Gone to Ground (1979)

This Australian made-for-TV movie revolves around surf shop proprietor Jimmy Flemming (Eric Oldfield) who believes his life is in danger when he receives anonymous letters threatening to kill him.

After being savagely beaten in a car park by a group of pimply-faced young hooligans on skateboards, he takes refuge with his vacuous new bride, Angie (Robyn Gibbes) in an isolated beach house.

There they are joined by three people – his ex-boss Harry Ferguson (Charles Tingwell) with wife Grace (Number 96 star Elaine Lee doing her best with excruciating lines) – whose beach house it is – and local shopkeeper Ma Bishop (Marion Johns), who stumbles into their midst.

Harry is having an affair with his secretary, Kathleen (ex-weather girl and Young Doctors totty Judy Lynne), a rather mercenary woman who knows what she wants and lives well.

All five occupants of the beach house endure a day and night of terror inflicted by an unknown black-clad motorcycle-riding gunman.

Three of the group die before the identity of the killer and his incredible plans for revenge are exposed.

Spoiler Alert: It’s John Orcsik from Cop Shop, armed with a high-powered rifle.

Bruce A Wishart’s screenplay was never going to win an Emmy (or even a Logie), and Kevin Dobson’s direction involves a conglomeration of quick scene changes, flashbacks and slow-motion that does nothing more than confuse – so swiftly do the scenes change that dialogue often overlaps into the next frame – but it’s an above-average effort, made by Gemini Productions and released through Reg Grundy’s organisation.

Jimmy Flemming
Eric Oldfield
Harry Ferguson
Charles Tingwell
Grace Ferguson
Elaine Lee
Angie Flemming
Robyn Gibbes
Ma Bishop
Marion Johns
Bart
Dennis Grosvenor
Kathleen
Judy Lynne
Peters
Allan Penney
Anderson
Marcus Hale

Director
Kevin Dobson