DAD RUDD M.P.

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 61, 23 August 1940, Page 21

DAD RUDD M.P.

(Cinesound) Once upon a time we always went to a film of the Australian home-grown variety hoping for the best. but expecting the worst. After seeing "Dad Rudd, M.P.", however, it looks as if the day may not be far off when we won't always have to apologise for the fact that a film is Australian. That is not to suggest that "Dad Rudd, M.P.", is the morning star of a new movie age. Far from it. The show isn’t exactly good but it isn’t exactly bad, either, so we still have to fall back on reminding ourselves that it’s Australian-grown. But where there’s progress there’s hope, and it looks as if the Australian film-makers are on the right track that leads out of the bush on to the road to Better Films-maybe even Bigger Films, Perhaps some day they’ll even succeed in making films that

have nothing about them that is an anzemic copy of the worst efforts of English and American producers. It is the film’s lack of pretension that helps to make it satisfactory, Of course, it may be Cinesound’s most pretentious undertaking to date-it depends how you look at it. But on the whole the film succeeds in what it attempts to do. The Rudds-Dad and Dave, Ma and Mabel, and the rest of them-need no introduction. They do the things we expect they’ll do in the only way they can. And they do them well. The plot has whiskers as thick as Dad Rudd’s but it has a couple of worth-while motives tagged on to it. The story hinges round the building of a dam and the importance of water conservation to the man on the land. It is from this that Dad’s political aspirations and his success

arise. He has to contend with the usual villain who doesn’t want the dam to be built any higher: so they both set off to run for Parliament. As usual, too, the villain has a son who is in love with Dad’s daughter-and there you are. The end is in sight almost: from the beginning. But they get there by way of plenty of fun, a little sentiment, ‘a thrill or two, and a spot of romance. Altogether, "Dad Rudd, M.P.", is something a little more that’ usual cowshed capers, even though the crudity isn’t entirely missing. Anyway, the Americans still stick to throwing a pie or two on occasions, so perhaps the Australians can be excused if they stick to a dude milking a cow as a means of getting a laugh. If you’re looking for a show that will take you away from the radio and the Daventry news, and don’t want a soulstirring drama or anything savouring of Higher Things, you'll probably enjoy "Dad Rudd, M.P."