AustLit

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'MARGARET BATESON: 30. Attractive looking without being strikingly so. Public Servant. A naturally shy person, her manner is polite, even reserved, though later on in the 8 M.M. film clips, a relaxed friendliness begins to emerge. Drives.

'MICHAEL JAMES Late 30's, early 40's. A solicitor, married. English, though not 'public school' background, prefer trace of regional accent. Neither suave lawyer, nor 'ladies man', rather a working solicitor, sincere, competent, with the usual hassles of any family man, but with the added load of an invalid wife.

'MRS. JAMES 36, though looks 56. Twelve months previously suffered a stroke from which she has never really recovered. Premature aging, loss of right arm and side, impairment of certain memory and speech functions. Speaks with a slow, deliberate manner. Occasionally a glimpse of the warm, vibrant personality that existed before. Still an intelligent woman. James' wife. Also English.

'JOHN SMITH: 20, good looking, easy manner. Student teacher, theatre and film making, over from New Zealand on a working holiday. Certain idealism, and also confidence, born of his youth, that becomes tested through the course of his encounter with the police.

'MANAGER (HOTEL): 40's. Bluff, chatty type, with a certain air of insincerity. A student of blending and tax evasion.

'SUPERVISOR (PUBLIC SERVICE): Margaret Bateson's immediate superior. Also 40's. Brusque, efficient type, who displays a certain perception towards Margaret's personal situation, but little sensitivity.

'AGENT (FLAT): Woman, 50. Possibly her husband ran the Estate Agency, and subsequently died. Treats D's almost as if they were prospective tenants.

'GARAGE PROPRIETOR: Small, gnarled, well into his 70's. Old fashioned type, who still gets concerned at young women driving around the country alone and who doesn't mind saying so.

'COUNTRY POLICE SERGEANT: Heavy, balding 40ish. Knows the Hotel Manager fairly well, and probably would share a drink if not for the Homicide D's presence. However, shrewd and knows his job, and handles the Manager with experienced understanding when the time comes.

'JANE CURTIS: Early 20's. Secondary teacher, based in the country. Drives a sports car. Attractive, sense of humour, takes life as she sees it.

'MOTORCYCLE OFFICER: No lines. Not necessary to ride a motorcycle. Discovers the body, during routine exercise.

'POSTMAN : Delivers letters. Rides a bicycle.

'RADIO ANNOUNCER: V.O.

'V.K.C: V.O.'