Mother and Son

This show has got to be one of the best Australian comedies that has ever been made. Ruth Cracknell gives an outstanding performance as Maggie Beare, an elderly woman who is slowly declining but is still extremely feisty, strong-minded and manipulative. Gary McDonald also contributes some excellent acting as Arthur Beare, the son who does so much for his mother but never gets appreciated for his efforts. Henri Szeps puts in a convincing and excellent performance as Robert Beare, an occassionally well-meaning but extremely self-centered dentist who is "mummy's little boy". Judy Morris also shines as Liz Beare and her sarcasm and cynical outlook on both her husband and her mother-in-law enhances the show greatly. This is a series not to be missed

As frustrating as old people can be, Mother and Son gives a very funny look at what it is like to ‘lose your memory' as Maggie Beare says. I can only imagine what is like to grow old, yet with a grandma like Maggie, I think she would put me in the grave for how frustrating she really can be. This would have to be one Australian TV's funniest comedies, with Ruth Cracknell at her brilliant best.

Arthur Beare is a 40 something son still living at home after getting a divorce from his first wife, but in the bargain gets to take care of his senile mother Maggie, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. However no matter what Arthur does, he cannot seem to get ahead and is always coming unstuck. Robert on the other hand cannot put a foot wrong in his mother's eyes, where all he is after is his mother's hidden money and assets.

This TV series was a very simple set up, but boy was it funny. Having a 40 something son taking care of his mother would in most cases not seem to most people to be that funny. Yet with the very funny Ruth Cracknell anything and everything is going to be hilarious. With the catch cry of "Oh Arthur", you knew that something totally crazy was about to happen. I mean in some of the episodes of this show, we get to see Maggie play with her late husband's ashes in the garden, buying oranges going on the way to a funeral, washing strawberries with detergent and blowing up the kitchen. Look there is probably more things, but I can not remember them. In fact this review is making me want to watch the whole series all over again.

This show also had some great male actors. Garry McDonald is another Australian icon, who is probably well known as the funny Norman Gunston. Yet as Arthur Beare audiences must have felt sorry for him. Looking after his mother, who does not appreciate him, ruining his social and working life. All this in addition to the worry she causes at home between Arthur and herself. McDonald is a great actor, with a minor role in the big movie, Moulin Rouge as the eccentric doctor. The devious brother Robert in Mother and Son, was played by Henri Szeps. He makes out on the outside that he has his mother's best intentions at heart, yet deep down he is waiting for his mother to pass away, so he can reap all the rewards of her will. Henri was perfect in this role. Judy Morris also brings another interesting character to this show. Judy plays Robert's wife Liz, and with her sarcasm and cynical outlook on both her husband and her mother-in-law making the show even funnier at times, as she knows what her husband is truly up to.

The writer of this show, Geoffrey Atherdon, had a wonderful story, with Mother and Son. I really felt that he was original in what he wrote in his scripts, making it all the funnier show. Throw in director Geoff Portman who must have had one of the best jobs in Australian TV for 11 years, also put some very funny touches to this classic Australian comedy.

This review is a tribute to a brilliant actress, who had a wonderful career. Sure most people we only remember her in this very funny TV comedy, yet Ruth Cracknell is so much more. I am disappointed that I did not see her in more acting roles, whether it was on stage, TV or cinema. In a funny way she is the reason we love Australian TV today. This a big loss for the Australian TV industry, but I am sure that it will recover from it. I believe we were blessed to have a ‘silly old dot' like Ruth Cracknell for all those years on TV screens as the annoying Maggie Beare. I am sure Ruth would rather us celebrate her life, than mourn it. This review is for you RUTH!!!

Ruth Cracknell (1925-2002)

Rest In Peace RUTH!!

This is a well written series, whose potential seems to me to be almost completely ruined by its tone and its central performances. Could it have been the writer's intention to create such a depressing sitcom, and the director's intention to have it played out in such mournfully bland surroundings by such unsympathetic actors? As written, the characterisations are interesting, and the situations inventive, but there's a general lack of fun, or joy or even amusement (for me), because the lead characters give such depressing readings. The mother (Cracknell) is unrelentingly cold, bullying and negative, and the son (McDonald) is a constantly anxious and negative loser. There's almost no relief. Every now and then there's some cute or farcical business, and I suspend my overall feeling of how unpleasant and pathetic these people are. Occasionally the other son (Szeps) appears. He's an overly confident dentist, with one of the most annoying personalities ever broadcast (and not funny annoying, just annoying.) The series has been very successful.

As an ever new Australian I still found this show one of the most adorable, enjoyable, funny and intelligent show that was ever produced. It does nothing new, just highlight the facets of human nature. But it does it in a way that only Norman Guston could have done it!

I seem to have heard that he was the only fictional character to get an academy award,,, And to my view it was so deserved.

So all I have to say with the negative comment which appears on the imdb page now, is that his author should get a 'band aid' out of Norman Gunston's face and put it accross his mouth (or around his writing fingers)!

It's just a, not so, simple story about a middle aged man living with his aging mother...

* timeless classic * Ruth Cracknell is brilliant as Maggie, ageing mother to Arthur (Garry McDonald) who says he is 35 and still living with his mother. Sad? not when his grey haired widowed mother can't look after herself by herself. It's only sad if Arthur does NOT help his mum.

* basic synopsis * Arthur gives up almost everything including a social life since his divorce to take care of his mum, with minimal thanks from her. Meanwhile his selfish, manipulative brother Robert (Henri Szeps), tries to get him offside with his mother, while making himself look stupid in front of his wife Liz (Judy Morris). Liz doesn't believe the stories Robert spins her about his dental nurse and so-called affairs, sparking marital rows between them, as well as implying he's a lousy husband and a bad influence on their kids.

Deep down, Arthur loves his mother, but he soon loses patience with her dementia, mainly because he truly believes there's nothing wrong with her, that she's just putting on an act to gain sympathy. He tries to put her in a nursing home, but she won't go, she won't leave her deceased husband, Leo (his ashes are mentioned being buried under a rose bush in the front garden).

* general opinion * All in all, a classic Aussie series for its time, well written, and I still like it today. It was released as a complete DVD set in 2007 on ABC DVD. It predates widescreen productions, back when studios used high-grade digital videotape on super high grade commercial Beta video decks, and worth keeping in your DVD library. Worth seeing time and time again.

My rating: 8/10 (excellent)