AustLit

'Frank Scott reports to the police that he has been robbed and bashed by a group of gypsies during a journey home from Melbourne to Matlock.

'The gypsies' story however differs in some details. They agree that they stopped Scott's car on the road, but they deny the robbery and claim that one of the men of the tribe (Alexis) assaulted the Australian only when Scott tried to molest one of the gypsy girls.

'Alexis is arrested for the assault, and has to spend the night in jail. This is a source of distress to him, as his wife is about to give birth to her first baby and gypsy lore demands that he should be there. When the gypsies help Alexis escape during the night, Sergeant Maddern follows them to their camp, only to find the wife in obstetric difficulties, a problem solved by Jeannie MacIntyre, Maddern's nursing sister friend from Melbourne.

'The police also prove that Frank Scott's money was not his own, and was not stolen by the gypsies - it was the proceeds of a number of supermarket robberies, and Scott had spent it during a weekend in Melbourne. Scott and his partner in the robberies are apprehended.'

Source: Synopsis held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection (RMIT).

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection includes the following character notes:

'ALEXIS KATSAVAKIS Late 20's. Good looking young gypsy. Likeable personality, emotional - under great stress when separated from his pregnant wife. Drives a car, fights with Maddern. Large part.

'FRANK SCOTT Mid 30's. A plausible slob. Rough voice and manner. Treats his wife like dirt and is responsible for Alexis being wrongfully jailed. Drives a car. Large part.

'RENA KATSAVAKIS Early 20's. Alexis's sister. Attractive high spirited. The rebel member of the gypsy family. Fiercely loyal and protective but basically very likeable. Medium large part.

'PATERA KATSAVAKIS 50-60. The father of the tribe. An impressive man of high principles. Very much the Patriarch. Medium part.

'JEANNIE MCINTYRE As established.

'MARICA Early 20's. Alexis's wife. Pregnant throughout. Only a few lines but a key figure - must convey the pain and anguish of a labour full of problems. Medium part.

'HELENE Early 20's. Alexis's sister. Bright, likeable but a much less positive personality, than her sister Rena. Medium part.

'MITERA KATSAVAKIS 50-60. The mother of the gypsy tribe. Proud of her ability as a mid-wife and will not hear any criticism. Medium.part. [sic]

'NICK KATSAVAKIS Early 20's. Alexis's younger brother. Rather intense. Co-operates with Rena in a plan to "spring" Alexis from the Matlock cell. Drives a car. Medium small part.

'GYPSY CHILD Boy aged 9. 2 lines.

'GYPSY CHILD Girl aged 7 or 8. 2 lines.

'OWEN TAYLOR: 40ish. Rather objectioable [sic] small time crim. Fairly uncouth. 3 scenes.

'MANAGER OF SUPERMART 50ish. No lines, one scene.

'EDGAR 50ish. A town drunk. Will be amusing if played straight. A likeable character well known and happily tolerated by the Matlock Police.

'MISS FALCONER As established. 2 scenes.

'NANCY SCOTT. Late 20's Alikeable appealing long suffering wife [sic] who hopes she's pregnant, but gets no support from her husband.. [sic] Medium part.

'DAVID WALKER J.P. 40-50 An un-imaginative no-nonsense professional man, who has no sense of humour. Rather patronising to the gypsies. One important scene.

'JUDY BROWN. Early 20's. A prostitute, attractive in a cheap and nasty way. 2 scenes.

'DET. PETER STEVENS. 30 ish. A rather stolid man. doggedly doing his duty. [sic] Has a long rather formal speech. One scene.'