Return to Eden

Run time : 

1st season - mini series 3 episodes x 90min / 6 episodes x 45min;

2nd season - weekly series 22 episodes x 45min ; 2 seasons in total

Genre : Soap Opera / Mini Series /  Tv Series

 

Cast : Rebecca Gilling

 

 

The movie opens with Greg on his wedding day, being asked by the reporters about what's it like to be marrying Australia's wealthiest woman. They also say his critics think he's marrying her for her money, and it turns out they are absolutely correct!

Stephanie is a 40 years old heiress, had 2 previous marriages, 2 children, dresses like an old woman, and states she never wanted something in her life as much as she wants Greg! She has a best friend, Jilly, who falls for her man, the moment she sets her eyes on him. Oh, Jilly is married.

Greg doesn't want to go on a honeymoon to Europe, he wants to go to Eden, Stephanie's favorite's childhood home. Stephanie is a people pleaser, so although she doesn't want to, she agrees.

Greg was a tennis player, and before leaving for Eden, he plays a match with Jilly, at the end of which he kisses her, in front of Stephanie (well, Stephanie was with Jilly's husband at a table, and there was a fence between them).

Although it's their honeymoon, Greg invites Jilly and her husband to go with them, and hearing her husband can't (better for them), he invites Jilly. Stephanie is not happy with it, but agrees, while Jilly can barely hide her contentment.

At Eden, Greg has big plans, to hunt crocodiles.

Jilly shows up alone, and we find out, she messes around with Greg.

After catching a few crocodiles, Greg takes Jilly and Stephanie to see the sunset, and pushes Stephanie in the water, as she was filming the sunset. A crocodile catches her, and she disappears under the waves.

An old man who lives secluded in the wild, finds her, and patches her wounded face, putting ointment on her injuries.

Stephanie can't remember who she is, and when she finally leaves, the roaring of an approaching truck brings back her memories.

The old man gave her his precious stones, and with the money on them, 3000 dollars, she goes to Orpheus, a plastic surgery clinic situated on an island,specialized in reconstructive surgery.

Because she didn't remember who she was, the old man named her Tara Welles ,like the plantation from "Gone with the wind".

A Vogue magazine enthusiast, once she recovers, Stephanie, moves back to Sydney, and goes to a modeling agency, who hires her right away, liking her unique face.

Greg is trying to get her money, but her company lawyer (who never liked him), tells him as they can't find her body, and the prenup having the clause that in the event of her dying before him, he doesn't get anything for 7 years, he is not getting anything.

A famous model ( in her 40's), Tara catches the eye of Greg, who still fools around with Jilly (who gives him money), but has other lovers too.

Jilly comes to see her at work (I didn't know it was so easy to find out where models are shooting) to tell her to leave her boyfriend alone, although she's married (she's actually telling her about being a "close friend" of Greg's and being married in the same sentence)! Jilly is an alcoholic now, and is also embarrassing herself in scenes like these.

The plastic surgeon comes to see Tara, proposes to her, but she has vengeance in mind,so she refuses. He starts suspecting what she's up to, so he tries to make sure she won't get hurt.

Greg takes "Tara" to Stephanie's home, where she gets to meet her children, who do not appreciate Greg bringing his flame into their mother's house.

 

Is Greg really into Tara, or is he playing her too? What is he planning now?

Will Stephanie / Tara be able to get her vengeance ?

I loved these series when I was a kid (they played it on Romanian tv in the '90's). It was one of my childhood’s favorite movies.

 

The version I watched a few years ago was set in two episodes,or parts,being two movies of an hour and a half each. The first part is very fast paced until the last half an hour,becoming very slow paced,as I’m guessing,they wanted to end it with her at the modeling agency.

This time I found it with 6 episodes edited weirdly, to the point I thought it was a longer tv series,cut into 6 episodes.

The way the movie opened made me think I missed the first season, or at least the first part of the season. It has this intro about Stephanie's father dying when she was 23.

The movie was cut really bad, and apart from that, it has many plot holes, like, why would she want revenge, when all she has to do, is go back home and tell her rich friends what Greg did to her!

For the richest woman in Australia, she doesn't even have a good prenup.. she could have made one which states that in the event of her dying suspiciously or accidentally, Greg gets nothing! Speaking of Greg, I thought he looked like a Batman villain.

Her jaw was broken, but the hermit put it back together perfectly. Her arm also looked broken, as she couldn't use it for months, but then she can use it just fine.

I found it annoying nobody recognized her, although she looked the same with makeup on her face and a different haircut! Greg says she looks like Stephanie, just that Stephanie was an ugly duckling, while she's the swan. She has dinner with Jilly and orders beer, to which Jilly says Stephanie loved beer, but she doesn't recognize her, her best friend since childhood!! They even talk about her - Stephanie, and Jilly says that since Greg-schmeg never loved Stephanie, she didn't do anything disloyal,although she admits Stephanie loved Greg (she told her countless times she LOVED the guy!), but I guess that doesn't count, it wasn't like she was Stephanie's best friend! Oh, wait,she was!

 

About the modeling agency,from what I know,being in your forties,even looking thirty,no modeling agency is gonna want you. I wanted to be a model too,and when I went to a few modeling agencies,at the ripe age of 19,they told me I was too old! She was forty! Looking thirty-something.

 

Rebecca Gilling was 30 when the movie started and was made to look ten years older through make-up.

I liked the clothes she wore once she became a model,especially when she was courted by Greg.

 

Originally, the series were supposed to be a three part, 6 hours, one season mini-series, but due to its success, it had a second season with 22 episodes aired weekly in 1986 (which wasn't a success).

The Australian series were very successful worldwide, especially in Russia and France!

The soundtrack sounded good.

The acting was so and so, from certain actors it was so rigid (like Greg, who looked like a robot), the crocodiles did a better job! I liked how the actress who played Jilly, acted, she was the best .

You can watch the 6 episodes here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtjiyKmqYEo&list=PLlISMtQZa96ZV1WG4eeWHbQ9EB8HtklaD&index=1&ab_channel=Manny3

Rating : Worth a watch !