Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), Thursday 5 June 1952, page 1


Brilliant Seene At Opening

Of 'Kangaroo'

Large crowds gathered under arc lights in Rundie street to watch the arrival of a brilliantly

dressed audience ior last night's premiere of Kangaroo at the Regent Theatre. The foyer was crowded with early arrivals watching for distinguished guests, and from the door to the dress circle a uniformed guardofhonor of Red Cross workers emphasised the link with that society. The Adelaide premiere was on behalf of Red Cross, which will receive more than £1,300 as a result. The color of the scene was heightened by the marching of the Central Command military band. This first night was under the patronage of the Governor (Sir Willoughby Norrie), Lady Norrie, the Lieutenant - Governor (Sir Mellis Napier) and Lady Napier, the Premier (Mr. Playford) and Mrs. Playfora the Chief Secretary (Mr. McEwin) and Mrs. McEwin, the Lord Mayor (Mr. Arthur Rymill) and the Lady Mayoress. As a film, 'Kangaroo' lacks plot. The story of two rascals who return with an old cattleman to his droughtstricken station is tritei than most Westerns. A germ for powerful drama in the confusion of a love affair with the stationowner's daughter and the posing; by the 'baddy' hero as a missing son has not been allowed to grow. Force is lacking because Harry Kleiner's dialogue is artificial and lame. It owes nothing to the vigor of Australian or the pace of American colloquialunn. Australian flavor is not tc be gained by sprinkling pdc phrases like 'tucker' anc 'fair go' amid Victoriar melodramatics. Film-making in Australia has been advanced by the exploitation of color by director Lewis Milestone, and this increases the appeal of mobs of cattle made familiar in 'The Overlanders' or the aborigines, who again nearly steal the show as they did in 'Bitter Springs.'

Color has been usedi gauntly with' sepia sunsets and grim grey and brown landscapes to show the drought with which the century opened. — NORMAN MEARES. Travelled MUes PORT AUGUSTA; June 4. The premiere of the film -Kangaroo' which was made at Port Augusta - last year was greeted tonight by a large audience, many ot whom had travelled several hundred miles from Kingoonya and pastoral holdings in the North-West After the show the Mayot (Mr. Riches MP) said the film did nothing to advertise Australia, but it was probably never intended to do so. The start of the film was held up for about 30 minutes by failure of the town's electricity supply. The Red Cross expects to benefit by about £300 as a result of the show. Foyer Jammed MELBOURNE, June 4.— Six thousand people jammed tlie Regent Theatre foyer and spread over the street and footpaths at the premiere of '?Kangaroo' tonight. It was Melbourne's most spectacular film preview. At one stage. 3,000 people outside the tneatre and another 1.000 in the foyer stopped people talcing up their seats. More than £2,000 was raised from the sale of tickets for the Red Cross, Following are aspects of the film as seen by newspaper critics:— 'SON PICTORIAL.' MELBOURNE :— 'The magnifi

eni scenery ana oaeggrouna, ixpertly handled by color ihotography, is the main trength of the film.' 'STONES MORNING HERALD':— 'The film is ust a mediocre Western nelodrama, with a novelet;ish plot that seldom seems )lausible because of the unmaginative script and the :olorless writing of the iharacters, especially in the role Maureen O'Hara plays.' 'COURIER MAIL,' BRISBANE:— 'Its greatest lack is originality. The great Australian picture has yet to be Rimed.'