The Good Wife (1986)

23% of users liked it
(719 ratings)

Originally titled The Umbrella Woman, The Good Wife is set in an Australian lumber town in 1939. Marge Hills (Rachel Ward), the bored wife of kindly-but-dull Sonny Hills (Bryan Brown) begins dreaming of outside romances. She unexpectedly gets her wish in the form of Sonny's much-younger brother… More Originally titled The Umbrella Woman, The Good Wife is set in an Australian lumber town in 1939. Marge Hills (Rachel Ward), the bored wife of kindly-but-dull Sonny Hills (Bryan Brown) begins dreaming of outside romances. She unexpectedly gets her wish in the form of Sonny's much-younger brother Sugar (Steven Vidler), whom Sonny cheerfully offers to his wife as a surrogate bedmate. Given this curious arrangement, one wonders why Marge is so upset when she is propositioned by handsome stranger Neville Gifford (Sam Neill). Eventually, Gifford sleeps with every other woman in town but Marge. Fed up with the unimaginative lovers in her own house, Marge finally gives in to Gifford, arousing the jealousy not of the cloddish Sonny, but of the immature Sugar. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr.
Directed By: Bruce Barry, Bryan Brown
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: May 14, 1987 Wide
On DVD: Dec 26, 2001

Critic Reviews

Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile
May have been more successful had director Ken Cameron taken a less earnest approach...All the same, performances are tops, especially Bryan Brown and on and off screen wife Rachel Ward
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Propelled by a coltish and convincing performance by Rachel Ward.

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Cast

            Rachel Ward as Marge Hills

            Bryan Brown as Sonny Hills

            Sam Neill as Neville Gifford

            Steven Vidler as Sugar Hills

            Jennifer Claire as Daisy

            Bruce Barry as Archie

            Peter Cummins as Ned Hooper

            Carole Skinner as Mrs. Gibson

            Barry Hill as Mr. Fielding

            Susan Lyons as Mrs. Fielding

            Helen Jones as Rosie Gibbs

            Lisa Hensley as Sylvia

            May Howlett as Mrs. Carmichael

            Maureen Green as Sal Day

            Garry Aron Cook as Gerry Day

            Peter Ford as Drunk in Bar

            Clarissa Kaye-Mason as Mrs. Jackson

            Trevor Thomas as Chemist

            Bill Bader as Train Guard

            Craig Fuller as Charlie

            Oliver Hall as Mick Jones

            Margarita Haynes as Greta

            Maurice Hughes as Sargent

            Sue Ingleton as Rita

            Harold Kissin as Davis The Station master

            Dick May as Waiter

            Philip Wilton as Train Porter

            Robert Barrett as Heckler at Bar
See full cast

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