THEY'RE A WEIRD MOB
Australia, 1966, 112 minutes, Colour.
Walter Chiari, Chips Rafferty, Claire Dunne, Alida Chelli, Ed Devereaux, Slim de Grey, John Meillon, Jeanie Drynan, Tony Bonner, Anne Haddy, Muriel Steinbeck, Gloria Dawn, Doreen Warburton, Barry Creyton, Graham Kennedy.
Directed by Michael Powell.
They're A Weird Mob was a very popular book by John O' Grady. It told the story of Nino Culotta, an Italian migrant, arriving in Sydney and trying to make his way with the difficulties of language, idiom, Australian customs. After making his way around King's Cross, he finds friends and works in the western suburbs, eventually marrying into an Australian family and settling. The comic ingredients captured a lot of the attitudes of Australia in the '50s and '60s. They were put together in this quite entertaining film version with Italian actor Walter Chiari very persuasive as Nino. A competent Australian cast, headed by Chips Rafferty inevitably, do their best with the comic situations. The film was slightly ahead of its time and was one of the few successful Australian films of the '60s. It was directed by Michael Powell, the
1. The significance and tone of the title? Indications of comedy? The impact of the comedy and its qualities?
2, Interest in the film as an Australian production of the sixties? The style of Australian filming? The contrast with later styles and techniques?
3. Its impact on the Australian audience of the 1960s? How intelligible and enjoyable for overseas audiences?
4. The contribution of colour photography of Sydney and its atmosphere, songs and light-hearted approach?
5. The importance of the comedy about language games? situations of work, home life, city life? How true to life were the incidents? How heightened and exaggerated for comic effect? For effective comment on the Australian way of life?
6. How engaging a presence waa Nino? Would audiences identify with him? How attractive a character? His arrival and naivete? The feel for the plight of migrants arriving in Sydney? The difficulties of a new culture? How did he learn? The humour of the initial encounters? going to the pub?
7. The importance of the financial trials, the effects on him and his prospects in Australia? The clash with Key Kelly? The harshness in finding himself in Sydney? Squatting, the office?
8. The importance of his getting a job? The comedy of his adaptation to the work way of life? The portrayal of Australian mateship? The heavy-handedness yet the helping hand? the families? The pleasant attitudes in the suburban way of life?
9. Nino and his ‘old world’ style, difficulties of adapting to the new: the pub, the beach, the outings?
10. How important was this characterisation of Nino for Joe, Pat, Danny, Jimmy? Their wives? The life savers?
11. Audience response to Kay? Her tendency to be aristocratic and snobbish? Her growing to understand Nino and love for him? Her parents and the importance of the interview? The prejudice inherent in Mr Kelly? The humour about the Italians, and the Pope an an Italian?
12. What had Nino achieved as he made plans for his house and took Kay to the site?
13. The film was slight yet optimistic and nice? How important is it to have this kind of film for Australian audiences? overseas?
14. What were the main Australian characteristics of this film? Strengths and weaknesses? The importance of humour and geniality?
