
Carol (Nicole Kidman) is feeling the pressure from home to work harder on her training and her attitude towards competition. At dinner, Peter Trig (Terence Donovan) criticises her laidback approach to her last race, while she is trying to get a night off to do something else. The homework story doesn’t convince him, it’s not as important as training. Carol’s little sister Andrea (Emma Lyle) asks him about his own sporting achievements, and Dad readily admits that while he had the will and the attitude to succeed, he wasn’t good enough. He tells Carol that as she does have the talent, it is a shame to squander it. All she needs is the right attitude. Summary by Annemaree O'Brien.
This clip explores the dilemma many talented children and their parents face, Carol’s father is trying to achieve success through his daughter’s achievements, while we can see that perhaps this is not what Carol really wants. Identifying the differences between Carol and her father is also important to the story.
This is the story about the unlikely friendship between two girls – one a sporting champion, the other a dancer and an outsider. Carol (Nicole Kidman) is a top runner with great potential and her father runs her training program day and night. Then she meets Angie (Alyssa Cook), the punk new girl, and the two become friends, eating hamburgers at ‘The Armpit’ where Angie has to work after school. They give each other lots of support and do things together that Carol had always dreamed of. Carol sneaks off to learn dancing with Angie and loves it. She begins to rebel and plans a new life for herself. But the all-important race is coming up – and Carol has to make some decisions. Is she able to give this race all she’s got?
Starring a young Nicole Kidman sporting her trademark curls, this is a story about family relationships and (minor) teenage rebellion. Kidman’s co-star Alyssa Cook plays a punky outsider. Both young actors are terrific in their roles and it is fun to see the 1980s school uniforms, particularly the boy’s 'Warrick Capper’ school shorts. (Footballer Capper was infamous for the tight shorts he wore in the 1980s).The script was criticised by some at the time for undermining parental authority but it is very tame and politely done.
First broadcast in 1985 on Network Ten.
Notes by Annemaree O'Brien
This clip shows Carol (Nicole Kidman) arguing with her father (Terence Donovan) over the family dinner table because she does not want to attend an athletics training program. Carol says that she wants to complete homework instead but her father is disappointed and wants to make sure that her athletic talents are not wasted. Carol’s younger sister (Emma Lyle) and their mother join in the discussion.
Education notes provided by The Learning Federation and Education Services Australia
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