Bush Christmas

Very fun and very different Australian Christmas tale. Some thieves steal horses from a local farmer. The farmer's kids and their friends, a visiting English boy and an Aborigine boy named Neza, take off after the horse thieves themselves. Their pursuit takes them into the Australian bush. Eventually the kids catch up to the thieves and must use their brains to defeat them and get their father's horses back. This is a fun, likable film that's probably unlike anything most kids today have seen. Particularly American kids. I didn't see it until I was an adult but it I enjoyed it a lot. If you want to try a unique Christmas movie, then please try this one out. It's a keeper.

What a breath of open air and joyful hope this film from the faraway "Dominion" of Australia would have brought to British children worn out from near six years of war 1939-1945, and continuing material shortages in every aspect of life! The sunshine, outdoors sights and sounds, freedom to roam, all had a powerful emotional impact. Ralph Smart caught something of Australia as Australians even now think it ought to be. Chips Rafferty looked and sounded just like the mythic Aussie outback male: capable, good-hearted, courageous and humorous. A fine achievement by the Children's Film Foundation, which was itself an expression of optimism as Britain emerged from a hard-draining war.

Interesting mainly ( for adults point of view ) for it's glimpse into a by-gone era of outback life in post-war Australia. We see the children on horseback being allowed to camp in the Australian bush by themselves with a high level of self-sufficiency. The Australian bush adds a splendid back-drop ( almost a "lost world" feel ) to the story.

Well acted by the young cast and supported by able adult actors as well. This original version shot in black and white has a unique quirky feel to it. For the kids it's a fun kids vs bad guys story too.

The exotic wildlife looks without too much interest in this Aussie travelogue and template for the sort of thing the Children's Film Foundation were making ten years later as a trio of crooks (led inevitably by Chips Rafferty) are harassed by a bunch of kids.

This being Down Under, there isn't the water for (SLIGHT SPOILER COMING:) the miscreants to get their usual dunking at the conclusion.

The story could be tighter and the film shorter, but otherwise it's hard to find fault with this superb adventure film for children. The black and white cinematography is gorgeous - it's actually rather difficult to capture sweeping landscapes on black and white, but here it looks easy, it's so well done. The story is interesting, the dialog well written, the acting is superb - the kids never get annoying and remain authentic throughout, well supported by the adults who display a remarkable naturalism. Certainly it's "just for kids," that was its intent, and it succeeds admirably. If only one of the many versions of "Tom Sawyer" could have achieved such natural grace and energy! Has held up quite well after more than sixty years.