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By Neil Jillet – Critics choice
This 196-minute New Zealand tele-drama
stands up well to cinema release. Among many virtues
is the main-role performance by Melbourne actress Genevieve
Picot that is probably the finest screen work by an Australian
woman.
‘
Bread and Roses’ is an adaptation of the autobiography
of Sonja Davies, feminist, victim of TB, socialist, pacifist,
trade unionist, politician, justice of the peace, antinuclear
campaigner, marriage celebrant, farmer, nurse, wife,
mother and general stirrer. The film, almost faultlessly
directed by Gaylene Preston does not tell her whole story
(she is still alive) but concentrates on events between
1942 when she made a short disastrous marriage at the
age of 17, to her first move, 40 years later, into the
limelight of national fame and notoriety.
With beautiful naturalness, the script ( by Preston and
Graeme Tetley ) links political events and everyday domestic
reality. These events are not always of much public significance,
but they are always stamped with interest because of
Sonja Davies stubborn enthusiasm. Her second marriage
to Charlie ( Mick Rose ), was happy and provides more
drama. Charlie’s exasperated geniality, his acceptance
of the role of second fiddle in their family, give Bread
and Roses a firmly comic underpinning.
The script gives
Picot plenty of opportunities to show her range, and
she gives us the whole Sonja, self-righteous
and arrogant as well as altruistic and compassionate.
There is a fierce glow to Picot’s performance that
never lets us seriously question the truth of life she
is recreating or the integrity of the woman who lived
it.
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