With the blurb of the National Film and Sound Archive copy proclaiming it as an exploration of "one hundred and fifty years of Australian history through the national myths of the visionary, the pioneer and the national builder...", I was expecting a "How The West was Won" type expose on the opening of Australia but was thoroughly disappointed. Most importantly it failed dramatically to captivate any narrative interest.
As pointed out in the earlier review, the stock-footage from World War One, the 1920s and 1930s beginning the third act of the movie came as an interesting historical aside. It was lovely to see a pan of Princes Bridge and St. Pauls Cathedral in Melbourne circa 1930 anyway. The brief historical re-enactment at the start of the film of the Port Jackson settlement of First Fleet times was quite captivating.
The main players - especially Frank Harvey - perform dismally and are overshadowed by slightly more polished co-stars.
As pointed out in the earlier review, the stock-footage from World War One, the 1920s and 1930s beginning the third act of the movie came as an interesting historical aside. It was lovely to see a pan of Princes Bridge and St. Pauls Cathedral in Melbourne circa 1930 anyway. The brief historical re-enactment at the start of the film of the Port Jackson settlement of First Fleet times was quite captivating.
The main players - especially Frank Harvey - perform dismally and are overshadowed by slightly more polished co-stars.