smudge

For the very first time I watched THEY'RE A WEIRD MOB, the 1966 film from Powell and Pressburger.

For the first few minutes I was rather uncomfortable with what I was watching - all the 'Aus is wonderful and foreigners aren't' type of thing. But as Nino tried to find his feet I felt that the film became more European and at times thought that the comedy had more than a touch of Tati to it.

Ultimately the film falls into two romances - the basic romantic plot as hard-as-nails Kay softens and falls for Nino's charm, and the romanticised view that Aussies really are rough diamonds with hearts of gold beneath. A very 'light' film in the end and perhaps somewhat at odds with itself as it seemed to be trying to make some kind of comment about stereotyping at the beginning.

Nice bit of light relief when the builder's gang are trying to be genteel after Nino brings Kay home for the first time, and reasonable performances all round - but still not completely satisying when taken as a whole...

Smudge

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Steve Crook

It does often make people feel a bit uncomfortable nowadays because there are so many stereotypes flying around all at once. Italians, Australians, Irish-Australians, Chinese and quite a few others.

But the Australians generally don't seem to mind it, most of the stereotypes are just poking gentle fun at people rather then any heavy insults.

The book it was based on was very popular at the time and when they started an Italian/Australian film festival in Sydney in May 2005 they called the whole festival The Weird Mob and this film was the headline film.


And it is often cited as helping to kick-start the modern Australian film industry.

Did you spot Anne Haddy (Helen Daniels from Neighbours) as the barmaid where Nino shouts the big man? All the main Australian actors of the time are in it. Chips Rafferty, Ed Devereaux, Slim DeGrey, John Meillon & many others

And Judith Arthy (Dixie) does fill a bikini very well


Did you see it on DVD and if so, did that have the "Making of ..." documentary? That shows some of the difficulties they went through in making it, and some of the fun they had.

Steve

smudge

Steve -

It was an old copy I traded a while back, so no 'Making Of'...

Yes, I did spot Anne Haddy and had to come look at IMDb to see where I had seen her before, as it was annoying me that I couldn't place the face. I have to agree about Judith Arthy - I always did think she was quite cute as Marty's sister-in-law in RANDALL AND HOPKIRK (DECEASED).

I thought the film was something like David Lean's SUMMER MADNESS - trying to tell a decent story about its characters, but stumbling at the end by falling into the romance plotline.

I looked in on your P&P site afterwards and became educated about the film's success in Aus (etc). Maybe after I've watched it another time I'll find something different in it again; we shall see...

Smudge

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Rob Compton

I watched "Busman's Honeymoon", (1940) US title "Haunted Honeymoon" starring the debonair Robert Montgomery as Lord Peter Wimsey and Constance Cummings as Harriet Vane, with great support from Sir Seymour Hicks as Bunter and Leslie Banks as Inspector Kirk. Dreadful overacting again from Robert Newton

The two leads worked so well together, with great dialogue, though the plot was somewhat convoluted, so maybe that was the reason there were no more outings as Lord and Lady Wimsey for them. That of course and the outbreak of war, which largely curtailed MGM's British operation for the time being.

Worth viewing.

rgds
Rob

batman

Great film .... the other LPW film is good too.

Daddy .... the frisbee has gone in the water .... what a finger puppet drama queen I am!

Greyandwhite

Watched Storm Boy (1976) as I've now been living in South Australia for 8 years and haven't seen it yet. It's something of a local institution. It was filmed on The Coorong ( a local nature/beauty spot south of Adelaide) where The Murray meets the ocean. A kids film really, but good performances from David Gulpilil (just named as Gulpilil here) , as Fingerbone Bill, and Greg Rowe, as the boy, in particular. Plus a well trained pelican. A great Sunday night film even if you don't have kids and it proves that we do have a winter here too.

Yeah, that's me. Billy Balthorpe, the man with no name.

Harleybloke

'Cottage to Let' which has 'Return of the Prodigal daughter' as a bonus feature. Curious Anglia TV thing from the early 70s I'd guess. Alistair Sim, Jeremy Brett, Charles Kay, a very young Karl Howman being a very unconvincing schoolboy and the lovely Carolyn Seymour.

I'd describe it as 'Interesting'..............................opcor n:

.....You couldn't hear it, if they were shooting at me with howitzers!

batman

The Prodigal Daughter (1975) (TV)

Daddy .... the frisbee has gone in the water .... what a finger puppet drama queen I am!

Joe Fraguela

Last night I watched the following:-

36 Hours from 1953 released by Exclusive Films and starring Dan Duryea, Elsy Albiin, Eric Pohlmann, John Chandos, Ann Gudrun, Kenneth Griifth, Marianne Stone, Jane Carr, Harold Lang and Michael Golden. Dan Duryea plays Major Bill Rogers who has flown to the UK on 36 hours leave to find his estranged wife Katie played by Elsy Albiin. Nice crime drama with a very good performance from Dan Duryea.

Next was Candidate for Murder, an Edgar Wallace mystery film from 1961 starring Erika Remberg, John Justin, Michael Gough, Hans von Barsody, Vanda Godsell, Paul Whitsun-Jones, Anneke Wills and Jerold Wells. A very good thriller, Michael Gough plays Donald Edwards who has hired an assassin Kersten played by Hans von Barsody to kill his actress wife Helene played by Erika Remberg.

Final film was Dangerous Afternoon from 1961 starring Ruth Dunning, Joanna Dunham, Howard Pays, Nora Nicholson, May Hallett, Gwenda Wilson, Barbara Everest, Gladys Henson and Jerold Wells.

suzepulcheria

The Jane Austen thingy on BBC1. Apparently a satellite dish was visible in one of the outdoor scenes. Olivia Williams and Hugh Bonneville were very good, acting their socks off, but I am not sure about it generally.

"I've come a long way you know!" "Equally long way to go back..."

Joe Fraguela

Last night I watched the following films:-

The Gelignite Gang from 1956 starring Wayne Morris, Sandra Dorne, Patrick Holt, Arthur Young, James Kenney, Eric Pohlmann, Lloyd Lamble, Hugh Miller, Bertha Russell, Tony Doonan and Simone Silva. Wayne Morris plays Jimmy Baxter an Insurance Investigator interested in catching a gang of jewel theieves called The Gelignite Gang. His girlfriend Sally played by Sandra Dorne decides to do her own bit of investigating. A nice thriller. Simone Silva is only seen very briefly as a singer in a Nightclub.

Following on was Doublecross from 1955 starring Donald Houston, Fay Compton, Anton Diffring, Delphi Lawrence, William Hartnell, Allan Cuthbertson, Frank Lawton, John Blythe, Harry Towb, Gene Anderson, Kenneth Cope, Raymond Francis, Ann Stephens and Bruce Gordon. Donald Houston plays Albert Pascoe a fisherman who does a bit of Salmon Poaching on the sly much to the disapproval of Whiteway played by William Hartnell who is always on the look out to catch him poaching. 3 visitors arrive in Cornwall who are seeking to escape to foreign parts by Boat, Albert agrees to help them. He soon discovers they are running away from the Police. A very good film with some good and humerous performances. Robert Shaw has a bit part as a Bell Ringer.

Lastly was The Shakedown from 1959 starring Terence Morgan, Hazel Court, Robert Beatty, Bill Owen, Donald Pleasence, Harry H Corbett, Gene Anderson, Eddie Byrne, Dorinda Stevens, Sheila Buxton, John Salew, Eddie Byrne, Georgina Cookson, Joan Haythorne, Larry Burns and Arthur Lovegrove. Terence Morgan plays Augie Cortona recently released from Prison who sets about reclaiming his underworld business, first he has to get the business back from ex colleague Gollar played by Harry H Corbett. Augie sets his sight on a new venture which is a ruse for blackmail amongst other things. A highly enjoyable film with some very good performances, Terence Morgan is brilliant in his role, the late Hazel Court looked absolutely divine.

stevie boy

The Gelignite Gang what a great title

stevie boy

We Dive at Dawn, very good

Shaun

I enjoyed watching a gem from the Blood on the Carpet series, a BBC production from 2000. This one featured the big clear out of the 'dinosaur' Radio One DJ's by the then controller of R1, Matthew Bannister. It is very, very funny and quite cutting too. As one who grew up to the sounds of Radio 1 and by and large loathed most of these anal personalities it was also quite theraputic.


Shaun

smudge

THE ADVENTURES OF P.C. 49 - Hugh Latimer made a very dozy 49; far less entertaining than Brian Reece...

Smudge

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...