Ginger Meggs

Loved this movie as a kid...

Watched it over and over on Movie cassette when they were around.

I am 38 and tried tracking down a DVD Copy of it for years and years and finally managed to get hold of a DVD Copy of this movie and watched it, brought back sooo many memories Lol...

Still watch it every now and then, gotta be one of my most favorite movies when I was a kid, along with BMX Bandits with Nicole Kidman in it, I think that movie was the movie that took her to fame...

I also managed to track down a DVD Copy of BMX Bandits...

Old School memories...

Loved this movie growing up. Knew a couple of the actors as kids, whilst growing up in the. 80s in Sydney The memories / nostalgia and sets are great.

Producers did a great job making a 1930s Sydney Suburb of Hornsby (where Ginger grew up) . Bowral still looks the same. The bridge where Ginger pulls up the cart is still there , the lake setting in Mittagong etc etc. The school still looks the same, (other than the fencing ) . The use of vintage cars pony carts etc is great and the extras are dressed in detailed perfect tine period clothing

That corner / ice cream bar construction set was well made , should have been kept - it looked that great.

The child acting is poor , and comes over as they are reading a book with no full stops. Minimal emotion But the script isn't the best , some lines don't make sense relating to the movie .

Coogan - Daniel Cumerford is the best child actor , with Mini the worse Meggs / Paul Daniel has minimal charisma

RIP - Daniel Cumerford.

Not sure why I haven't looked this up before! I was a "Paid extra" in Ginger Meggs at the age of 10 and certainly remember the time fondly. We were all kids... So played together during filming! I remember being envious of Shelly's pink muffs and beautiful hair that was constantly in curlers on set! I remember sitting next to Gwen Plumb and Miss Sharp who played the piano in the school concert scenes that I was in. The concert scenes were filmed in what was an old convent in Moss Vale (now a private school). The days were long, so we entertained ourselves with stories that the convent was haunted (mind you it may well have been... I recall some odd things happening!!!). I recall the feasts we enjoyed from the catering van... I'd never seen such a spread! I was there at least a week and earned a fortune (ahem... Well in the eyes of a ten year old!!!). I was filmed in many scenes, and had the role of the lead ballet dancer on stage... I was meant to go in the wrong direction and Mr Crackett chased me with his stick! Clearly my acting didn't transcend because it ended on the cutting room floor and I'm in the actual movie very briefly!!!

Most just loved the amazing look of this Aussie eccentric: John Seale (OSCAR for The English Patient) shot it in what was then a very surreal visual style... wild revue acting with a great cast of character actors also made it a lot of fun and it did very well in Oz according to box office figures...the young actors did their best competing with a very stylish set and some Big Top scenes that tended to overwhelm the whole shebang at times. Many of the actors went on to star in other things (John Wood has become a legend in the TV series Blue Heelers, which make the whole movie a rather historic time capsule.

But above all, the sheer high spirited energy and great look of the art direction and cinematography as well as a totally over the top rock(?) soundtrack -when you'd think a mouth organ would have done the job- make this a real and underestimated keeper. But GM never got a DVD release...why?

I saw a lot of this movie being made, in fact I met Ginger Meggs and other characters whilst the movie was being made. I have friends and relatives in the movie also, which makes the movie a personal favorite.

Set in and around the township's of Mittagong and Bowral in the Southern Highlands of NSW, this is a true Aussie film, filmed in one of the most picturesque parts of Australia. It holds a special place in my heart, just like another movie that is also filmed in Robertson in the Highlands, Babe. I guess it takes me back to simpler days, where children were easily entertained and having fun with friends mean't riding push bikes and making mud pies :)

I have been trying to find a copy of this movie for years, but have had no luck! If anyone is lucky enough to find this movie please let me know. :)