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Title They're a Weird Mob
Copyright Title They're a Weird Mob
Released 1966
Production Year 1966
Director Michael Powell
Comments The budget for "They're A Weird Mob" came from the Rank Organisation, Britain's National Film Finance Corporation and the remainder from J.C. Williamson Ltd. The film was publicised as a "re-birth" of Australian cinema, and indeed, it enjoyed much commercial success; sustaining an unbeaten record at Sydney's State Theatre and grossing $3 million from Australian screenings in under one year.



However, because of the distribution-exhibition agreement arranged by Williamson-Powell, the producers only received one-sixth of this amount by 1967 and would not recoup production costs until 1974. Because these frustrations eventuated in spite of the film's large box-office success, "They're a Weird Mob" became a major player in alerting everyone to the Australian film industry's need for government support.
Synopsis Adapted from the 1957 novel by John O'Grady (writing under the pseudonym Nino Culotta), "They're A Weird Mob" is about Italian immigrant Nino, his arrival in Sydney and his endeavours to adapt to the Australian traditions of mateship, learn the local lingo and win the heart of Kay Kelly - the daughter of a building contractor. The portrayal of Australians in the film is widely caricatured (the process of stereotyping is reversed to include Anglo-Australians) and Walter Chiari's performance is admirable as Nino.



Nevertheless, the film misses the subtle quirkiness of the characters that is present in the book and the displacement and alienation of a new Italian immigrant in a foreign country is never adequately explored.
tags: comedy 
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