This film is set in 1939 Australia. Marge is married to Sonny, a lumberjack. Playing the role of a do-gooder in the small community to atone for the promiscuity of her mother, Marge admits to her caring but sexually ineffectual husband: "Sometimes it seems like nothing exciting will ever happen to me."
Rachel Ward is coltish and convincing as Marge, a woman who wants more affection, passion and erotic responsiveness from her mate — played by real-life husband Bryan Brown — that he is able to give. After an unfulfilling one-night stand with Sony’s younger brother, she becomes obsessed with Neville (Sam Neill), a Don Juan who arrives in town to run a hotel’s bar. She goes so far as to humiliate herself in front of the community. Sonny takes her back. Although he still can’t give her what she wants — certainly his steadfast love is what she needs.