Trailer for the film Caddie, directed by Donald Crombie and produced by Tony Buckley and released in 1976. 

The film is set in Sydney during the 1920s and 30s, during the Great Depression. 

It portrays the life of a young woman (played by Helen Morse) struggling to raise two children after her marriage breaks up.

Caddie has taken a job in an inner-city hotel, because it pays more than waitressing, but she’s unprepared for the brutal struggle that is the nightly ‘six o’clock swill’. Men crowd the bar to drink as much beer as possible before the pub closes at 6 pm. There are fights, foul language and men throwing up on the floor. She remembers an earlier encounter with a man when she was in a more genteel occupation, but is rudely returned to the present by a customer.

Summary by Paul Byrnes

Caddie (Helen Morse) calls off her relationship with bookmaker Ted (Jack Thompson), after she is warned off by Ted’s steady girlfriend. At the boarding house where she lives, the landlord and his wife (Pat Evison) tell her she’ll have to go, because her children are misbehaving. On the tram home, her friend Josie (Jacki Weaver) tells Caddie of the outcome of her visit to an unlicensed abortionist.

Summary by Paul Byrnes

Filming took place during August and September 1975 at locations around Balmain, Sydney. A number of scenes were filmed at the Sir William Wallace Hotel and the Kent Hotel. The Kent Hotel closed in 1976 and later reopened for a time as 'Caddie’s Restaurant’, named for its association with the film. Other scenes were filmed in Edgecliff, where some buildings had scarcely changed since the 1920s.

Studio filming took place at the Cinesound Studios in Rozelle. The limited budget for Caddie meant that some scenes were cut from the script and the bar scenes included actors working as extras but also locals. Caddie’s real life daughter also visited the set. The total shoot was completed in six weeks.

With the country in the grip of the Depression, Caddie (Helen Morse) has to be smarter and quicker than everyone else if she wants to secure a job. She rises before dawn to read the 'situations vacant’ ads, posted outside the newspaper office, then hurries to be first in line for an interview.

Summary Paul Byrnes

Poster for the film, Caddie (1976) showing actors Helen Morse and Jack Thompson and scenes from the film. The design is distinctly art deco.

In this excerpt from an oral history recording, Helen Morse discusses her early involvement in the making of the film, the significance of a woman being the central character and the approach Joan Long took in writing the script.

Anthony Buckley AO is a prominent member of the Australian film industry. He edited Age of Consent (1969, starring Helen Mirren and James Mason) and Wake in Fright (1971) before moving into producing. As well as Caddie, he has produced numerous films, documentaries and television features including Bliss (1985), Dad and Dave: On Our Selection (1995) and Oyster Farmer (2004).

Buckley had to struggle to find financial support for Caddie (1976) at a time when Australian films had never featured a woman as the central protagonist. In this interview he reflects on the significance of the film during the Australian film renaissance of the 1970s and why he thinks it was so successful.

Helen Morse (left) as Caddie with Jacki Weaver (Josie).

Film still from Caddie (1976).

Lynette Curran (as Maudie, left) with her friends, played by Lorna Lesley and Vivienne Garrett .

Film still from Caddie, 1976.

Helen Morse as Caddie visits the studio of Greek immigrant Peter, played by Takis Emmanuel.

Film still from Caddie, 1976.

Helen Morse as Caddie dressed as a flapper. Costuming for Caddie was very important in order to match the period in which the film is set.

Film still from Caddie (1976).

Actors Melissa Jaffer (as Leslie, left) with Helen Morse (Caddie).

Film still from Caddie, 1976.

Behind the scenes image of Helen Morse as Caddie with her on-screen children, played by Deborah Kounnas and Simon Hinton.

Photo from the set of Caddie, 1976.

Despite its modest budget, Caddie (1976) was also notable for its thoroughly researched and convincing costumes (Judith Dorsman), production design (Owen Williams), hair (Jenny Brown) and make-up (Peggy Carter). In this excerpt from an oral history recording, Peggy Carter discusses the way she approaches her work as a make-up artist and the special challenges of working on Caddie.

Peggy Carter started at Artransa Park film studios as a young, 'not very good’, short-hand typist and had also been a dancer before jumping at the chance to be trained as a make-up artist. She worked on some of Australia’s most renowned films of the late 1960s and 70s such as Age of Consent (1969), Walkabout (1971), Sunday Too Far Away (1975), The Picture Show Man (1977) and The Irishman (1978), and continues to work in feature films, television and theatre.

Helen Morse (Caddie) and Takis Emmanuel (Peter) on the set of Caddie.

Photo from the set of Caddie, 1976.

Seventeen-year-old Lorna Lesley, credited as 'Maudie’s friend’, played a very small role in the film and was given only one line. Despite this, the experience left an enduring impression on the actor.

Director Donald Crombie on the set of Caddie.

Photo from the set of Caddie, 1976.

Film crew taking a break on the set of Caddie in a Sydney backyard.

Photo from the set of Caddie, 1976.

Jack Tompson and Helen Morse in a scene from Caddie.

Lobby card for Caddie, 1976.

Helen Morse and Takis Emmanuel in a scene from Caddie.

Lobby card for the film Caddie, 1976.

Helen Morse (Caddie) in bed with her two on screen children played by Deborah Kounnas and Simon Hinton.

Lobby card for Caddie, 1976.

Jacki Weaver and Helen Morse working in a pub.

Lobby card for the Caddie, 1976.