© ATOM 2012 A STUDY GUIDE by Roger Stitson
http://www.metromagazine.com.au
ISBN: 978-1-74295-243-7 http://www.theeducationshop.com.au 2
1: Peggy Berman (Susie Porter) with Detective Inspector Jack Ford (William McInnes) 2: Superintendent Matthews (Gary Sweet), 4 1 Jack Ford and other police at their club 3: Peggy and Jack Ford at Homicide Headquarters 4: Dr Bert Wainer (Jeremy Sims) and Curriculum links: Jo (Maeve Dermody) investigate a ‘backyarder’ 5: Jo and Lionel This study guide is mainly aimed at (Mark Leonard Winter) as Bert’s helpers dub themselves ‘the middle and upper secondary school untouchables’ levels, with relevance to English, Media and Film Studies (especially Narrative and Genre), SOSE/HSIE, History, Cultural Studies, Ethics and Philosophy, Legal Studies, Women’s Studies, Health and 3 Human Relations.
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Synopsis
Bertram Wainer (Jeremy Sims), pugnacious Scotsman and ex-Army doctor, is drawn into a world of criminals and corruption when a young student comes to him for help because she is pregnant. He sends her away, thinking he’s convinced her to tell her parents, but instead she goes to a backyard abortionist who botches the operation. Wainer is called in to tend her as she dies. He vows to take a stand against the forces that allow this dangerous industry to thrive. The law must be changed to protect the health of desperate women. But how can one man make a difference? Wainer meets glamorous Peggy Berman (Susie Porter), receptionist for a gynaecologist who provides illegal abortions. She’s also the girlfriend of charismatic Detective Jack Ford (William McInnes), Homicide squad. When Ford is implicated in the corruption and graft that surrounds the activities of illegal abortionists, Peggy becomes Wainer’s guide into this underworld. Now Wainer has to deal with dirty police as he fights to get abortion law changed. Wainer’s allies, university student and activist Jo (Maeve Dermody) and her journo boyfriend, Lionel Pugh (Mark Leonard Winter), join the crusade to uncover police corruption. Divorced, Wainer is attracted to Jo and she to him. Will she have to choose between the two men? SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 Corrupt police and criminals want Wainer dead. Attempts are made on his life. His family is at risk. But he won’t back down. What price is he prepared to pay? Wainer, Jo and Pugh collect evidence, but it’s not enough. And then Pugh is found dead. Is it murder or suicide? The only way Wainer can succeed is with Peggy’s help. He needs her to speak out, but she’s still in love with fallen Homicide hero Jack Ford. The success of Wainer’s campaign to change the law rests on her decision. 2 3 Background reading and viewing note Stated in the film’s closing credits, Dangerous Remedy is ‘inspired’ by the non- All photographs © Eclipse Films Pty Ltd fiction book titled It Isn’t Nice, written by 2012. Contact [email protected] Bertram Wainer and published in 1972.
2 To complement your viewing and understanding of the events and era portrayed in Dangerous Remedy, you may 1: Producer Ned Lander also wish to view the part-dramatised 1 with the real Jo Wainer and TV documentary about Wainer and the Maeve Dermody 2: Peggy abortion issue titled Abortion, Corruption Berman shows Bert the & Cops – The Bertram Wainer Story door 3: Collecting evidence (John Moore, 2005). A study guide for this with a mini tape recorder 4: Peggy documentary may be downloaded through the Australian National Film and Sound Archive website. You will find some of the class activities in that study guide relevant to a study of Dangerous Remedy. (See the references section below for 4 further details.)
Background history that developed in response to What was the Women’s Liberation these issues. You might also wish movement, why did it develop Dangerous Remedy (Ken Cameron, to look at the relationship between and become a major force dur- 2012) is set in Melbourne, Victoria, in these issues and the popular ing the 1960s, and what were its the late 1960s, a time of social and youth-oriented rock and folk music aims and objectives? Note that in political change, unrest and protest. of the era, as an expression of relation to equal pay, and abortion discontent and rebellion against law reform, you may also want to • Research and construct a timeline authority. Connected to this are research the Women’s Electoral of major events in Australia, or the rapid changes in clothing and Lobby (WEL), founded in 1972. involving and affecting Australians hair fashions, marking a difference (See ‘Women’s Electoral Lobby’ in in 1969. between younger and older gen- website references.) • The archival scenes during the erations. Other issues are capital • Carry out relevant research and opening credits of Dangerous punishment (i.e. the death penalty) write a short commentary on Remedy give us a quick snapshot and Indigenous rights, as well as the abortion laws that existed of Melbourne, and Australia in gen- the introduction of the contracep- throughout Australia prior to the eral, during the 1960s. Discuss in tive pill in the early 1960s, and landmark legal case involving the class what you think these scenes calls to increase immigration due ‘Menhennitt ruling’ in Victoria in are telling us about the era in to the declining Australian birth 1969. (Note that the Menhennitt which the film is set. Who, for ex- rate. case is mentioned in Dangerous ample, is the subject of the scene • Find out about, and comment on, Remedy.) What were the punish- depicting a street motorcade, and the status and role of women in ments for those breaking the
why might this be significant to an Australia during the era in which abortion laws? Were the laws SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 understanding of the purpose of Dangerous Remedy is set, and relating to abortion common to the opening credits sequence? during the 1960s in general. For every state and territory through- • Carry out research if necessary example, you may wish to look out Australia, or different from one then briefly discuss Australia’s in- at the situation of women in the state and territory to another? Why volvement in the Vietnam War, the workforce, and whether women’s did the term ‘backyard abortions’ introduction of military conscrip- income was comparable to men’s come into vogue? (You may find Jo tion, and the protest movement (i.e. equal pay for equal work). Wainer’s comments of interest; see 3 ‘Jo Wainer interview’ in website references.) • Carry out further research in comparing Australia’s abortion laws up to 1969 to those in other parts of the world during the same era. Examples might be the United Kingdom, the USA, Ireland, New 2 Zealand, China, France, Spain, Brazil, Iran, Sweden. • Explain why Justice Menhennitt’s ruling in 1969 was an extremely important legal landmark not just in Victoria but in Australia generally.
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• What is the situation regarding Australia’s abortion laws to- 1: Peggy Berman 2: Detective Inspector day? Draw a timeline of relevant Jack Ford 3: Bert makes allegations on changes and events beginning 5 television 4: Bert and Peggy meet 5: Dr with the Menhennitt ruling of 1969 Troup (Nicholas Bell) and concluding at the present • Discuss in class then write your year. You should include refer- own short descriptions of the char- ences to the Kaye Inquiry of 1970, acter, behaviour, relationships, mo- Remedy, you should attempt to the Beach Inquiry of 1975, and tivations, and general importance show how Wainer’s decision to Victoria’s Abortion Law Reform Act to the film’s narrative and drama, become involved in the abor- of 2008. of the following participants: tion issue, and to fight against • Plan and write two different sets of o Dr Bertram (Bert) Wainer the forces arraigned against him, personal diary entries. One should o Barbara Wainer (Caroline Craig) might be in part due to prior be written from the viewpoint of a o Felice Wainer life experiences, education and wealthy woman seeking an abor- o Peggy Berman upbringing. Look, for example, tion in the era prior to 1969, while o Jo Richardson (listed in the at Wainer’s decision to leave the the other should be from the view- cast credits as Jo Wainer) Australian Army. You might also point of a working class woman. o Lionel Pugh find helpful those sequences Consider, when planning your diary o Dr James Troup (Nicholas Bell) during the film where the fic- entries, the reasons for why the ex- o Detective Inspector Jack Ford tionalised Wainer talks to Peggy periences of the two women may o Superintendent Matthews about his childhood and youth in be widely divergent. (Gary Sweet) Glasgow, Scotland, and later a
o Barry Smith (Peter O’Brien) brief reference to his knowledge SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 Dangerous Remedy: • Find out more about the ear- of firearms resulting from his Army characters and lier years of the real-life Bertram background. characterisation Wainer, then plan and write a Use desktop publishing software biographical feature as though for to format and lay out your pres- Carry out the following activities on a popular weekend newspaper entation as one or two magazine the central characters who feature in magazine. From your research and pages, and include illustrations or Dangerous Remedy. from your viewing of Dangerous photographs as desired. 4 2
journalist interviews Jack Ford, 1: (L–R) Felice, Bert and Dirk watch the after his release from jail, about 1 Minister for Justice on TV 2: Peggy Berman organises a meeting of doctors at Wainer’s his involvement in the abortion request 3: Bert confronts Peggy issue. Consider, in the interview, the nature of guilt and corruption, of expediency, and of having to • We discover during the film that police almost unworkable laws in Bert and Barbara Wainer are 3 real-world situations. Does Ford, divorced. From the film, what are for example, justify his activities? the reasons given by Bert to Jo website Does he accept any blame? Does for the divorce? Plan and write a references. Kevin Childs wrote he consider himself a bad person? commentary about the breakdown the obituary in 2002. Also, see Is there a moral and ethical right of the marriage, and the divorce, Evan Whitton’s writings on Peggy in accepting payments for offering imagining you are expressing it Berman in the second-listed protection to qualified physicians in Barbara’s own words from her website.) who are breaking the abortion laws viewpoint. You should refer also to • Jo Richardson (Wainer) came to for the safety, health and benefit of the Wainers’ children (Felice, Dirk, know Bert Wainer through her ac- their women patients? Rory and Sean) and their need for tivities in the Abortion Law Reform • The following conversation in a sense of security. Association (ALRA). Carry out Dangerous Remedy takes place • Early in the film the scene of an il- research on the following: after Wainer decides to test the legal ‘backyard’ abortion, involving o When was the ALRA formed? Menhennitt ruling by participating Barry Smith and a young woman o What were the ALRA’s in an abortion, and is not arrested called Bonnie, is intercut with a objectives? for doing so. At police headquar- scene of Peggy Berman and Jack o When and under what circum- ters Wainer later hands Ford an Ford having a sexual relationship. stances did Jo join the ALRA, envelope, and is observed by Discuss in class how and why and what was her position in Superintendent Matthews: these two apparently unconnected the organisation? Wainer: It’s not a pay-off, it’s my scenes are linked. o Explain whether the ALRA is legal statement. • Explain the circumstances, from still active today, or whether it Ford: Just because we covered the film, of how Wainer first meets has disbanded. you last time … Jo Richardson, Dr Troup and (See ‘ALRA’, and ‘Jo Wainer’ in Wainer: Covered? You didn’t Peggy Berman. website references.) cover me. The law covered me. • In 1972 Peggy Berman, with The • Carry out further research then Matthews: We are the law. Age journalist Kevin Childs, wrote write a short biographical com- Discuss what this comment by an autobiography titled Why Isn’t mentary about Jo Richardson’s Matthews suggests to us about She Dead!. Students may wish commitment to abortion law him as a man, a man with respon- to read and write a review of the reform and to women’s rights in sibilities, and a man who is a serv- book, looking at her upbringing general, after she married Bert ing police officer. You may also
and showing why and how she Wainer, and continuing on after his consider associating Matthews’ SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 became involved in working with death in 1987 to the present. words with Peggy’s description doctors to provide terminations • We are informed during the closing of him earlier in the film as ‘the under the cloak of police protec- credits of Dangerous Remedy that Anaconda’. tion. (See the book references. You police detectives Ford, Matthews Drawing on your observations of will also find an obituary which and Jacobson were eventu- Matthews throughout Dangerous gives a summarised account of her ally jailed for corruption. In pairs, Remedy and in this sequence of life under ‘Peggy Berman’, in plan and write a script in which a the film, plan and write a short 5 3
1 1: (L–R) Director Ken Cameron and cinematographer Roger Lanser ACS 2: Detective Inspector Jack Ford 3: Bert 2 and Felice confront protestors outside Bert’s surgery 4: Bonnie waits to see a ‘backyarder’ 5: Director Ken Cameron
Lionel Pugh to support his cause. Second, despite the fact that Peggy has contracted cancer, how 4 does he persuade her to help him? Look, for example, at her fears when Wainer installs a recording device on her home phone. 5 • Continuing from the previous activity, examine how Wainer, at fiction story about a high-ranking AMA meeting, and then when she a secret meeting with a group of police officer whose motto and mo- visits his surgery with a friend, abortionist doctors, argues with dus operandi is, ‘We are the law’. Amy, how is his sense of guilt and them to ‘present a united front’ inaction intensified? and to ‘stop paying off the police’. Commitment to a cause • Why does Wainer’s ex-wife, What are their fears? How does he Barbara, tell him, ‘Don’t get in- attempt to allay those fears? During Dangerous Remedy we see volved’? Is she reacting out of fear As a side issue, there is some many examples of Bert Wainer com- or from a quite logical and under- dialogue with one of the doctors mitting himself fully to a cause, and standable concern? How does he where Wainer repeats a particu- enlisting others to that cause. At the rationalise to Barbara his grow- lar phrase to him, ‘It isn’t nice’. same time, though, we also observe ing sense of urgency to become Describe the emotion and the the negative side of commitment. It involved? intention behind the way in which may also be argued that total commit- • Comment on the depiction of Bert Wainer utters these words. The ment is a form of obsession – at least Wainer as a family man, a father, scriptwriters of Dangerous Remedy in the eyes of one who is not involved and how his commitment to a have deliberately used this dia- – that can embroil and endanger the cause places his role as family logue. Why? If you don’t know the lives of others who may be innocent. man under great stress. With this answer, you will discover it in the question in mind, discuss the de- closing credits of the film and writ- • Dangerous Remedy presents one piction of his children throughout ten in the book references section situation early in the narrative Dangerous Remedy. How do you of this study guide. which suggests that Wainer’s deci- think Felice, Dirk, Rory and Sean, • Discuss in class the question of sion to campaign against the exist- now grown into adults, might whether Wainer, as presented in ing abortion laws is for personal look back to the years in which Dangerous Remedy, is reckless
and specific reasons. Explain his Dangerous Remedy is set? and self-obsessed to the point of SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 relationship to Bonnie, Robbie and • A number of times during the film fault in pursuing his objectives, or Maggie, and why he feels per- Wainer is shown to be very persua- might be considered to be a hero. sonally guilty over Bonnie’s fate. sive in enlisting others to support • Author Graham Greene’s novel, Describe his reaction after visiting his campaign to end backyard The Quiet American (published the premises where Bonnie was abortions via a change to the 1955), set in Vietnam shortly taken by Barry Smith. After Wainer laws. First, examine and discuss before the final defeat of French meets Jo for the first time at the the ways in which he influences colonialism and the beginning 6 2
1: Peggy Berman visits Bert with news from 1 ‘the Anaconda’ 2: Peggy at Jack Ford’s club. 3: Lionel records a raid on Bert’s surgery 4: Jack Ford tells Bert he’s pulling rank
of American involvement in the 1950s, is narrated by a British journalist who persists in arguing that he isn’t ‘involved’, or ‘en- gagé’, in the conflict, nor in taking sides. However, at a certain point he becomes very involved and committed, with dire results. If you haven’t already done so, you 3 may wish to read the novel or view the 2002 film version of The Quiet American, then write a review of legal issue, not a health one. It’s it, examining the theme of what it not appropriate to use our organi- takes to become committed and sation in that way’. And later he ‘engagé’ to a cause, and com- remarks that the AMA ‘is not a paring it to what you have seen political organisation’. from your viewing of Dangerous Why do you think Bourne re- 4 Remedy. gards Wainer’s arguments and aims purely as a legal issue, and Groupings and vested not medical? What do Bourne’s interests views tell us about the AMA as an profession in Victoria generally organisation, and what those in the with divergent beliefs, ethics, and As we view Dangerous Remedy we will organisation regard as its purpose general world view. What might see that those characters who partici- and role? Should the issue of be assumed to be the attitude to- pate in the narrative can be grouped backyard abortions and the health wards the abortion issue, the abor- into various camps, some loosely of women undertaking such risks tion laws, and to women seeking defined and some organisational, with under the current abortion legisla- an abortion, of medicos who are a range of cross-links between them. tion of the day be of concern to the members of the Guild of St Luke, AMA, or is Bourne correct? and why? Medical profession • Immediately after the AMA meeting concludes, Jo tells Wainer that the The police • After the death of Bonnie early meeting ‘was stacked with mem- in the film, Bert Wainer attends a bers from St Luke’s’. Explain the • Describe Dangerous Remedy’s
meeting of the Australian Medical significance of her comment. (Note depiction of the Homicide section SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 Association (AMA), of which he that ‘St Luke’s’ is a reference to of the Victorian police force. For is a member, and argues that the the Medical Guild of St Luke; if you example, look at the way in which organisation should campaign research the Guild on the internet it is either a united organisation or to pressure the government to you will find out more about its an organisation of individuals who change the existing abortion laws foundation in Australia.) Jo’s words have their own agendas, attitudes in Victoria. The AMA chairman, Dr also imply that there are factions and belief systems. You may wish Bourne, responds that, ‘This is a within the AMA and the medical to draw similarities or differences 7 2
1: Jo and Bert confront Jack Ford 2: Jo waits at the TV Station for Bert 3: Bert 1 tells Amy the test is positive 4: Peggy and Bert meet out of earshot
between the police force and the medical fraternity. Government politicians 3 • Following from the previous activ- ity, examine the similarities and • From the film, discuss why the differences in attitude, behaviour Victorian Liberal government of and belief systems between DI the day is not prepared to dis- Jack Ford, DI Frank Holland, and cuss or debate a change to the Superintendent Matthews. Why is laws which would legalise abor- Ford, for example, taking protec- tion, thereby removing the risks tion payments from doctors such to pregnant women of backyard as Troup while professing a hatred abortions. 4 of abortionists such as Barry • For further background, carry Smith? Why does he allow one out research on the history of the type of illegal activity to continue, formation and development of ways in which Bert Wainer takes yet not the other? Why does the Democratic Labor Party (DLP) advantage of the news media – Ford refer to Holland as ‘a mad during the 1950s and 1960s, and especially newspapers and televi- Catholic on a crusade’? Why does its links to the Roman Catholic sion – to pursue and promote his Holland suddenly, and without church, to church doctrine, and to objectives. Note, for example, his warning, decide to organise a raid attitudes towards socialism, com- use of paid newspaper advertis- on Troup’s clinic when Troup has munism and, for the purposes of ing space, and how this generates been allowed by police to carry out your study of Dangerous Remedy, further publicity. Also look at the abortions for years? to contraception and the abor- sequence in which a TV news crew • Do you agree with Ford’s state- tion issue. (See ‘History of DLP’ in is present during a police raid on ment to Wainer, immediately prior website references.) Wainer’s surgery. to Wainer entering the Parliament Find out the extent to which • Using desktop publishing software, offices to present his evidence of the Victorian government, after plan, write, lay out and format two corruption, that, ‘the racket was the 1967 state election, needed newspaper front pages in which a mess. I organised it, but I did a DLP support in order to remain there is a report of the incident in lot of good’? Discuss Ford’s moral in power during the period in which the house of Barbara Wainer complexity as a man and a police which the film is set (1969). Note catches fire while the family is officer, taking into consideration that the governing Liberal Party inside. One newspaper front page Wainer’s response to Ford that, was not in an official coalition should be in sensationalist ‘tabloid’ ‘you’ve courage, Jack. I’ve never arrangement with the Country style, while the other should be doubted it’. Party, which is today known as in more sedate broadsheet style, • Plan and write a short ‘noir- the National Party. (For a chart of catering for a more conservative
ish’ fiction story about a police past Victorian election figures, see and upmarket reading audience. SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 detective morally and ethically ‘Victorian government, 1967’ in Consider how you will deal – or not compromised. Consider your website references.) deal – with other possible related story’s narration point of view, as elements to the news story, such it will affect the way in which the The news media as Bert Wainer’s campaign against reader will respond emotionally to backyard abortions, and allegations the central character and to those • Carefully view Dangerous Remedy of police corruption. around him/her. then write a commentary on the 8 Women seeking abortion of the film’s narrative and themes? Berman, Jack Ford, Lionel Pugh, If you were asked to give the film James Troup, Barry Smith, Arthur • Discuss the varied reasons that the an alternative title, what would you Rylah (Chris Haywood), Bonnie following characters in Dangerous call it, and why? and Maria. Remedy seek abortions: Bonnie, • At the beginning of Dangerous • At the end of Dangerous Remedy, Amy and Hattie. Also, there are Remedy we are told, ‘The following for the first time in the film, we see important scenes involving Maria, a story was inspired by the life of Dr archival footage of the real Bertram migrant Australian, but her reason Bertram Wainer. Certain characters Wainer. Why do you think the film- for seeking a termination is not and events have been created or makers decided to insert this foot- directly expressed. After carefully changed for dramatic effect’. age? What effect might the footage viewing her scenes you may wish to Confining yourself to Dangerous have on the viewing audience? discuss and surmise her reasons. Remedy, discuss the range of is- • Working in pairs, plan and con- • Plan and write a short fiction story sues and problems that might arise struct a scripted storyboard for drawing from the experiences of in fictionalising as characters the a 30-second promotional video women as presented in Dangerous lives of real-life people, especially about Dangerous Remedy, de- Remedy, and from your further those who may still be living, and signed for television screening. In reading and viewing on this topic. if deceased, those who have fam- groups you may then wish to pro- (See ‘Women’s stories’ in website ily, friends and colleagues who duce, record and edit your promo. references, and the documentary remember them. Consider your use of sound and film Abortion, Corruption and Cops As a larger project, you may wish film ‘grabs’ of action, music, sound in film references.) to compare the characters and effects and voiceover commentary narrative events of Dangerous to tie it all together into a cohesive, Anti-abortionists Remedy to those presented in effective advertising message. the documentary film, Abortion, • The class is to split into three • Discuss the scenes in which Corruption and Cops (see film groups to write a review in 300- anti-abortionist groups and indi- references), and in autobiogra- 350 words of Dangerous Remedy. viduals are depicted throughout phies written by Bert Wainer and Students in one group are each Dangerous Remedy, comment- Peggy Berman, written items by to write a review as though for ing on the way you think they are journalists Evan Whitton and Kevin a women’s rights newspaper or portrayed by the filmmakers and Childs, and more recently a pub- website outlet. Students in another scriptwriter. You may draw com- lished account of the entire affair group are each to write a review parisons to the way in which those written by Gideon Haigh (see book for an anti-abortion lobby or- in the narrative may be interpreted references). Examine the differ- ganisation’s newspaper or website. as supporting the right to have an ences in factual material between Students in the third group are abortion. One point of discussion these sources and the narrative, each to write a review for a popular may be whether the script allows sequencing and characters of weekly TV liftout magazine from a us to get to know any characters Dangerous Remedy, and discuss daily newspaper. who profess anti-abortion argu- examples of where and why the After writing your reviews, exam- ments and sentiments. producers ‘created or changed for ples should be read out to the • Imagine that you are one of the dramatic effect’, class. Discuss the similarities and protestors depicted in Dangerous • In the press kit notes for differences in approach, bearing in Remedy protesting outside Bert Dangerous Remedy, costume mind that each of the three sets of Wainer’s surgery. Write a letter to designer Jeanie Cameron says: reviews will have been written with the editor of a Melbourne newspa- ‘We had access to reference different audiences in mind. per about the issue. photographs of the real people and did a lot of research about the References and further Media and film studies period and the actual people. We resources tried to stay close to the feeling Carry out the following Media and of the real people but rather than Books Film studies activities that arise from try to create carbon copies of the Peggy Berman, with Kevin Childs, a viewing of Dangerous Remedy. real people, the costume design Why Isn’t She Dead!, Gold Star Note that some activities in previous attempts to honour the essence of Publications, Melbourne, 1972. sections of this study guide have a their characters’. Selena Ewing, Women and Abortion: An SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 film studies base where applicable to Write a commentary on the way in Evidence Based Review, Women’s character and theme. which the choice and selection of Forum Australia, Parramatta, NSW, costume design helps in delineat- 2005. • Discuss why the producers consid- ing the personality, behaviour and Gideon Haigh, The Racket: How Abortion ered that ‘Dangerous Remedy’ was character, the ‘essence’ of the Became Legal in Australia, Melbourne a suitable title for the film. Does it participants. Select from among University Press, Carlton, Victoria, capture an adequate impression Bert Wainer, Jo Richardson, Peggy 2008. 9 Justin Healey, Abortion Issues, The Websites Pro-life lobby: Spinney Press, Thirroul, NSW, 2010. Abortion – ‘the way we were’:
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