The Woman Suffers 1918

In Echuca, the film unfolds in eight acts, tracing the life of Marion Masters [Connie Martyn], who endures an unhappy marriage to Philip Stockdale [Boyd Irwin], a former war hero turned an abusive drunk. She runs away with her baby, but catastrophe follows: her husband dies after a fall on a knife, their home is consumed by a fire, and she collapses in the bush. Rescued, she learns that her son has been found by a family who run the station Kooringa.

Marion is taken to Willaroon, a station owned by widowed Stephen Manton, who has two children, Ralph and Marjory. Marion believes her son perished and later marries Manton, becoming stepmother to his two children.

Meanwhile, her missing son grows up as Philip Stockdale, the adopted child of the Kooringa Station owners, who also have a daughter, Joan. Twelve years pass. Ralph Manton [Roland Conway] is sent to Melbourne by his father, but a flooded river forces him to take refuge at the Stockdales’ station; he seduces Joan and returns to Melbourne to live a playboy lifestyle, and Joan drowns herself in despair. Philip finds the body and vows revenge on Ralph.

He decides to seduce Ralph’s sister, Marjory [Lottie Lyell], and abandons her after she becomes pregnant. She becomes mad and tries to abort her baby. Ralph discovers this and vows revenge on Philip—but is shamed when he discovers Philip’s identity.

Mrs Manton tells Philip the full story and realises he is her long-lost son. Philip decides to marry Marjory.