DISC 1

Episode 1 March 1931 Sydney

The start sees Tom jump on a rattler and go from Gundagai to Sydney to seek his fortune as a writer. He takes a room at the Dundee Palace and he spends time looking for work. We all know, having read the date, that there will be none available. The early footage of Sydney is fantastic and skilfully woven in to the film, so is the very bland setting of the Hotel and Bar. Casting Henry Szeps as Mick, the Hotel Licensee, and father of the series was inspired. Hard to believe the six o?clock closing was a reality, and the ?stay now, pay later? ethos is incredibly trusting by today?s standards. I can understand why this was called the Depression. The first disc captures the spirit in all its glory. I was interested to see the Jewish observation of the Sabbath in Episode 1. It set the scene for all the customs that were to follow in ensuing chapters. You forget that entertainment on Saturday night?s pre TV and Radio consisted of piano playing and polite conversation in the parlour. If you have a mind to know how a Publican and his family lived in a 6pm closing 1931 Hotel, watch and learn. I loved the footage of the Coat hanger being built. It was there in yardage and only added to the genuine historical nature of the story. Tom moves from the Hotel into a squat with others down on their luck. He finds a feed and a blanket and is almost arrested for being there. Mick saves him by agreeing that he does have a room at the Hotel, and Tom is released. Mick offers him room and board in exchange for some work around the Hotel. Yiddish kosher food and Jewish customs are followed to the letter, in a very stumbling way by Tom, followed by mopping the Bar and a game of chess.

Episode 2 April, 1931

This episode follows on seamlessly from the first. It is a continuing story after all.

I loved seeing the Rabbitoh in the Bar selling fresh rabbits, and Kitty Ryan?s interview for the Barmaid?s job. The Easter Show segment showing film from that time was clever, and the switch to the story of the Feast of the Passover in Yiddish, (rather than the Christian Easter) should not have surprised me, but it did.

Mick, the Jew and Paddy the Irishman, along with Harry the Aussie, lightened the tone, and the Cricket in the Backyard was a feature. The run on the Bank was the main topic of conversation in the Bar and we are treated to an explanation of which bank survived and the how and why of it.

Episode 3 June, 1931

The door to door Vacuum Cleaner salesman comes in on episode 3. Nellie Melba?s Funeral is shown,?. in Melbourne, by having Tom and Miriam attend the Theatre. The Funeral was the week?s newsreel. Amazing scenes.

Don Bradman?s cricket was another clever inclusion, topical and truly interesting to this story and that time.

Episode 4 Tells of the attempted eviction of Kitty Ryan by the Bailliffe

Along with the continuing happenings at the Hotel.

Episodes 5 , 6, and 7 on Disc 2, and Episodes 8, 9 and 10 on Disc 3 take the series through to May 1932 . My Mother always said if you don?t quite know what to say, and don?t want to appear rude, when pressed for an opinion, say ?it?s different?. When I had watched disc 1, I didn?t know what to say?.so? It?s different. BUT I watched the rest, and decided that yes it IS different? and anyone with a passing interest in how our country developed, and survived the Great Depression, and with an interest in Jewish Customs would have more than a passing interest in this series. My only criticism is that it was a bit long.

This is one of a fantastic collection of diverse Dramas that were produced by the ABC in the 1980s and deserves recognition as a must watch series, which gives us all a chance to look back at life at a slower pace and in a more gracious era. I appreciated its? historical correctness, and the carefully woven tangled tale it told. Watching it again, over several days, rather than several hours, will add to my enjoyment.

Running Time of 500 minutes,

THE EXTRAS

This is an interview with Sandra Levy by Geraldine Doogue.

Sandra was the producer of this series for the ABC. It was initially produced as a series for ABC TV in the 1980s as part of the fantastic collection of diverse ABC dramas that were popular at that time. Sandra reveals the inspiration for this story was her Grandparents story of migrating to Australia prior to the Great Depression to find a better life for their 11 children. The only person who was not based on one or several of her relatives was Tom, the outsider, who provided an excellent way to have the story told.

CONCLUSION

Palace of Dreams is one of a fantastic collection of diverse Dramas that were produced by the ABC in the 1980s and deserves recognition as a must watch series, which gives us all a chance to look back at life at a slower pace and in a more gracious era. I appreciated its? historical correctness, and the carefully woven tangled tale it told. Watching it again, over several days, rather than several hours, will add to my enjoyment.