Temerarios

This is an impressive film, crammed with poetic images. The strong story, elegantly told, revolves around a team of cattle-drovers who undertake an epic task: to move a herd of 1,000 cattle from the north coast of Australia 1,600 miles across the outback to Queensland. A late wartime flag-waver, this movie was Ealing Studios' first foray into 'empire' subject matter. With Australia's Northern Territory facing the threat of invasion by the Japanese, a small group of assorted individuals decides to drive a herd overland to keep it from falling into the enemy's hands. Relying on their own inherent grit and resourcefulness, the overlanders cope with crocodiles, drought, desertions and stampedes as they try to bring their cattle safely into Brisbane. Chips Rafferty, as Dan McAlpine, the leader of the team, personifies Australian qualities of toughness and decency. Nicely understated action scenes and a relaxed, naturalistic style of acting make this a very watchable movie. The viewer is skilfully drawn in, and quickly develops genuine concern for the likeable characters. All in all, an excellent film.

Ealing Studios primarily known for those British comedies of which some of the best starred Alec Guinness went really out of character when they produced The Overlanders which is a modern southwestern and an outdoor film at that. It's a fictionalized account of some Aussie cattle drovers from the north who when faced with a possible invasion from Japan in 1940 drove a thousand head of cattle from the north, southeast to Brisbane to keep them out of enemy hands. Chips Rafferty who was the Australian movie star for three decades stars as the man whose vision and hard work made it possible.

A cattle drive is a cattle drive and those of us who've seen American films like Red River, The Texans, and Cowboy are familiar enough with the job requirements for herding cattle. Of course the casts of those classics. But John Wayne didn't have three women in his crew going to Missouri. Chips did, a mother and two daughters of one of his crew and they certainly held up their end.

It was interesting to see that rather than lariats the stockmen used bullwhips to keep the cattle moving. Not that they whipped the cattle because I think that would have produced some angry beasts. But the sound of the whips snapping is what keeps them moving. Of course ropes are there if needed and in one rather harrowing sequence a rope is what saves a really bad situation.

Another interesting sequence is when their train of horses gets into some poisonous weed and they lose several, a herd of wild horses called in Australia 'brumbies' are captured and broken for use. Now that can be found in a lot of American westerns.

The cattle drive of 1940 is but part of the story of Australia's greatest hour of danger and how their people came through. Darwin was bombed by the Japanese and until the Australian army was retrieved from North Africa the continent was in its greatest peril. You can see that in Nicole Kidman's Australia.

This film didn't quite have the budget Australia did, but it's a fine film from down under and a tribute to some brave and resolute people.

Many Australians are unaware of the threat posed to the top end of Australia as a direct result of a Japanese attack on Darwin during WW11. Many residential owners of farms and properties, including livestock were either destroyed or moved to safety. This film covers one such major attempt to shift thousands of prime livestock south - away from the perceived threat of advancing enemy troops. This epic cattle drive involved a massive droving venture on a scale not attempted before (1,600 miles) - which the threat of an approaching invader left little time to properly organise. This arduous journey stretched from Western Australia, through the Northern Territory to Brisbane Queensland, a vast and challenging area indeed.

This film, being the first of British Ealing Studios/Australian branch productions - covers the trials of this mighty excursion, detailing the many dangers and obstructions encountered by the small band of locals - determined to save their livelihoods while keeping the vital meat supply from an approaching enemy. Aussie, Chips Rafferty does well as the lanky stockman who suggests and implements the risky drive, while another Aussie Peter Pagan turns in able support as 'Sinbad' the ex-British sailor. Lovely Australian nursing orderly Daphne Campbell plays the daughter of a family who also joins the mighty trek southward - along with several experienced Aborigines hired as stockmen assisting with the cattle. All cast members work well together making this an impressive first-off Brit/Aussie feature. Young Daphne Campbell turned down future offers of roles overseas to stay home and raise a family.

While this production was financially successful, the following Ealing feature "Eureka Stockade" (a fine and much more involved venture) did not sell well, unfortunately ending Ealing's Australian arm's operations. Both are recommended vintage productions for equal interest as entertainment and history. The often barren Outback settings are effectively shot in stark B/W adding further drama.

Somewhat dated at the turn of the century but a wonderful look back at outback life at the end of WWII. There is no pretence in this movie... it is an honest insight into the life of the drovers who, before road trains, faced the outback with their vast herds of cattle and drove them for months through all conditions. Rafferty is of course the perfect image of the young drover of those days. There is even some dialogue relevant to the changing country and things that we would understand 50 years later. A must see for all Aussies.

"The Overlanders" is a depiction of Australia and Australians that could perhaps be regarded today as more mythical than real but the film is a worthy one as a semi-documentary look at droving as it was prior to the advent of rail and road trains.

Chips Rafferty, the Crocodile Dundee of his day, plays the part of what was seen as the typical Australian. He was frank, laconic, tough, dedicated to the task, resourceful and, above all, a friendly sort of bloke. His understated, matter-of-fact narration is a highlight."When a bore goes dry on you like that, you're in a mess." Helen, the young teen daughter, played by Helen Grieve is another highlight. There is an authenticity to her even though by today's standards her delivery sounds a bit awkward. Her physique and movement give the impression that she could really rough it in the outback. She portrayed a bush girl who could ride a horse or run with a natural ease or take a fall without fear. Grieve was used to good effect in "Bush Christmas" a year later.

Best of all, "The Overlanders" did not demonise nor patronise the Aborigines (blacks). Yes, they are depicted as workers/drovers who are there only to help and are socially separate from the whites but this is how it was. They are never used as the butt of jokes nor is their culture gratuitously questioned or ridiculed. The "wild blacks" who passively observe the cattle drive from a rock formation are given a sense of dignity without being patronised as being "noble savages".

There are far worse ways to spend an afternoon than by watching this film. You learn of some things about droving and there are a few cultural and historical bits and pieces along the way. And the stark, ragged beauty and terror of Australia's north is always worth a look. PS. Chips had been a real life drover as opposed to Paul Hogan (Crocodile Dundee) who was a rigger (painter) on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.