Le Voyageur des plaines

The Shiralee ends on a curious note. Will it's protagonist Peter Finch ever shape up and realize he has responsibilities? After watching it today I kind of wonder.

I doubt during the days of The Code whether a lead character like Finch ever could have been in an American film. He's charming and determined to seed those wild oats until the well runs dry. One of those wild oats became Dana Wilson his little daughter and the two live like vagabonds, not unlike the Carmody family in The Sundowners.

They're not enjoying life like the Carmodys though. Finch takes work where he can find it in the Australian national industry of sheep raising. There's no family unity here as the Carmodys have because Finch is totally estranged from his wife Elizabeth Sellars. He's also not picking things up either with another former flame Rosemary Harris. And another little side dalliance with shop girl Barbara Archer is the cause of some near tragedy.

If Finch can ever stop thinking with his male member there's a chance he might just finally grow up. For the sake of his little girl he'd better.

Despite all these character defects Finch being the great actor that he is does make you have a rooting interest in his hopefully eventual maturity.

The Shiralee is a wonderful picture of Australia in the 50s and even today one of the most optimistic places I've ever visited. This one is a real charmer and don't let it get away.

Given the plot line, this could easily have been cutesy or mawkish. It isn't, though. Peter Finch is brilliant in his understated playing and the supporting cast is very fine.

Maybe because I've known men estranged from their wives who have taken their children on their quests through life, I was fascinated and very moved. The last half or gets a little busy and the (anti)hero's leaving his daughter with an unknown wanderer is implausible. But Finch holds the hole together brilliantly. And the actress playing his little girl is a natural. She never tries to charm us. Perhaps that is a credit to the director as much as to the performer.

There are simialrities (if memory serves) between this and the later, better known and lauded "Paper Moon." Of the two, I prefer this by a hundred thousand miles.

It is a charmer and a bit of a heart-breaker -- much like the character played by Finch.

Peter Finch's first film for Ealing was 'Eureka Stockade' and nearly ten years later he returned down under to make one of their last Australian productions; a film of which very few have heard but was actually the star's personal favourite of his own films, considering it most representative of his antipodean roots.

Finch is for once cast as a bona fide Australian and uncharacteristically rough round the edges. The film is a drama with an Australian setting rather than a travelogue with settings rather plainly rendered in black & white. A strong female contingent includes Tessie O'Shea, Elisabeth Sellars and a very young Rosemary Harris.

Peter Finch is terrific as a traveling swagman, traversing the Australian outback in search of work and shelter. Finding his Sydney based wife shacked up with another man, he takes his daughter (Dana Wilson) and resumes his wandering ways. The film does a good job of keeping a lid on sentiment and features outstanding cinematography by Paul Beeson, who usually worked on less inspired fare like Tarzan Goes to India, Die Monster Die!, and Starcrash. One of the last efforts of Ealing Studios, and a good one, though certainly not on a par with their Alec Guinness comedies.

I'm surprised at how few reviews this very good film has so far.

Very well cast and acted especially the wee girl of course. I presume that, like every other country, this way of life has gone almost seventy years later.

Odd to see Sid James without his trademark laugh appearing at regular intervals but this was not a comedy film of course.

I had expected some native Australians to make an appearance but there was none to be seen.

It runs along very nicely with an interesting plot with a few sub plots to keep the viewer interested through the whole film.

Well worth watching so let's see some more reviews appearing soon.