All critics 1 fresh 1 regarded as a classic, this film takes a kindhearted look at sydney in the mid 60s. British pathe also represents the reuters historical collection, which. Nino culotta, both narrator and apparent author of the novel, travels from northern italy on an assignment from his boss to write about what kind of people these australians are for. Comic novel by john ogrady under the pseudonym nino culotta written in 1957.
Nino culotta walter chiari is an italian journalist who is lured by his brother into coming to australia to work. It could also be argued that the commercially successful barry mckenzie films made by bruce beresford in the early 1970s owe a debt to powells early stab at the. Nov 11, 2016 within a decade of the premiere of theyre a weird mob, the australian film industry had produced sunday too far away, picnic at hanging rock, and the devils playground. Walter chiari, who plays nino, was a veteran italian actor, with 75 films to his credit. Definitions of theyre a weird mob film, synonyms, antonyms, derivatives of theyre a weird mob film, analogical dictionary of theyre a weird mob film english. Theyre a weird mob 1966, directed by michael powell. Its a warming and optimistic story told with unpretentious charm. Theyre a weird mob is a 1966 australian film based on the novel of the same name by john ogrady under the pen name nino culotta, the name of the main character of the book. Theyre a weird mob is a fish out of water story based on the 1957 best selling novel by john ogrady of an italian immigrant whos hoodwinked into coming to sydney and is taken in by his coworkers and finds romance.
A rare 1960s hit from the codirector of the red shoes, this warm tale of an. Documentary about the making of the film they re a weird mob about an italian adjusting to life in australia. Though it wasnt the best film ever to grace the screen at the state, theyre a weird mob contributed significantly to the idea that an australian film industry revival was neither a. I knew nothing about theyre a weird mob before watching it, except that it was the work of legendary film duo michael powell and emeric pressburger although pressburger is credited under a pseudonym. The tensions of the rich wave of migration to australia after world war ii were satirised and sanitised by the enormously popular adaption of nino culottas john ogradys comic novel theyre a weird mob. They re a weird mob was also probably the first australian film made with a realistic eye to international distribution, not only because much of the movie seems to delight in explaining and translating many examples of aussie lingo, but because it takes delight in simply showing australians being australians and them being a weird bloody. Weird mob is a maleensemble film in this interwar tradition.
Aug 08, 2012 trailer to the movie they re a weird mob, 1966 film based on the novel of the same name by john ogrady under the pen name nino culotta, the name of the main character of the book. Theyre a weird mob they are a weird mob nonusa format, pal, reg. Theyre a weird mob film wikipedia republished wiki 2. Walter chiari, ed devereaux, john meillon, tony bonner, clare dunne, chips rafferty, alida chelli, slim degrey, charles little, anne haddy, michael powell, theyre a weird mob they are a weird mob, theyre a weird mob, they are a weird mob, michael powell, walter chiari, ed devereaux. The book was the first published novel by ogrady, with an initial print run of 6,000 hardback copies. It was the penultimate collaboration of the british filmmakers michael powell and emeric pressburger. Based on a popular australian novel, this comedy was produced down under in 1966. Theyre a weird mob italian import walter chiari scores in a role that seems tailormade an italian journalist who emigrates to australia to write for an italian journal in sydney edited by. Theyre a weird mob nfsa national film and sound archive.
Theyre a weird mob is sometimes credited with reviving the australian film industry. Contexts in which to place theyre a weird mob and into which. But the acerbic lawson also pointed out that powells movie is a frustrating glimpse of what it would be like to have our own film industry, of how it might be to. The first of michael powells australian ventures, a very bizarre comedy about the prejudicial problems that face a. The critics have never really warmed to theyre a weird mob. Mar 05, 2014 theyre a weird mob, film critic adrian danks argues, is essentially about ninos acculturation through adoption of mainstream concepts of australian culture, and particularly through language. Nino culotta is an italian immigrant, newly arrived in australia. Jessica au works for readings online and is the author of cargo. Leaving aside the films willingness to engage with national stereotypes for laughs, and its domestic box office success, the film can actually be credited with the first stirrings towards government intervention in and support of.
Documentary about the making of the film theyre a weird mob about an. Goodnatured comedy about an italian immigrant to australia and the wacky culture into. Theyre a weird mob 1966 clip 1 on aso australias audio and. Occasionally, you can find her down at readings st kilda. An essay published on the website slamdunkstudios argues that the political message that underlines theyre a weird mob, is assimilation. Theyre a weird mob is a 1966 film based on the novel of the same name by john ogrady under the pen name nino culotta, the name of the main character of the book. Graham kennedys short cameo in theyre a weird mob 1966 is his first feature film appearance, although he was an uncredited extra in on the beach 1959 nino culotta played by walter chiari is an italian migrant who has recently arrived in australia and is looking for work. The 2001 film dirty deeds is a good chaser to weird mob because it is set in 1969, and at the height of the american changes in sydney. Nino culotta walter chiari is an italian journalist who is lured by.
Theyre a weird mob is a popular australian comic novel written by john ogrady under the pseudonym nino culotta, the name of the main character of the book. The film provides an example of the work of famous british filmmaker michael powell 190590. Theyre a weird mob rewatched like crocodile dundee in reverse. Australian film industry owes much to a film about a weird mob. The films episodic plot structure, fishoutof water comedy and use of the idioms of mateship appear to have more in common with the backblocks farce of on our selection raymond longford, 1920 than with sydneys 1960s urban culture. Powells mission was quite different to that of the hollywood studio executives trying to repatriate capital locked up by australian law and making summer of the 17th doll, on the beach, both 1959, etc. They re a weird mob 1966 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. I knew nothing about they re a weird mob before watching it, except that it was the work of legendary film duo michael powell and emeric pressburger although pressburger is credited under a pseudonym.
The tensions of the rich wave of migration to australia after world war ii were satirised and sanitised by the enormously popular adaption of nino culottas john ogradys comic novel they re a weird mob. It could herald the rebirth of the australian film industry. In a way, theyre a weird mob reads just as much as a loveletter to the australian language as it does as a paranorma of immigration and cultureshock in 1950s sydney. In less than six months, the book had been reprinted eight times and sold 74,000 copies. Trailer to the movie theyre a weird mob, 1966 film based on the novel of the same name by john ogrady under the pen name nino culotta, the name of the main character of the book. Based on a popular australian novel, this comedy was produced. Definitions of they re a weird mob film, synonyms, antonyms, derivatives of they re a weird mob film, analogical dictionary of they re a weird mob film english.
Theyre a weird mob 1966 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Writing in nation, sylvia lawson offered a typical contemporary view, calling the film tenthrate, slapdash and very scrappylooking. According to a book published in 2006, edited by scott hocking, that i bought in melbourne in 2007, which collates the choices of various critics and other. Again, i sat there with my jaw lolling unattractively as nino culotta stumbles from one misadventure to another. It was one of the last collaborations of the british filmmakers michael powell and emeric pressburger.
He mixes with bricklayers, policemen, lifesavers, makes friends, learns the language, engages in fisticuffs, gets married and makes a niche for himself in oz. With walter chiari, claire dunne, chips rafferty, alida chelli. His ease and physical grace as a comic actor give the film a lot of its charm. Theyre a weird mob was also probably the first australian film made with a realistic eye to international distribution, not only because much of the movie seems to delight in explaining and translating many examples of aussie lingo, but because it takes delight in simply showing australians being australians and them being a weird bloody. Certainly everybody in the motion picture in australia is vitally interested in the success of the film. The first australian film to be made in 7 years, its success meant that the australian government was pressed to provide money for further film funding. Featuring a veritable cavalcade of australian actors and entertainers, including the legendary chips rafferty the leading aussie screen star of the 1940s and 50s, standup comic slim degrey and future crocodile dundee sidekick john meillon, theyre a weird mob broke local boxoffice records and pointed the way towards the coming new wave. They re a weird mob is a popular australian comic novel written by john ogrady under the pseudonym nino culotta, the name of the main character of the book. This interesting feature covers the inception of the film and its genesis, from the original novel by john ogrady to the filming of an australian classic. Essay by peter krausz, reproduced from 100 greatest films of australian cinema with permission. The films episodic plot structure, fishoutof water comedy and use of the idioms of mateship appear to have more in common with the backblocks farce of on our selection raymond longford.
It was this that peculiarly made theyre a weird mob the first genuinely australian feature film of the modern era. May 21, 2012 theyre a weird mob was submitted to publisher ure smith by his son, and went on to sell around a million copies, before falling out of print thirtyeight years later. The film is uneven, and certainly below their best work, but it has moments of great comic charm and ingenuity. Theyre a weird mob the 100 greatest australian films. This is an australian film, about australians with australian financial backing. Theyre a weird mob is a 1966 australian film based on the novel of the same name by john ogrady under the pen name nino culotta, the name of the main. To use the fair dinkum language communicated by the films narrator, it.
Theyre a weird mob is destined to be one of the great successes in 1966 in australia. Contexts in which to place theyre a weird mob and into. Graham kennedys short cameo in they re a weird mob 1966 is his first feature film appearance, although he was an uncredited extra in on the beach 1959 nino culotta played by walter chiari is an italian migrant who has recently arrived in australia and is looking for work. Leaving aside the film s willingness to engage with national stereotypes for laughs, and its domestic box office success, the film can actually be credited with the first stirrings towards government intervention in and support of the local industry. Documentary about the making of the film theyre a weird mob about an italian adjusting to life in australia. Sep 25, 2014 but theyre a weird mob is hardly warts and all. Unfortunately, its pretty weak stuff from the acclaimed british filmmakers. Theyre a weird mob is a 1966 film based on the novel of the same name by john ogrady under the pen name nino culotta. Theyre a weird mob, film critic adrian danks argues, is essentially about ninos acculturation through adoption of mainstream concepts of australian culture, and particularly through language. Its also a rather indescribable film and i dont really know what it is despite having seen it. They re a weird mob is a 1966 australian film based on the novel of the same name by john ogrady under the pen name nino culotta, the name of the main character of the book.
They re a weird mob is a fish out of water story based on the 1957 best selling novel by john ogrady of an italian immigrant whos hoodwinked into coming to sydney and is taken in by his coworkers and finds romance. They re a weird mob is a 1966 film based on the novel of the same name by john ogrady under the pen name nino culotta, the name of the main character of the book. The stars of the comedy film the weird mob having lunch on the. The film is based on a book written by john ogrady under the pen name nino culotta which is also the name of the main character walter chieri, an italian. Walter chiari, ed devereaux, john meillon, tony bonner, clare dunne, chips rafferty, alida chelli, slim degrey, charles little, anne haddy, michael powell, theyre a weird mob they are a weird mob, theyre a weird mob, they are a weird mob, michael powell. Theyre a weird mob 1966, directed by michael powell film.