I'm Damned if I Know

I'm Damned if I Know is a 1972 Australian television play by Kenneth Cook.^[2]

I'm Damned if I Know
Genre	drama
Written by	Kenneth Cook
Directed by	Oscar Whitbread
Country of origin	Australia
Original language	English
Production
Running time	50 mins
Production company	ABC
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	19 March 1972 (1972-03-19) (Sydney)[1]

Premise

A school teacher and practising Christian, Paul Armstong, is a conscientious objector. He lives with anti-war protestors and attends a peace rally. He is charged with the murder of a police officer during the demonstration.

Cast

• Brendon Lunney as Paul Armstrong
• Anne Pendelbury
• Pauline Charleston
• Terry Norris
• Michael Duffield
• Laidley Mort
• Bruce Kerr
• John Stanton
• Simon Chilvers

Production

Kenneth Cook was an opponent to the Vietnam War.^[3] Cook later said it, and other works of his like Stockade and The Wine of God's Anger arose "out of a tremendous sort of emotional reaction against particular circumstances. In that case, it was the Vietnam War, totally. And you do get carried away at the time, but when the emotion is gone... they seem a bit over-blown."^[4]

Reception

The Sun Herald called it "a tight little drama".^[5] The Age called it "topical, punchy and close to the bone... a rare play that dealt with a real life issue."^[6]