Hugo Weaving, Melba, Argue Paris

n.  Hugo Weaving ~ Melba 

Australian Mini-Series 1987: Eight episodes, appx 50min each
Hugo Weaving content p/ episode:   1-4: 65% appx 5-8 (n/a), total: 32%
Character: Charles Armstrong ~ fiery, frustrated pom/husband of Diva
Cast: Linda Cropper  Nellie Mitchell Armstrong 'Melba', Hugo Weaving  Charles Armstrong, Jon Ewing  John Norton, Peter Carroll  David Mitchell, Philippe Caroit  Duc d'Orleans, Noel Ferrier  J.C. Williamson, Todd Boyce  George Armstrong, Nell Schofield  Belle Patterson, Googie Withers  Lady Armstrong, Joan Greenwood  Madame Mathilde Marchesi, Michael Lerner  Oscar Hammerstein
Dir: Rodney Fisher    Wri: Rodney Fisher
Availablity: Screened on the ABC in 1987. Feature length version on PAL and NTSC VHS (Amazon Z-Shops and Ebay). 
3DVD Region 4 box  set (full screen, picture and sound from video source) available from Australia (HMV AUD$24.99 GBP£9.99   USD$17.99).

Hugo Weaving: Melba:  Plot/Comments:

Operatic in subject, scale and performance, Melba is a sometimes awkward, always epic, three-boxes of chocolate granny-pleaser. 
    Taking a massive (and not quite necessary) eight episodes to tell a life story that never seems to change much beyond episode four was risky business and there's certainly too much padding for the miniseries to ever really become involving. That said, it's much better  that the feature length hack-job that is available on VHS, where only the most melodramatic scenes have been retained, making it seem that every character is constantly declaiming how misunderstood they are, while juggling three marbles in their mouth. 
  Melba Gallery
Melba Classic Scene
Next: The Dirtwater Dynasty
Back: The Right Hand Man
Web Weaving
 
 

Typical Hugo Weaving Quotes:

 
  • [tenderly] "Damn you, Nellie, damn you. Why do you get my hopes up when you know I can never compete with the other love of your life?"
  • [angrily] "Damn you! I sacrificed everything for you. I turned my back on the life I wanted. I swallowed my pride. And why? Why? To be led on. And on. And on"
  • Charles: "Well, you've made a life for yourself. Good luck you because it's got nothing to do with me"                                   Nellie: "What about George?"   Charles: [distraught]"My son? Keep him. Keep everything" 
  • See Classic Scenes for the typical Angry Young Pom highpoint
The series follows the life story of Dame Melba, groundbreaking Australian opera diva and  icon. 
    Episodes range from initial immigration to the colony as a restricted Scotswoman; a tempestuous marriage to equally headstrong and stubborn pom adventurer  Charles Armstrong (Hugo Weaving);  the struggle for independence and the right to choose her own life, resulting in European fame but the loss of her family;  an ill-faited romance with the Duc d'Orleans (the last remaining potential heir to the throne of France);  being a permanent Diva in her maturing years and reunification with the adult son lost to divorce; and finally, to a Grande Dame whose life is completely given over to Opera ~ her true love and family. 
Hugo Weaving, Melba, Linda Cropper, Argue in Australia
Linda Cropper (who lip synchs very well)  is much better as the padded-out, mature Melba, than the feisty youthful version: there's too much sighing, waving arms around and awkward delivery early on. She also seems far too posh in the early years, eclipsing Hugo Weaving's aristo drifter in the oral department, though this settles considerably as her character ages into a Queen Victoria matron.
       However, this is not Cropper's fault: the script is plain histrionic in places and  Rodney Fisher, a renowned theatre director, seems to have gone for Big Acting whenever possible, meaning that the characters constantly declaim and deliver, rather than emote and engage. It works when Melba/Nellie is seen as becoming increasingly theatrical off-stage, showing her evolving into a full-time Diva, but in the initial stages this often seems awkward and forced: in some places it is so laughably ridiculous, it looks like a parody of a costume drama; you're just waiting for Michael Palin and the sharpened fruit.
    The chemistry between Linda Cropper and Hugo Weaving is good, with the latter giving a particularly effective performance when showing how impotent Charles has become as a power holder in the family, his resulting frustration and bitterness, and the tenderness he still feels, despite sacrificing the footloose adventuring life he loved. Luckily, Weaving makes the most of his moments of silence, freeing his performance from the confines of Big Acting. 
Although only in the first four episodes, Weaving casts a long shadow: Philippe Caroit, who plays the Duc D'Orleans, lacks the chemistry with Cropper that Weaving has and the later episodes often drag as a result.
Hugo Weaving, Melba, Linda Cropper, Tux, present
      Perhaps because he is playing a very low-key, sober character, the actor who fairs best is the superb Peter Carroll as Melba/Nellie's father. His quietly grieving Scottish patriarch is gruff, proud, infuriated and tenderly moved (though too stoic to show it beyond some watery eyes). If the script and director had given more quiet 'space' to other actors, the miniseries would have had more substance.

       If Melba is a wasted opportunity, or a potential epic which has been diluted through overlong running time and OTT direction, it is not through want of trying. It is ambitious, looks great and has moments of real involvement. 
   This is a classic case of 'damning with faint praise' ~ it's not memorable, it's not gripping, but it is diverting and often entertaining. It's chocolate box Christmas viewing. 
   It's OK. 

 

Hugo Weaving Comments:


n.Sincere thanks to Isis for the publicity photo
Hugo Weaving, Melba, checked

Hugo Weaving content: 

 

 
 
 
 

Charles Armstrong is a pretty typical case of the post-Bodyline type-casting which dogged Hugo Weaving in his early TV and film work and lasted well up to 1993's Reckless Kelly. 
On the surface, he's another anally-retentive posh pom with an inferiority complex and too much time on his hands. However, Weaving manages to make the character of Kangaroo Charlie (so called because of his temper) sympathetic and charming; emasculated by his wife's career yet unable to stop  loving her and hating himself for not being able to change his life and her.
     Armstrong is fiery, blokeish, occasionally cynical, sometimes naively boyish, frustrated, energetic, loving and ultimately disappointed.
Hugo Weaving, Melba, Paris 2