You Can't See 'round Corners is a 1969 Australian drama film directed by David Cahill and screenplay written by Richard Lane, starring Ken Shorter and Rowena Wallace. The film is a theatrical version of the 1967 TV show You Can't See 'Round Corners. Both were based on the 1947 novel by Jon Cleary updated to the Vietnam War.
Contents
Synopsis
Frankie McCoy, a small time bookie from Newtown, Sydney, is drafted during the Vietnam War. He loves his girlfriend Margie but is frustrated because she won't sleep with him before they are married. He goes through basic training at Kapooka, near Wagga Wagga but eventually deserts. Margie breaks up with him once she finds this out.
Frankie goes back to working as a bookie but suffers a series of losses. In order to cover these he robs an office, not realising the money he has stolen consists of marked bills. He visits a Kings Cross night club, meeting a girl, Myra, who he sleeps with and gives some of the stolen money. Both the military and regular police start to close in on Frankie, and he discovers that the bills were marked. He goes back to Myra to retrieve the money. They get in an argument and he winds up accidentally killing her. He contacts Margie but is chased after by some of the men he owes money to and winds up running in front of a moving car and being killed.
Cast
Ken Shorter as Frankie McCoy
Lyndall Barbour as Mrs. McCoy
Rowena Wallace as Margie Harris
Judith Fisher as Peg Clancy
Carmen Duncan as Myra Neilson
Slim DeGrey as Mick Patterson
Max Cullen as Peeper
Kevin Leslie as Ken
Goff Vockler as Barney
Lou Vernon as Nugget
John Armstrong as Jack Kelly
Peter Aanensen as Sgt Quinn
Max Phipps as Keith Grayson
Vincent Gil as Lennie Ryan
Henri Szeps as Peter
Marion Johns as Mrs Harris
John Barnes as Mr Harris
Gerard Maguire as Terry (uncredited)
Garry McDonald as one of Terry's gang (uncredited)
Harold Hopkins as Soldier at dance (uncredited)
The Atlantics
Production
The film was shot in mid 1967, financed by the Seven Network. It used the same cast, crew and sets as the TV series. Very little of it was shot on location. It was a co-production between ATN 7 and Universal.
Richard Lane says the film was made because the series had ended with the cast still five weeks under contract. ATN-7 decided to make a feature film version with the idea that if it was not good enough for theatres it could play on television.
The film features appearances by a young Kate Fitzpatrick and Garry McDonald with hair.
Reception
The film was the 19th most popular movie at the Australian box office in 1969.