Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954), Friday 15 February 1935, page 14


AUSTRALIAN FILMS CRITICISED

Bullock Teams and Bloomers SYDNEY, Februarv 14.

During the debate in Parliament to-day on the film quota Bill Mr. Matthews (Labour, Leichhardt) said that many Australian pictures held

u**» vsiuiiiuuiiwcail'il up LO llUlCUlc abroad. The bullock team which galloped in 'Heritage' committed a gross disservice to the country. Any country man knew that bullock teams did not gallop. Another Australian picture showed a country girl with bloomers down to her knees. That film went abroad, and was a disgrace to Australia. The girl in the country to-day compared favourably with the girl in the city. Mr. Burke (Labour, Newtown) said that the Premier had a personal interest in supporting the Bill. He and Mr. Weaver had been collaborating in an Australian production, and they could appear on the Australian screen as Laurel and Hardy. Earlier the Premie.- (Mr. Stevens), in a voice shaking with anger, and rising at times to a high pitch of indignation, had replied amidst uproar to charges made by Mr. Matthews. Mr. Stevens had denied that there was any truth in suggestions that undue influence had been exercised Dn the Government in relation to the drafting of the Bill by persons interested in the film industry. Mr. Matthews had said it was not in Australian film quota Bill— it was a. party fund measure. Members of the Ministry were interested in the film Industry. The Premier's sister was employed by Szarka Brothers, and the Deputy Premier (Mr. Bruxner) had shares in Expeditionary Films, Ltd. It had been denied that Mr. Chauvel was a nephew of Mr. Bruxner, but he would ask if Mr. Chauvel was any relation at all to Mr. Bruxler. The Bill had been introduced to boost the shares of Expeditionary Films, Ltd.