Come in Spinner

This 305-minute miniseries is a fairly straightforward adaptation of Dymphna Cusack and Florence James' classic wartime novel about three women working in a beauty salon in Sydney's premier hotel during 1944. That is not to say it isn't great viewing - it's just that it doesn't add anything to the outstanding novel. The characters and story are superb - a tribute to the authors: Gibney is wonderful, and Armstrong gives us more than a glimpse of the ability that would earn her two AFI Awards in 2001 (for LANTANA and SEACHANGE). Note that the series was adapted from the abridged version of the book - the unabridged edition was released recently and runs to well over 700 pages. This is a true Australian classic miniseries, and everyone would be doing him/herself a favour by watching it. Rating: 79/100.

I watched this mini-series out of the blue many years ago when it aired on the Hallmark channel. I wasn't sure what to expect really, but the story was just captivating. I made sure to read the book later on, as soon as I could find a copy. I do confess to quite an excessive amount of interest in War Dramas, but this was perhaps different as the scene was not really set on the battleground, but in the far-flung land Down Under.

Based on the book written by Dymphna Cusack and Florence James about the state of affairs in Sydney, Australia during World War II, it revolves around the lives of three women in particular, Guinea, Deb and Claire. Each of the women have quite a bit of turmoil disturbing their lives, both directly and indirectly due to the War that rages on overseas. All three women work in the beauty salon of the prestigious South Pacific Hotel and the story takes us through their interaction with the customers they wait on and with the other co-workers they deal with. All three however have serious issues regarding the men they are involved with, and plot shifts between them as they each wrestle with their emotions in the hopes of finding happiness.

This however is not a long played out saga, everything happens within the span of a few days, and we are led to see that the war does change a lot of things, regardless of whether one is at the battlefront or not.

Lisa Harrow, Kerry Armstrong and Rebecca Gibney playing the three lead characters all do a superb job. They successfully capture the torment that each of the women feel in the workplace and away from it. In addition, the chemistry that each of the women have with each other is convincing and genuine, and one could easily place these women in the war-stricken Sydney of the 1940's.

Unfortunately, however this mini-series was not given the recognition it deserved, for save for that one time, I have never been able to watch it again. If you get a chance, watch the movie.

Come in Spinner was written in the 1940's by Dymphia Cussak and Florence James. This book provides a rare insight into the Australian identity and the effects that WW2 had on the nation. The adaptation, as does the somewhat larger book, follows the fortunes of a week in the lives of the staff of a hotel in Sydney in 1944. Sydney, at this time was virtually a garrison town, with the invasion of American soldiers. Guinea Malone's story (as the good time girl) is by far the most entertaining, whilst her sister's Monnie Malone, is in turn one of the most shocking accounts of abuse ever told.

I hightly recommend this brilliant adaptation, read the book, it is both heart wrenching and hilarious.