CADDIE

In the tradition of “My Brilliant Career” (1979) and “The Getting of Wisdom” (1977), CADDIE is an impressive evocation of another era. The story is based on the autobiography of a barmaid in Sydney, written under a pseudonym – just as Caddie the heroine is unknown by her real name, having been nicknamed for the car by an admirer of her beauty and class. It is 1925 and Caddie has left her unfaithful husband for an uncertain future, supporting herself and two young children. No money or skills puts Caddie to work as a barmaid in a rough pub, eking out the Depression years amidst hardships aggravated by drunken babysitters and bedbugs. The barroom scenes are stunningly photographed, as are all the authentically reproduced sets, complemented by striking costume design and art direction, perfectly re-creating the period. Jack Thompson turns in a lively performance as Ted, the bookmaker who gives Caddie her nickname and his love, or what he thinks is love, not caring about the difference. Winner of awards from several festivals for her portrayal of Caddie, Helen Morse is consistently convincing as the fiercely independent heroine. “. . .noteworthy not so much for its duplication of an era but for its delineation of an attitude.” – Rob Edelman, Films in Review