AustLit

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

'CHRIS GRANGER. Age 28, but looks lined and older than his years after serving three years in prison. Tall with sunken cheeks, close cropped hair, his manner is one of quiet authority. He has been a cracksman, a top criminal tradesman, never a thug. After his release from gaol, he has made up his mind that he will never return there. He is quietly determined to go straight and ensure that his brother goes straight with him.

'BERNIE GRANGER. Younger brother of Chris, aged 18 or 19. He has always hero-worshipped Chris and wants to be a big-time criminal like him. But whereas Chris had a profession, that happened to be criminal, it is the criminality itself that appeals to Bernie. He is a rebel against society, against the police who put his brother away, and against the narrow-minded self-righteousness of his father. Bernie is volatile and voluble, good-looking, a flashy dresser, and with a devil-may-care demeanour that conceals his adolescent uncertainty.

'MR GRANGER. Age 55-60, father of Chris and Bernie whom he has raised since his wife died during Bernie's birth. A hard man, ex regular army, with strong ideas on morality but no generosity in his soul. The children have rebelled because he always treated them like a drill squad on the barrack sqaure.

'MARIE Age 24. Chris Granger's de facto. Looks like a good-time girl. Not bad sort but rather brainless.

'MRS CUNNINGHAM. Aged at least 70. She grew up in style on her father's property in Queensland, married young and lost her husband in World War I. Her fortunes have declined over the years, and in the last decade she has become progressively lonely and more poor. But she still tries desperately to keep up appearances and never forgets that she is a gracious lady. She is much to proud to expect or ask for charity.

'MULLENS Age 40-50. Owns a billiards saloon from which he directs the operations of various small-time criminals, wears a bow-tie and brylcreem, affects an elaborate style of speech.

'KROGER Villainous-looking thug. Virtually an extra.

'FINCH Typical crim. Early 40's. About four lines only.

'STEWART, HALL Criminals. No lines. Should be cast as extras to provide contrasting types.

'PASTRANI Italian butcher in Victoria Market. Aged 40-50. One good scene.

'PASSER-BY (MALE) One scene where he comes to Mrs. Cunningham's rescue after she has collapsed at the market. Decent, working-man type. Any age.

'GARAGE ATTENDANT Mid-30's. In one scene, in which Bernie drives away without paying for his petrol.'