The Pigeon (1966 film)


The Pigeon is an Australian television movie. It was the first episode of Australian Playhouse. Australian TV drama was relatively rare at the time.
It was written by new writer Peter Finnane and produced by Eric Taylor.
Finnane reportedly wrote another play for the series, The Widow Thrum, but it does not appear to have been filmed.

Plot

Billy Sloane's school principal describes him as sloppy, shoddy, unpunctual, and uncooperative, but also infuriatingly truthful. Things aren't going to well for Billy, though. It's exam time at school and his mother is dying in hospital. His father has taken in a lady 'friend' to look after him and the police are looking for his brother Jack in connection with a string of armed robberies.
The only bright light in Billy's life is a sick pigeon he has found and is caring for. At least it's something he can write passionately about in his English exam. But then he's pulled out of class to be grilled about his brother by a detective. Billy's honesty is about to be put to the test.

Cast

Peter Finnane was an English master at a Sydney High School.

Reception

The Sydney Morning Herald encouraged audiences to take a hard line when watching Australian Playhouse and said The Pigeon "was certainly worth 30 minutes of your time."
The Canberra Times called it "excellent". Another critic called it "a tight half hour".
The Age said Finnane "might have made it something other than a shameless weepie if he had been more sparing with its ingredients." A later review in the same paper praised Thompson's acting but felt "some dialogue didn't ring true." Another writer in the same paper called it "promising".
The Bulletin said it had "a mixture of new talent, experienced players, and several very shaky ones."
The Sunday Sydney Morning Herald said "although it tried to pack a bit overmuch into 30 minutes it was a sensitively written study."