Prisoner Cell Block H - Volume 34

EPISODE 529

Anita tells Myra that she can't bear to contemplate life outside her order. A defiant Dennis protests his innocence in front of an angry mob, but later cries in Meg's arms when he reveals his beating.

First broadcast ... 1985 (Melbourne)

Broadcast on Channel 5 Sunday 18 July 1999 04:45

DVD release: volume 34 disc 1 (AUS)

Duration: 0:44:08



Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne

Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt

Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick

Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson

Myra ~ Anne Phelan

Dennis ~ Nigel Bradshaw

Marlene ~ Genevieve Lemon

Lexie ~ Pepe Trevor

Joyce ~ Joy Westmore

Anita ~ Diane Craig

Lou ~ Louise Siversen

Alice ~ Lois Collinder

Matt ~ Peter Bensley

Geoff ~ Les Dayman

Frank ~ Trevor Kent

Det Insp Grace ~ Terry Gill

Mother Mary Helen Sexton ~ Carmel Millhouse

Rex Doyle ~ Kirk Alexander

Detective ~ Gerard Matte

Desk Officer ~ Bob Halsall

Uniformed Policeman No 1 ~ Steve Hutchinson [L]

Uniformed Policeman No 2 ~ Ian Cuming [R]

Neighbour ~ Ron Little

Newsman ~ Ian Gilbert

Woman No 1 ~ Rosemary Barnes

Woman No 2 ~ Irene Hewitt

Man ~ Malcolm Sim (?)

Elderly Gent ~ James Clarke

Youth ~ Jeff Kovski

Bartender ~ Rob Constable

Customer ~ Neville Stonehouse

•Written by James Simmonds & Fay Rousseaux

•Directed by Steve Mann

Marlene decides to skip dinner after using the scales her mother brought in for her. Joan appears to believe in Dennis's guilt, and even Joyce is dubious that Inspector Grace would have charged Dennis without some evidence (but of course that is exactly what he has done). Inspector Grace puts pressure on Dennis to confess and shows him a pair of tights that were found stuffed down the back seat of his car. [Incidentally, the writers never bother to attempt any explanation of how they got there, or whose tights they are...] Ann is concerned that the Department seem to be more worried about their image than the welfare of their staff: she asks Meg to take Dennis some civilian clothes so he doesn't have to appear in court in uniform. Myra makes Alice give her buyup back to the women to share amongst themselves. Dennis is fingerprinted, has his mugshot done and is locked up in a police cell. Meg has to tell Ettie she isn't going back to Wentworth and will have to start looking to the future. Dennis' solicitor appears to think that it's his job to prove that Dennis is innocent and is very doubtful that he can do so. Lexie remembers Myra's orders and refuses to share her buyup with Alice. Meg agrees to stand bail for Dennis and his solicitor thinks he might be able to argue that Dennis should not be sent to prison on remand due to his occupation. Marlene breaks her diet by munching on a few goodies from Lexie's locker. Anita's Mother Superior visits her (with a silent nun in tow - possibly her bodyguard?) and tells her she has written to the Pope to have her expelled from the order for her political activities and also because she is suspected of having an affair with a male peace worker. Ann orders the papers censored and the television removed so they don't find out about Dennis, and that none of the women are to be allowed telephone calls. Dennis is bailed out, but Ann tells him he is suspended from duty. Myra is down on Lexie for not paying up her debts. While Joyce is on the phone, Lexie takes a uncensored newspaper from the bin in the staff room and also solves her cash flow problem by stealing Joyce's purse from her bag. Myra asks Joan if Dennis has been charged with the murder, and she can't even be bothered to ask them how they found out and sneers that he'll be too busy to be coming back to work. Ann decides to tell them women about Dennis, but Joan delights in pointing out that the women already know. Dennis is harassed by reporters and neighbours and when someone throws a brick through his window he goes out to confront the mob outside his flat. Anita tells Myra she can't just give up her vocation and carry on her anti-nuclear campaigning, as it is the most important thing for her. Marlene comes over all religious under Anita's influence. Dennis is recognised by a customer in a bar: the barman asks him to leave. Lexie catches Marlene thieving her biscuits in the middle of the night. Dennis seeks refuge with Meg after the customers in the bar beat him up.This episode was the subject of a memorable review by Nancy Banks-Smith in the Guardian on its showing on Carlton in 1996.