DAD RUDD, M.P.

Australia, 1940, 83 minutes, Black and white.
Bert Bailey, Connie Martyn, Yvonne East, Fred Mac Donald, Ossie Wenban. Valerie Scanlan, Alec Kellaway, Frank Harvey, Grant Taylor, Jean Robertson, Barbara Weekes, Ronald Whelan, Letty Craydon, Marshall Crosby, Joe Valli.
Directed by Ken G. Hall.

Dad Rudd, M.P. was the last of Ken G. Hall's Cinesound features. It was completed as World War Two broke out. It is the third of the sequel/spin offs from Hall's originally successful On Our Selection in 1932. There were farm high jinks and comedy in Grandad Rudd. The family took a more sophisticated step from the country to the city with Dad and Dave come to town. With this screenplay, the Rudds come right into the 1940s. It is a far cry from Steele Rudd's original pioneer stories. However, the film is entertaining and has been likened to the Andy Hardy series in the United States.

Bert Bailey retains his strength of presence and contributed with regular Cinesound writer Frank Harvey to the screenplay. He has the opportunity at the end to make a very rousing speech about the future of Australia - it would be patriotic and hopeful at the best of times but was especially impressive for morale-boosting at the beginning of World War Two. Fred Mac Donald continues his humorous role as Dave. Connie Martyn had taken on the role of Mother in Dad and Dave Come to Town and she continues it here. She is much younger than Mum in the previous two films. The screenplay tinted with the marital relationships of the sons. They are made much more available in the latter two films.

Grant Taylor is the romantic lead and Chips Rafferty made an uncredited appearance in the fireman sequence. With political campaigns, elections, double-dealing and the question of darns, the film continues to be relevant not only in its nostalgic salute to the good old days but in its presentation of perennial political fights.

1. The entertainment value of the film? Its place as the final film in the series? Popularity, greater sophistication and the Rudds coming into the 1940s? The nature of the changes from the original conception and characterisation through the series?

2. Cinesound production values and their improvement through the '30s? The picture of the farm, the city sequences, interiors, political campaigning? The special effects with the dam and the flood?

3. The tradition of the pioneers in the Rudds? The origins as hicks and hayseeds? The transition to respectability and for Dad to consider Parliament and political influence? The continuing of the themes and style of Dad and Dave Come to Town?

4. The character of Dad - patriarch, his ruling his family? Somewhat more genial than in previous films? His retirement? His clash with Webster about the dam? His being insulted by Webster and his decision to stand? The comedy in the visits to town - especially sharing the room with Dave? The invitation to Webster's party and his success with the stories? The sabotage to his campaign? His ultimate victory?

5. Bert Bailey and his contribution to the series? Characterisation of Dad? His age and reputation by 1940? The impact of the content and style of his 'Australia is great' speech? Its effectiveness at the end of the film? The rhetoric, the way that it was filmed - close-ups and angles? The parliamentary response, the family response - and the audience sharing it?

6. Dave and the rest of the family and the regular comedy? The highlight with the fire brigade trials? The comedy with Dad as Magistrate and the hearing of the case and his insulting the woman? Webster in the dock?

7. The underlying serious themes: society, financial deals, campaigns and dirty tricks?

8. Tim Webster and his love for Anne? The difficulties of the clashes between the family? Clashes? The danger for the collapse of the dam? Ferrying the voters across? His contribution to Dad's victory?

9. The comedy with Entwhistle? Alec Kellaway's variety with comic roles? The effeminate manner? Remarks and expressions? His place in the earlier film? His presence at the Rudds', his work with the fire brig~ ade, his being put in jail, the hearing before Dad, his participation in the campaign and his role as manager, his shrewdness in getting the models to coffee from the shop to help in the campaign? Their leading all Webster's audience out to Dad's speech?

10. The blend of comedy, melodrama, politics? A picture of Australia around 1940?