THEY FOUND A CAVE

Australia, 1962, 61 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Andrew Steane.

They Found a Cave is a pleasant, brief Australian children's film, one of the few made in Australia in the early '60s. It was made lin Tasmania and uses the local terrain to great advantage. Most of the cast are amateurs except for Beryl Meakin and Michael Boddy (later to be a food journalist). It is interesting to compare the quality of film-making with later Australian children's films - this was the era of developing television.

1. A popular children's film? Themes and characters?

2. The work of the Australian industry in the '60s? This being one of the few features made?

3. The use of Tasmanian locations, their beauty and ruggedness? The background of Peter Sculthorpe's score? The harmonica-playing by Larry Adler?

4. The basic situation and children identifying with it and with the characters?

5. The sketching of the children: the English orphans and the Tasmanian boy? Cherry, Nigel, Brick, Nippy? Their English background, orphans, not at home in Tasmania? Living with Jandie? Befriending Tas and his helping them? Their delight in the countryside, their escapades together, finding the cave? Their reaction to the Pinners? The raid and the adventure?

6. Tas as the local, the leader, his know-how, an engaging character? The orphant following him?

7. Jandie: nice, her home, the sheep, having to go to hospital, the Pinners and their plot?

8. The Pinners as the villains of the film? Their plot against Jandie, the chi,ldren knowing about it, taking the sheep, the build-up to the climax, the trick, the-police?

9. The enjoyment of the action sequences and the adventure? for children's entertainment? Popular ingredients?