The Survivor
First edition
AuthorThomas Keneally
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
PublisherAngus and Robertson, Australia
Publication date
1969
Media typePrint (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages282 pp
ISBN0-207-95312-0
OCLC79598
823
LC ClassPZ4.K336 Su PR9619.3.K46
Preceded byThree Cheers for the Paraclete 
Followed byA Dutiful Daughter 

The Survivor is a 1969 novel by Australian author Thomas Keneally.

It was filmed by the ABC in 1972.

Premise

Alec Ramsey talks about a mission to Antarctica in the 1920s of which he was a survivor. He feels guilt over the death of the expedition leader, Leeming.

Ramsey had an affair with Leeming's wife and is torn with guilt over it.[1]

Background

The book was originally called On Ice.[2]

Keneally's research included travelling to Antarctica on a US Navy ship. It was also based on his experience of being a university lecturer in Armidale.[2]

The book was dedicated to W. H. Crook.

Reception

The Sydney Morning Herald called it "this rich, indigestible plumb of a book."[2]

The Canberra Times said "the book is immensely entertaining. It has a pleasantly intriguing story to tell, with plenty of suspense and much highly diverting academic comedy."[3]

Awards and nominations

  • Captain Cook Bicentenary Awards, Novel Section, 1970: joint winner with Barry Oakley's Let's Hear it for Predergast.[4][5]

1972 TV film

The Survivor
Directed byAlan Burke
Written byThomas Keneally
Based onnovel by Thomas Keneally
StarringWyn Roberts
Dinah Shearing
Enid Lorimer
Arthur Dignam
CinematographyPeter Hendry
Production
company
ABC
Distributed byABC
Release date
5 March 1972[6]
Running time
75 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish

The novel was adapted for television by the ABC in 1972.[7]

It was one of a series of television plays produced by the ABC that year, others including The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. There were also anthology series such as A Time for Love and Norman Lindsay Presents.[8]

Cast

Production

Keneally adapted the script himself. It was his first screenplay and he enjoyed the experience so much he wrote other scripts for the ABC such as Essington and Behind the Legend.[9]

The production was shot in Sydney. Director Alan Burke says Charles Russell was the main executive on it - he is credited as script editor although that does not give a guide as to the extent of his contribution. There was some location work done at Richmond Air Base.[10]

John Cameron, head of drama at the ABC at the time, said the novel was bought by the ABC because it had won a prize. He later said "that was a terrible book and a dreadful script" but claims Charles Russell improved it with some script editing although he says Russell "wasn't very happy with it."[11]

Reception

The Age thought the original novel was "one of the most tedious books ever published in Australia" but felt the television version "gripped the imagination as the book never could."[12]

Burke later recalled "I don’t think I pulled it off. It was I think a bit inadequate... It just didn’t add up somehow. I just didn’t feel happy about it. Maybe it was partly the adaptation that Tom had said he tried the various styles, maybe that had something to do with the fact they didn’t quite marry."[10]

Reviews

References

  1. ↑ "Books The traps Keneally does not survive", 105 volumes : illustrations (chiefly coloured), portraits (chiefly coloured) ; 30-40 cm., The Bulletin, John Ryan Comic Collection (Specific issues)., Sydney, N.S.W: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, 91 (4678), 8 November 1969 [1880], ISSN 0007-4039, nla.obj-1721915726, retrieved 3 June 2023 – via Trove
  2. 1 2 3 Jones, Margaret (1 November 1969). "Out of the glacier". The Sydney Morning Herald Weekend Magazine. p. 17.
  3. ↑ "Appointment in Antarctica". The Canberra Times. Vol. 44, no. 12, 469. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 15 November 1969. p. 15. Retrieved 3 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ↑ "Two novellists share prize". The Age. 27 October 1970. p. 2.
  5. ↑ "'Unknown' hits the top". The Canberra Times. Vol. 45, no. 12, 732. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 27 October 1970. p. 3. Retrieved 3 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ↑ "TV Guide". The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 February 1972. p. 16.
  7. ↑ Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p149
  8. ↑ Marshall, Valda (16 January 1972). "ABC announces a big line up in 72". Sydney Sun Herald. p. 95.
  9. ↑ "ANTARCTIC STORY IS ABSORBING". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 39, no. 41. Australia, Australia. 8 March 1972. p. 23. Retrieved 3 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. 1 2 Shirley, Graham (May 2004). "Alan Burke interview". National Film and Sound Archive.
  11. ↑ Cameron, John (29 April 1981). "Oral History" (Interview). ABC Radio Unit.
  12. ↑ Pinkey, John (5 April 1972). "Anti-pot a block off the old chip". The Age. p. 2.


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