Information
- BFI identifier431645
- Date1973 (Copyright)
1973-09-30 (Television) - Production countryUnited Kingdom
- Production company
- SynopsisDOCUMENTARY. Profile of Sir Robert Helpmann, covering his childhood in Australia and his career in ballet, drama and the cinema. Titles (11). Short extracts from The SOLDIER'S TALE (1964) in which Helpmann plays the devil. Helpmann speaks of his experiences playing the devil (1:40). Extracts from The TALES OF HOFFMAN (1951) (4:02); The QUILLER MEMORANDUM (1966) (5:48); 55 DAYS AT PEKING (7:33); and The SOLDIER'S TALE (1964) (9:26). Helpmann talks about his childhood and his Australian accent (10:32). Eyre recounts his early life and career, with stills of his childhood and early ballet roles, including the devil in "Job" (12:50); and summarises his career during and after the World War II (15:32). In 1965 he became co-director of the Australian National Ballet, and in 1973 they went on tour to Moscow. He speaks of how this trip boosted the confidence of Australian dancers (16:50). Helpmann speaks of how his father persuaded Anna Pavlova to let him join her company on her Australian tour as a young man. He talks of his parents (22:20) and his dislike of his schooldays. His mother gave him his love of Shakespeare, and he enjoyed dressing up in the costumes she had from her acting days (27:00). At dancing school his first role was as a girl. He always dressed as he wished, which sometimes caused trouble (34:35). He speaks of Pavlova and her ability to become her role (36:55). He came to England and worked for Ninette de Valois, in the corps de ballet in "Coppelia" and then as Satan in "Job". In the summer he worked in revues (42:57). He speaks of Lillian Bayliss (44:43) and auditioning in front of Tyrone Guthrie for the role of Oberon in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (46:40), and his move into acting (48:17). Guthrie asked him to play Cleopatra and Lady Macbeth, in his planned reconstruction of the Globe Theatre. Helpmann regrets not doing this. He speaks on his recent film projection of DON QUIXOTE (1973) with Rudolf Nureyev (50:09). Extract from film (51:59). Credits over extract (52:32mins). Penman catalogue no. 185. (NFA Catalogue)
- Genre
- Credits
- Cast
Title
Helpmann (Original)
Sir Robert Helpmann (Archive)
Category
Non Fiction