The Devil's Playground

The Devil's Playground is a 1976 Australian drama film written, produced and directed by Fred Schepisi. It is a semi-autobiographical film which tells the story of a boy growing up and going to school in a Catholic juniorate administered by De La Salle Brothers. Its focus is on the trials of the flesh and the tensions that arise, for both Brothers and students, from the religious injunction to control one's sexuality. It is considered part of the Australian New Wave film genre. Premise In August 1953, the 13-year-old Tom Allen attends a Catholic juniorate in Melbourne, Australia. Students and Brothers face individual challenges of faith and self-restraint. Cast Arthur Dignam as Brother Francine Nick Tate as Brother Victor Simon Burke as Tom Allen Charles McCallum as Brother Sebastian John Frawley as Brother Celian Jonathan Hardy as Brother Arnold Gerry Duggan as Father Hanrahan Peter Cox as Brother James Thomas Keneally as Father Marshall Sheila Florance as Mrs Sullivan John Diedrich as Fitz Alan Cinis as Waite Richard Morgan as Smith Jeremy Kewley as Thompson Production The screenplay was based on Schepisi's own experience attending a Catholic juniorate and took him five years to write. The film financing took three years to arrange, eventually coming from the Australian Film Commission ($100,000) and the Film House, Schepisi's own company ($154,000), with the balance coming from private investment.