Sirens

Tony, a newly arrived Anglican priest, and his wife Estella arrive in Australia and are asked to visit the bohemian artist Norman Lindsay over concerns about a blasphemous crucifix painting. They travel to the Blue Mountains to scout Lindsay's work and the social circle around him. The mission sets the tone for a clash between their orderly world and Lindsay's freewheeling milieu.

They meet Lindsay, his wife Rose, models Pru and Sheela, the maid Giddy, and the half-blind, mute 'odd-job' man Devlin. The group speaks frankly about sexuality, and their openness unsettles the priests who come from a more reserved background.

The group engages in provocative conversations about art and desire, exposing Tony and Estella to ideas and nudity they had not anticipated. The encounter begins to blur the lines between sacred propriety and bohemian liberty.

Tony and Estella watch the models bathing naked in a pool, a scene that both fascinates and unsettles them. The sheer exposure and candid sexuality challenge their assumptions about beauty, art, and morality.

Estella joins the models swimming naked, and Devlin arrives, with the other women flirtatiously testing his ability to see. The atmosphere deepens into temptation, pulling Estella further into the group's world.

Estella observes the models caressing the maid Giddy, and she participates in stroking her, while Tony watches from a distance and is disturbed by the explicit intimacy. The morning's intimacy intensifies the strain between their duties and desires.

Later Estella sees Devlin sunbathing naked and flees when she realizes he knows she is there. The moment underscores the complexities of desire and sight in a world where vulnerability and voyeurism intertwine.

Near the end, Lindsay hurls a yard tool toward Devlin, who catches it with one hand, suggesting he may not be blind after all. The episode hints at hidden depths within Lindsay's circle and the power dynamics at play.

Estella's senses are increasingly drawn to the bohemian life; her relationship with Tony remains affectionate but lacks the earlier heat. She becomes more susceptible to fantasies and impulses encouraged by the models' seductive world.

She has a late-night visit with Devlin and suffers morning-after remorse. The episode strains her marriage but also prompts a moment of honest self-reflection.

With supportive words from Tony, who has witnessed her earlier intimacy, Estella feels allowed to share a passionate moment with him. The renewed tenderness marks a subtle shift in their bond.

Tony discovers Estella's naked likeness is included in one of Lindsay's group paintings and erupts in moral outrage, threatening to sue the artist. He feels betrayed by the public display of his wife.

Estella deflates her husband's anger by calmly noting that the portrait is a good likeness, suggesting that the image reflects truth rather than betrayal. The moment softens the conflict and changes their dynamic.

They leave the bucolic compound and travel home by train in a shared suite; Estella's mood shifts as she leans into gentle affection, even touching Tony with her stocking-clad foot. The journey marks a transition back to ordinary life.

On the train, Estella falls asleep and dreams she is naked on a cliff with the other women, a surreal image that encapsulates the film's tensions about desire, art, and morality.