The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)(about) |
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Monday 26 June 1950
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'Bitter Springs'
is triumph
for aborigines
By F. KEITH MANZIE
TPHE world premiere of the Australian
film, "Bitter Springs," handled in a lavish and smoothly-co-ordinated manner in Adelaide on Friday night, was notable for tWO reasons. mm^Jtvwmi^vjiumLwmmmmii
First, for the way the aborigines "stole" the show with intelligent, enthusiastic, and real- istic performances.
Secondly, for the orderly and perfectly behaved way the excited Adelaide public reacted to the "gala" at- mosphere of this big South
Australian occasion.
When premieres are held in Melbourne (and in Sydney, too, it is stated) sightseers inevitably- mass outside the theatre, impede proceedings, and behave in an uncontrolled manner which neither police nor theatre officials can handle.
Which means that ticket holders who arrive late have liter- ally to fight their way into the theatre through struggling crowds.
Both Melbourne and Sydney could take a lesson from how the equally - enthusiastic Adelaide
people co-operated with police -
ana onicuis and saw and he-ud
all theie was to see and heai without inj pushing and shov- ing Then bchatioui added to the pleasuie ol a mernot able night
Bittei Spiings itself n(,am emphasises the fact that the Aus ti allan scene is most photogenic end that Austi alian camel amen and technicians can ptoduce a high-giade film Some of HIL photogiaphic qua'it j was out standmg
Vitality and drama
"DUT it íemained foi the
aboiigmal membeii> of
the cast lo intcst a somewhat steieotjped Austiahan stoij ue miniscent of both The Otet lan- det s and Sons of Matthew ) with the utahtj and di ama which make Bittei Spiings a pleasing but not outstanding film
As tiibesmen who tesent the intiusion of white settleis on to then wateihole camping giound these natue Austtalians hate tc sponded to duection in a way which should ensute Btttti Spiings an enthusiastic tecep
tion oteiseas
The white membeis of the cast ate not quite so cominan^,
.
rTHE expei îenced Tommy
Tiindei is, of couise, veiy
much at ease in the comedv te lief tole of inexpett handy man
±jut the paît is moie a aistiaction than an aid to action and atmos pheie
Chips Raffeitj is much bettci suited to the íole of the home sleadei impatient of native lights than he has been to íecent film chaiacteis But he is still scll constious ni his plnvmg-as aie the othci membeis of the cast
' Bittei Spiings" bungs noth- ing liesh to the Austi allan film industij in plot and pioduction methods But it adds a lot of in teiest to film enteitammcnt geneially in highlighting the liibal customs of the abongine, and in pioving his film-acting
abilities
TOMMY TRINDER ¡