GRANDAD RUDD
Australia, 1935, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Bert Bailey, Fred Mac Donald, George Lloyd, William Mc Gowan, Kathleen Hamilton, Lillas Adeson, Les Warton, Elaine Hamill.
Directed by Ken G. Hall.
Grandad Rudd was the first of three successful spin-offs from Ken G. Hall's successful On Our Selection (1932).
Based on a play by Bert Bailey, On Our Selection had been filmed by Raymond Longford in 1922. The 1932 sound version was very successful and the characters popular. In the manner of later sequels and television series, the characters are decked out again - without quite the panache of the original. They go through comic motions which are entertaining but without the spirit of the first film. There are a lot of amusingly contrived sequences, an image of rather cantankerous people out in the bush, a villain from South Africa involved in drug-smuggling and a rather posh-sounding heroine. The entertainment value is still there in a rather dated way.
1. The impact of the original film? Entertainment value? Deriving from Steele Rudd’s stories? The play by Bert Bailey? Capitalising on the success of the original? Retaining its spirit? The manner of later television series?
2. Production values: the stars, black and white photography, the country locations? The musical score?
3. The image of the Rudds? Relationship with the original? Their being transported in time to the 130s? Dad being older and retired? Mum very old? The sons and their wives? The heroine and the hero - with the international villain lurking in the background? Work on the farm? Traditions? The Australian agricultural and farming spirit?
4. The comic tone of the film, the hardness of the characters and their attitudes? Dad and his meanness, laying down the law, ruling people's lives? The sons and their fear of their father? The wives and their complaints and standing up to the old man? The question of his will and expecting him to die? The old man outwitting his sons e.g. getting them to sing to the cows. putting up the rent etc.?
5. Dad as the patriarchal figure? Humour. kindness. hardness? Bright ideas like improving the milk output? The focus on money? Mum and her memories, the softer touch?
6. Dave and co. and their work on the farm, ganging up? The contrast with Dan and his return to the farm? His wanting the money?
7. The humour of courting traditions? The comic portrayal of Amelia Banks? Her throwing herself at Dan? The families contriving their meeting? The wooing? The party - and the comedy of Dad returning home and the comedy with the baby? The build-up to the wedding?
8. The Banks family and the preaching about teetotal attitudes? Mr. Banks drinking with Dad and returning drunk?
9. Betty and Henry Cook? Cook and his trying to outwit people and cheat them? The romance? Betty spurning Tom? The irony of the actress telling the truth about Cook?
10. The build-up to the wedding? Dad's intervention? The exposure of Cook? His being trapped by the actress and by Dad acting the cable? The happy ending?
11. A pleasant glimpse of farming life? The importance of the cricket match and the trick photography, the satire on the playing of cricket? Satire on cricket itself? The blend of farce, comedy, melodrama?
