The dynamic and entertaining series Return to Eden (actors: Rebecca Gilling, James Rain, Wendy Hughes) was released on September 27, 1983. The joint project of Australia and the United States has a certain cinematic value, at a certain time period it was extremely popular and popular around the world. The USSR was no exception. The first season, released under the slogan "She returned to take revenge ...", won the hearts of millions of domestic moviegoers, mostly the beautiful half.
The story of the creation of "soap opera"
From the very beginning of the idea of filming an adapted film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Rosalyn Miles, producers Michael Lawrence and Hal McElroy doubted the success of the project and were cautious about shooting a trial version - a mini-series. And all because the artists invited to participate in the filming were unknown to a wide audience. So the film "Return to Eden", whose actors gained worldwide fame and popularity immediately after the release of the picture, remained an abridged version. The fears of the creators were not at least groundless, but were still in vain. The film aroused great interest not only in Australia, but also in the USA and European countries, which prompted the authors three years later to begin shooting the second season, which was much longer than the first (22 episodes). “Return to Eden 2”, the actors of which with small “losses” migrated from the first season, received the same support from the audience, but a less enthusiastic assessment of film critics.
Luxury and splendor
The budget of the series at that time was truly fabulous. The creators did not spare money - in-kind shootings shook with dizzying splendor, and pavilion ones - with blinding eyes with luxury and credibility, the actors' outfits and decorations deprived speechless, literally bewitched everyone watching. The main characters - Geely and Stephanie - were envious of women and admiration for men. Spectators fell in love with Jake Sanders and Dr. Marshall. Leading fashion magazines tirelessly published outfits in the style of a la Tara Welles. Basically, these were jackets with wide shoulders combined with tight skirts, luxurious evening dresses mostly in blue and gold. All the images complemented the mandatory massive jewelry - necklaces, button clips. After participating in the filming of the series “Return to Eden,” the actors often bought screen outfits for personal use.
Plot: the beginning of the tragedy
The main character, Stephanie Harper (Rebecca Gilling), had everything a happy woman could dream of - a decent inheritance, family, beloved husband. But one day, she, along with her husband, Greg Marsden (James Rain), goes to "Eden" - Harperov's country family estate. There, soon, a close friend of the main character, Jilly (Wendy Hughes), arrives with her missus. A woman could not even think that her lover had long been cheating on her with her best friend. But in Greg’s head a crazy plan had long been ripening. Following him, he wanted to get rid of his legal wife. Soon the villain is presented with a convenient opportunity, and he decides to realize his criminal plan. During a boat trip to places that are teeming with cannibal crocodiles, Greg pushes Stephanie into the water, predators immediately attack a woman who cannot swim. The whole tragedy takes place in front of Jilly, but she is in no hurry to help her friend. Such a plot of the storyline of the film "Return to Eden", the actors and roles in which are selected qualitatively, was striking in its unusualness and intrigue.
Return after a nightmare
Everyone around, having heard about the "accident", understood that poor Stephanie was not destined to survive. But the woman literally miraculously survived, although she received numerous injuries. Her savior was Dave Wells, whom she lived for some time, recovering from the tragedy. The old man called the victim of crocodile teeth Tara, the name that his lover had. A terrible act woke up a thirst for revenge in the heart of the main character, Stephanie did not expect such treachery from her loved ones and loved ones. To begin to implement the plan, the woman is sent to the local plastic surgery clinic. Dr. Marshall (James Smiley), inspired by the courage of the patient, performs several complex operations. After a few months, Stephanie becomes no less attractive than before the incident. Soon she decides to return to Sydney, but Stephanie “dies”, Tara Wells will be avenged - a bold, decisive and unusually beautiful girl. This episode of the mini-series "Return to Eden," the actors called a turning point, the first climax.
New appearance - new life
Very little time passes, and on the cover of Vogue her face flaunts - Tara Wells - the new star in the world of high fashion. The only thing that worries the beauty is the arising feelings of Dan Marshall, the same doctor who helped her find a new life. The girl cannot accept his courtship, although she herself is quite indifferent to the savior, she is also not able to explain why she rejects the lover. One day, Tara Stefani returns to the walls of her native home at the invitation of her treacherous spouse and makes friends with him. Once she succeeds in persuading Greg to go to the Eden estate, where she hopes to execute the revenge plan, although she wants to return to her children, Sarah (Nicole Payner) and Dennis (Jason Duncan), to try to establish a relationship with Dan Marshall. Further, it is impossible to tell the development of the storyline, while maintaining the intrigue of the film.
Characters
The characters in the movie "Return to Eden" (the photos of the actors are proof of this) are all beautiful, but very vicious. Sometimes it seems that in the picture there is not a single absolutely positive, sinless hero. This fact is not a negative feature of the project, on the contrary, it causes additional spectator interest, turns an ordinary melodramatic story into a detective drama, and even into a thriller in moments. The actors of the film "Return to Eden" were so inspired by the idea and got used to the images of their characters that they played with full dedication, in separate episodes it seemed that they mixed up real life and cinema. Emotions were like a hurricane.
Crimes in the television series
Actors of the series “Return to Eden”, playing the roles of their heroes, thanks to the violent author’s imagination of the creators, have repeatedly been the organizers / witnesses / accomplices of various crimes. There were many reprisals for the purpose of murder in the picture, but still the series could not be called bloody, all the scenes were shown rather carefully, without fanaticism and cruelty. If you try to list all types of crimes that occurred in the mini-series, the viewer will count: several attempts to kill with a pistol, horse, poisonous viper, drugs, crocodiles, explosives in a boat, sleeping pills and swimming pools, damaged brakes, etc. Among them were successful and not very. To the terrifying list, you can add several suicide attempts, an endless amount of blackmail and a traditionally banal plane crash.
Interesting Facts
The role of the unfortunate Stephanie Harper brought world fame to model and actress Rebecca Gilling. In the first season, at the age of thirty, she played a 40-year-old woman, but three years later, in the second season, she had to play the mother of two adult children - a 47-year-old beauty fighting enemies with her father’s company. The paradox was that Rebecca in reality was as old as her cinematic offspring.
The runaway success of the series prompted filmmakers from India to film "Lust for Revenge" - their version of the film "Return to Eden" adapted to the national mentality. Actors and roles (photos of Australian and Indian artists are useless to compare) were somewhat inconsistent with the originals, but they met the ideas of Indian viewers. The main role was played by the star of Indian cinema of the 80s - Rekha.
In Russia, the premiere of the project took place on the Ostankino channel in 1992, the replay was on ORT in the late 1990s, in 2005 on the First and TNT, in 2009 on the Domashny television channel.
The Strangenesses of Return to Eden
Actors, whose photos were published in leading world media on the crest of the project’s wave of popularity, noted some inconsistencies in the plot action of the brainchild of directors Karen Arthur and Kevin James Dobson. In addition to the insignificant artistic level of the trolley, they were confused by two circumstances. The first question remained open - why did Stephanie, after the adventure with crocodiles, only have a disfigured face? The rest of the body of the animals was simply ignored. And the second question especially worried the entire female audience - both actresses and spectators. Why, already in the beautiful appearance of the model of Tara Wells, the victim seduces the ex-wife of a tennis player, if she wants to take revenge on the greedy and unprincipled villain? The plot of the soap opera did not give answers to these questions, leaving a place in the souls and minds of fans for their own thoughts, conjectures, and the identification of cause and effect relationships.
One of the best television projects of the last century
This mini-series immerses the viewer in an incredible story, shot professionally, with style and style. It is deservedly considered one of the best and original television projects of the last century. His storyline is not prolonged, not banal and not boring. This picture motivates, inspires the creation of one’s inner personal core, while confirming the old truth that the true beauty of man is internal.