The Squatter's Daughter

For a movie to begin with a statement from the Prime Minister is definitely odd...... but then again, the "Talkies" had only been around for a few years when this movie was made.

Nowadays we associate Elgar's "Land of Hope and Glory" with England... so firmly with England that it seems a little strange to hear it played in association with another land. But it plays during the opening credits of the Squatter's Daughter.And to what glorious effect!

It is the season of sheep shearing. The sheep are being mustered and brought in from the sun-bleached grassy paddocks. On their backs is the chief source of wealth of Australia. The mounted stockmen in their broad-brimmed hats and the patient little dogs circle around the spiralling mass of sheep which grows from tens to hundreds to thousands as the music "Land of Hope and Glory" rolls on. The sunlight filters through the tall gum trees, illuminating the swirling dust, backlighting the surging mob and revealing the mythical Golden Fleece. It is one of the grand, sacred moments of Rural Australia, equal to bringing in the Hay Wain in rural Britain. I could watch these few minutes over and over again!

When this film opened with a statement from the Australian Prime Minister proclaiming its great importance I was worried. For a while my fears were realized as rather stiff acting and bad dialogue looked like sinking a well-photographed movie set in the Australian bush. But as the action hotted up Ken G. Hall's directorial vision began to show and the film became exciting, moving and spectacular. The actors seemed to relax into their roles and there is a great performance from a little cattle dog. Interesting and unique characters such as an Afghan Moslem peddler and his daughter, the title character running the farm after her father's death, a group of clowns pretending to be shearers, a handicapped man who feels emasculated by his limp, an old farmer who has gone blind etc - begin to interact in unexpected ways.

But it is the climactic bush fire sequence that makes this film unforgettable. This could not have been staged - there is real danger here, especially as the main characters huddle together in a pond as the fire rages toward them at a terrifying pace. This is brilliant film-making. Make sure you wade through the first half hour or so and you will be richly rewarded.

I don't think anyone other than serious students of Australian cinema could sit through this film. It starts off very slowly and takes a long time to get going. BUT, it does have its redeeming features. For example, it provides an interesting and reasonably accurate glimpse back into the world of Australia's prewar "Squattocracy". There are some adequate performances and the climax was quite effective. For the most part, however, "The Squatter's Daughter" is fairly typical of Australia's early sound movies. It lacks pace, is technically primitive and looks cheap. Still, the cards were well and truly stacked against film-makers in this country who had to struggle with tiny budgets, unworkable distribution deals and public indifference. However,they battled on and paved the way for those who followed. And for that we owe them a debt of gratitude.

It's easy to look back and be critical.But it's worth remembering what they were up against.