AustLit
The material on this page is available to AustLit subscribers. If you are a subscriber or are from a subscribing organisation, please log in to gain full access. To explore options for subscribing to this unique teaching, research, and publishing resource for Australian culture and storytelling, please contact us or find out more.
Latest Issues
AbstractHistoryArchive Description
Vivian Bullwinkel was a volunteer nurse during the Second World War. While she was being evacuated from Singapore, the ship on which she was travelling sank. The small group of survivors who washed ashore surrendered to Japanese occupying Banka Island. In a horrific turn of events, Japanese troops bayonetted the surviving soldiers and ordered the nurses back into the water. Bullwinkel was shot but miraculously survived. Bleeding and in a state of shock, she drifted ashore and hid in the jungle. Discovering a badly wounded British soldier, she realised the only chance of survival was to again surrender to the Japanese troops.
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
-
From Martyr to Robo-Nurse : The Portrayal of Australian Nurses on Screen
2014
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Studies in Australasian Cinema , vol. 8 no. 2/3 2014; (p. 110-122) 'Nurses have traditionally been seen as among the most trusted of workers, with cultural connections with caring and femininity long been associated with their profession. While the portrayal of nurses in overseas screenworks has had some attention, Australian productions have not. This study identifies four categories of screenworks: popular entertainment, training and recruitment films, wartime nursing, and nurses as workers and unionists. Although more recent mainstream media portrayals of nurses increasingly depict strong, assertive professionals, little research has been conducted into the fourth category, a significant number of which are made by nurses. When nurses take on the film-making task, different outcomes are produced. New types of film about nurses and by nurses offer an evolving representation of the profession and are helping to change the identity of nurses.' (Publication abstract)
-
From Martyr to Robo-Nurse : The Portrayal of Australian Nurses on Screen
2014
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Studies in Australasian Cinema , vol. 8 no. 2/3 2014; (p. 110-122) 'Nurses have traditionally been seen as among the most trusted of workers, with cultural connections with caring and femininity long been associated with their profession. While the portrayal of nurses in overseas screenworks has had some attention, Australian productions have not. This study identifies four categories of screenworks: popular entertainment, training and recruitment films, wartime nursing, and nurses as workers and unionists. Although more recent mainstream media portrayals of nurses increasingly depict strong, assertive professionals, little research has been conducted into the fourth category, a significant number of which are made by nurses. When nurses take on the film-making task, different outcomes are produced. New types of film about nurses and by nurses offer an evolving representation of the profession and are helping to change the identity of nurses.' (Publication abstract)
Last amended 7 Oct 2010 09:47:52
Export this record
