On Our Selection (1932 film)
Encyclopedia
On Our Selection is a 1932 comedy based on the Dad and Dave stories by Steele Rudd
. These had been turned into a popular play
by Bert Bailey
and Edmund Duggan
in 1912, which formed the basis for the screenplay. Bailey repeats his stage role as Dad Rudd. He also write the script with director Ken G. Hall
.
) and his family: he owes some money to his rich neighbour, old Carey (Len Budrick), who is determined to break Dad financially; his educated daughter Kate is pursued by two men, the poor but devoted Sandy (Dick Fair
) and Carey's villainous son Jim (Jim Warwick); one of his workers, Cranky Jack (Fred Kerry), has a mysterious background; comic visits from a parson (Arthur Dodds) and country dentist who removes Dad's tooth; his dim son Dave (Fred MacDonald
) proposes to his girlfriend, Lily (Lilias Adeson); his other son, Joe (Ossie Wenban), causes slapstick havoc; Dave gets married and moves out with his wife and tries to borrow money from his father; Dad's daughter Sarah (Bobbie Beaumont) is pursued by the high-voiced Billy (Fred Browne), who Dad doesn't like; Dad Rudd runs for parliament opposite Carey; and his horse wins a race.
The main story concerns the death of Jim Carey. He attempts to blackmail Kate into being with him by lying about what she did in the city, and Sandy knocks him out. Carey later turns up dead and Sandy is suspected of the murder. The Rudds hold a dance and a police officer turns up to arrest Sandy when Cranky Jack confesses he killed Carey because the dead man stole his wife. The film ends with Dad and Mum happily watching the sun come up.
and was made for ₤6,000. Fifty percent of the profits went to Bert Bailey.
Most of the cast had appeared in the stage version. Although Bert Bailey was clean shaven and generally wore a fake beard for his stage performances, Hall insisted he grow a real beard for the film version; Bailey did and ended up wearing a beard for the rest of his life.
Shooting took place in mid 1931, partly in a makeshift studio at an ice skating rink in Bondi Junction, with location filming in Castlereagh, Penrith. Crucial to the movie's success was a sound recording system invented by Tasmanian engineer Arthur Smith. (Hall later said of Smith that "there would have been no Cinesound without him".
The cinematographer, Walter Sully, was a newsreel cameraman. It was the only feature he made for Cinesound as he soon left to go work for Fox Movietone.
and the theatrical partnership of Bert Bailey
and James Grant. In 1938 Hall estimated that 70% of the film's income had been earned in country regions.
The movie launched Hall's career as a director and led to three sequels, starting with Grandad Rudd
(1935). All the sequels featured Bert Bailey
as Dad and Fred MacDonald
as Dave, but different actors would play Mum and their other children.
Steele Rudd
Steele Rudd was the pseudonym of Arthur Hoey Davis an Australian author, best known for On Our Selection.-Early life:...
. These had been turned into a popular play
On Our Selection (1912 play)
On Our Selection is a 1912 Australian play by Bert Bailey and Edmund Duggan based on the stories of Steele Rudd. Bailey played Dad Rudd in the original production....
by Bert Bailey
Bert Bailey
Albert Edward Bailey , better known as Bert Bailey, was a New Zealand-born writer and actor best known for playing Dad Rudd on stage and screen.-Biography:...
and Edmund Duggan
Edmund Duggan (playwright)
Edmund Duggan was an Irish-Australian actor and playwright best known for writing a number of plays with Bert Bailey including The Squatter's Daughter and On Our Selection . His solo career was less successful than Bailey's. His sister Eugenie was known as "The Queen of Melodrama"...
in 1912, which formed the basis for the screenplay. Bailey repeats his stage role as Dad Rudd. He also write the script with director Ken G. Hall
Ken G. Hall
Kenneth George Hall, AO OBE , better known as Ken G. Hall, was an Australian film director, considered one of the most important figures in the history of the Australian film industry.-Early years:...
.
Synopsis
The movie opens with the title card "bushland symphony", followed by sounds and vision of the Australian bush. It involves a series of various subplots centered around a "selection" in south west Queensland owned by Dad Rudd (Bert BaileyBert Bailey
Albert Edward Bailey , better known as Bert Bailey, was a New Zealand-born writer and actor best known for playing Dad Rudd on stage and screen.-Biography:...
) and his family: he owes some money to his rich neighbour, old Carey (Len Budrick), who is determined to break Dad financially; his educated daughter Kate is pursued by two men, the poor but devoted Sandy (Dick Fair
Dick Fair
Dick Fair , full name Richard Edward Fair, was an Australian actor and radio compere, best known for hosting the enormously-popular radio shows 'Australia's Amateur Hour' and 'Australia's Hour of Song'...
) and Carey's villainous son Jim (Jim Warwick); one of his workers, Cranky Jack (Fred Kerry), has a mysterious background; comic visits from a parson (Arthur Dodds) and country dentist who removes Dad's tooth; his dim son Dave (Fred MacDonald
Fred MacDonald
Fred MacDonald , was an Australian actor best known for playing Dave Rudd opposite Bert Bailey on stage and screen, starting with the original 1912 production of On Our Selection...
) proposes to his girlfriend, Lily (Lilias Adeson); his other son, Joe (Ossie Wenban), causes slapstick havoc; Dave gets married and moves out with his wife and tries to borrow money from his father; Dad's daughter Sarah (Bobbie Beaumont) is pursued by the high-voiced Billy (Fred Browne), who Dad doesn't like; Dad Rudd runs for parliament opposite Carey; and his horse wins a race.
The main story concerns the death of Jim Carey. He attempts to blackmail Kate into being with him by lying about what she did in the city, and Sandy knocks him out. Carey later turns up dead and Sandy is suspected of the murder. The Rudds hold a dance and a police officer turns up to arrest Sandy when Cranky Jack confesses he killed Carey because the dead man stole his wife. The film ends with Dad and Mum happily watching the sun come up.
Production
The film was the first full length feature from Cinesound ProductionsCinesound Productions
Cinesound Productions Pty Ltd was one of Australia's first feature film production companies. Established in June 1932, Cinesound developed out of a group of companies centred around Greater Union Theatres, that covered all facets of the film process, from production, to distribution and...
and was made for ₤6,000. Fifty percent of the profits went to Bert Bailey.
Most of the cast had appeared in the stage version. Although Bert Bailey was clean shaven and generally wore a fake beard for his stage performances, Hall insisted he grow a real beard for the film version; Bailey did and ended up wearing a beard for the rest of his life.
Shooting took place in mid 1931, partly in a makeshift studio at an ice skating rink in Bondi Junction, with location filming in Castlereagh, Penrith. Crucial to the movie's success was a sound recording system invented by Tasmanian engineer Arthur Smith. (Hall later said of Smith that "there would have been no Cinesound without him".
The cinematographer, Walter Sully, was a newsreel cameraman. It was the only feature he made for Cinesound as he soon left to go work for Fox Movietone.
Reception
On Our Selection was an enormous success at the box office, being among the top four most popular films in Australian cinemas in 1932 and earning ₤46,000 in Australia and New Zealand by the end of 1933. It was continually revived and by 1953 had earned an estimated £60,000. The profits were split 50-50 between Cinesound ProductionsCinesound Productions
Cinesound Productions Pty Ltd was one of Australia's first feature film production companies. Established in June 1932, Cinesound developed out of a group of companies centred around Greater Union Theatres, that covered all facets of the film process, from production, to distribution and...
and the theatrical partnership of Bert Bailey
Bert Bailey
Albert Edward Bailey , better known as Bert Bailey, was a New Zealand-born writer and actor best known for playing Dad Rudd on stage and screen.-Biography:...
and James Grant. In 1938 Hall estimated that 70% of the film's income had been earned in country regions.
The movie launched Hall's career as a director and led to three sequels, starting with Grandad Rudd
Grandad Rudd
Grandad Rudd is a 1935 comedy featuring the Dad and Dave characters created by Steele Rudd and based on a play by Rudd. It was a sequel to On Our Selection, and was later followed by Dad and Dave Come to Town and Dad Rudd, MP.-Original Play:...
(1935). All the sequels featured Bert Bailey
Bert Bailey
Albert Edward Bailey , better known as Bert Bailey, was a New Zealand-born writer and actor best known for playing Dad Rudd on stage and screen.-Biography:...
as Dad and Fred MacDonald
Fred MacDonald
Fred MacDonald , was an Australian actor best known for playing Dave Rudd opposite Bert Bailey on stage and screen, starting with the original 1912 production of On Our Selection...
as Dave, but different actors would play Mum and their other children.
Cast
- Bert BaileyBert BaileyAlbert Edward Bailey , better known as Bert Bailey, was a New Zealand-born writer and actor best known for playing Dad Rudd on stage and screen.-Biography:...
as Dad Rudd - Fred MacDonaldFred MacDonaldFred MacDonald , was an Australian actor best known for playing Dave Rudd opposite Bert Bailey on stage and screen, starting with the original 1912 production of On Our Selection...
as Dave Rudd - Alfreda Bevan as Mum Rudd
- John McGowan as Maloney
- Molly Raynor as Kate Rudd
- Dick FairDick FairDick Fair , full name Richard Edward Fair, was an Australian actor and radio compere, best known for hosting the enormously-popular radio shows 'Australia's Amateur Hour' and 'Australia's Hour of Song'...
as Sandy Graham - John Warwick as Jim Carey
- Billy Driscoll as Uncle
- Lilias Adeson as Lily White
- Len Budrick as Old Carey
- Bobbie Beaumont as Sarah Rudd
- Ossie Wenban as Joe Rudd
- Fred Kerry as Cranky Jack
- Dorothy Dunkey as Mrs White
- Fred Browne as Billy Bearup
- Arthur Dodds as parson
External links
- On Our Selection in the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- On Our Selection at Australian Screen OnlineAustralian Screen OnlineAustralian Screen Online is an on-line database operated by the Australian National Film and Sound Archive. It provides information about and excerpts from a wide selection of Australian feature films, documentaries, television programs, newsreels, short films, animations, and home-movies. It also...
- On Our Selection by Steele RuddSteele RuddSteele Rudd was the pseudonym of Arthur Hoey Davis an Australian author, best known for On Our Selection.-Early life:...
at Project GutenbergProject GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...