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Devil's Playground (The)
- Director: Fred Schepisi
- Writer: Fred Schepisi
- Producer: Fred Schepisi
CGiii Comment
Surprisingly not that dated - due to the fact that catholics still love to repress natural development.
For its time, this is a very brave film: whisky drinking, regretful, self-loathing priests in charge of...disturbed fanatical boys...and, normal boys.
This is one of the originals, Schepsi obviously pushed the censorial boundaries with the nudity and religious criticism.
It is a benchmark film.
Commendable for it being his first film, for the subject and for the time.
On a more sour note, the little mad monk is a terrible actor...and, unfortunately, detracts from the film's merits.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
Fred Schepisi's film, 'The Devil's Playground' is an intimate portrait of Tom, a thirteen-year-old struggling in spirit and body with the constraints of living in a Catholic seminary. It is also the story of the Brothers and how they cope with the demands of their faith.
Cast & Characters
Arthur Dignam as Brother Francine;
Nick Tate as Brother Victor;
Simon Burke as Tom Allen;
Charles McCallum as Brother Sebastian;
John Frawley as Brother Celian;
Jonathan Hardy as Brother Arnold;
Gerry Duggan as Brother Hanrahan;
Peter Cox as Brother James;
John Diedrich as Fitz;
Thomas Keneally as Father Marshall;
Sheila Florance as Mrs.Sullivan;
Alan Cinis as Waite;
Richard Morgan as Smith;
Rowan Currie as Casey;
Gary Pixton as Tomkin