Hart Travel Stage & Screen Film Stock Kodak Australia Rushes Courier Midnite Express Generators Viking Generators Motorolas Hirecom Australia Makeup & Wardrobe Bus Empire Film Services Unit Truck What Ya Need Film Services Special Effects Cineffects Rodney Bourke Security Alison Cawthorne Ashley Field Nicholas Johns Melanie Walker

RSPCA No 01/97 Animal involvement was monitored by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals NSW.

No animals were harmed or mistreated in the making of this film.

Scenes depicting injury were simulated or accomplished with the use of animatronic animals.

MUSIC

"Welcome to my World: Composed by John Hathcock and Ray Winkler Courtesy of Sony/ATV Tree and Sony/ATV Music Publishing Australia Recorded by Jim Reeves and Licensed by BMG Australia "Hello Darling" Recorded & Composed by Conway Twitty Courtesy of Sony/ATV Tree & Sony/ATV Music Publishing Australia

"Okie From Muskogee" Composed by Merle Haggard & Roy Burris, Recorded by Merle Haggard Courtesy of Sony/ATV Tree and Sony/ATV Music Publishing Australia

"If We Make It Through December" Recorded & Composed by Merle Haggard Courtesy of Sony/ATV Tree and Sony/ATV Music Publishing Australia

"Am I Losing You" Composed by Jim Reeves Courtesy of Sony/ATV Tree and Sony/ATV Music Publishing Australia Recorded by Ronnie Milsap and Licensed by BMG Australia

“There’s A Heartache Following Me” Composed by Ray Baker Courtesy of Sony/ATV Tree and Sony/ATV Music Publishing Australia Recorded by Jim Reeves and Licensed by BMG Australia

"Holly Holy" Composed and Recorded by Neil Diamond Courtesy of Sony/ATV Music Publishing Australia & Universal Music Australia

"Dimitri Shostokovich Chamber Symphony, Op. 110A" Arranged from his string quartet No. 8 by Rudolph Barshai Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Recorded by the Australian Chamber Orchestra Courtesy of Sony Classical by arrangement Sony Music Entertainment Australia

Developed with the assistance of the Australian Film Commission - logo Cast Accommodation Courtesy of Lilianfells, Blue Mountains

The Producers would like to thank the Australian Broadcasting Corporation

The Producers would like to thank

Ben Grant, Rochelle Bogle

John McQuaid, Robyn Gardiner, Dean Shapiro, John Maynard, Catriona Hughes, Alan Greenspan, Rick Raftos, Andy Lloyd James, Jim Taig, Oscar Goand, Anthony Anderson, Victoria Treole, Jonathan Shteinman, Damien Trotter, Sally Long Innes, Robyn Watts, David Noakes, Sandra Alexander, Jane Forrest, John & Maria Hollingdale, Shipley Bush Fire Brigade, Ron Bailey at Mount Vic Flicks, Helen Commens & Family, Bitsy & Geoff Allen, Ken & Joy Rothwell, Rhys Kelly, Katherine Buchanan, Alan Loughhead, The Globe Film Co, Southern Star Sales, David Holland, Mark Phillis, Steve Allingham, Sydney University Campden, Greg Sheldon, Mark Hollis, Thomas Grant, Blair Slater, Michael Thompson, Blue Mountains Council and Staff at Blackheath Depot, The Oberon Council and Community of Oberon, Blackheath Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade. Dolby ® In Selected Theatres - logo

All characters, events, people and places depicted in this cinematographic film are fictitious and imaginary and any relation to any person living or dead is purely co-incidental.

This cinematograph film (including, without limitation, the soundtrack thereof) is protected by the copyright laws of Australia and other applicable laws worldwide.

Any unauthorised copy, duplication or presentation will result in civil and criminal prosecution.

© 1998 Australian Film Finance Corporation Limited, New South Wales Film and Television Office, The Premium Movie Partnership and R.B. Films Pty Limited