Under the Lighthouse Dancing

1997 film

David Giles
Graeme Rattigan

Produced byDavid GilesStarring

Jack Thompson
Jacqueline McKenzie
Naomi Watts

CinematographyPaul MurphyEdited byDavid StivenMusic byNerida Tyson-ChewDistributed byVillage Roadshow Pictures

Release date

16 October 1997 (1997-10-16) (Australia)

Running time

94 minutesCountryAustraliaLanguageEnglish

Under the Lighthouse Dancing is a 1997 Australian romantic drama film directed by Graeme Rattigan, and starring Jack Thompson, Jacqueline McKenzie and Naomi Watts. It is based on a true story.

Premise

Three couples travel to Rottnest Island near Perth, Western Australia for the weekend. One of the couples announces that they intend to get married and when the bride-to-be tells the others that she is terminally ill, they make sure the wedding takes place that weekend.

Cast

Jack Thompson as Henry
Jacqueline McKenzie as Emma
Naomi Watts as Louise
Philip Holder as Garth
Zoe Bertram as Juliet
Aden Gillett as David
Michael Loney as Father Flynn

Reception

Writing for Variety, David Stratton praised the acting and production design of the film, but said that it had thin material, and that the ending was "hokey".^[1]

Australia's SBS gave the film a negative review concluding that the production "obviously wants to have an emotional impact, it just hasn't done it very successfully."^[2]

Box office

Under the Lighthouse Dancing grossed $30,321 at the box office in Australia.^[3]

References

^ Stratton, David (5 October 1997). "Under the Lighthouse Dancing Review". Variety. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
^ "Under the Lighthouse Dancing". SBS. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
^ "Film Victoria – Australian Films at the Australian Box Office" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2010.