They're a Weird Mob
Encyclopedia
They're a Weird Mob is a 1966 film based on the novel of the same name
by John O'Grady
under the pen name
"Nino Culotta", the name of the main character of the book. It was one of the last collaborations of the British
filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
. The film stars Walter Chiari
, Chips Rafferty
and Clare Dunne
.
immigrant
, newly arrived in Australia
. He expected to work for his cousin as a sports writer for an Italian magazine. However on arrival in Sydney
Nino discovers that the cousin has abandoned the magazine, leaving a substantial debt to Kay Kelly. Nino declares that he will get a job and pay back the debt.
Working as a labourer Nino becomes mates with his co-workers, despite some difficulties with Australian slang
and culture of the 1960s. Nino endeavours to understand the aspirational values and social rituals of everyday urban Australians, and assimilate. A romantic attraction builds between Nino and Kay despite her frosty exterior and her conservative Irish father's dislike of Italians.
A tone of racism exists in the film between Anglo-Saxon/Anglo-Irish characters such as Kay Kelly's dad Harry (Chips Rafferty) and Nino. This is undermined when Nino, sitting in the Kelly house notices a picture of the pope on the wall. Nino says "If I'm a dago
, then he's a dago". Realising the impossibility of referring to the pope by that derogatory term, Harry gives in.
brought in his long-time collaborator Emeric Pressburger
, who wrote it under the pseudonym "Richard Imrie."
The film started filming in October 1965 was shot at a number of locations in the area of Sydney
, New South Wales
, Australia
:
The film has been credited with the revival of the moribund Australian film industry
, which led to the Australian "New Wave" films of the 1970s.
In 1968 John McCallum wrote that of the $2 million the film had then earned, only $400,000 had been returned to the filmmakers..
They're a Weird Mob
They're a Weird Mob is a 1966 film based on the novel of the same name by John O'Grady under the pen name "Nino Culotta", the name of the main character of the book. It was one of the last collaborations of the British filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger...
by John O'Grady
John O'Grady
John Patrick O'Grady was an Australian writer. His works include the comic novel They're a Weird Mob and the poem The Integrated Adjective, sometimes known as Tumba-bloody-rumba.- Pseudonym :...
under the pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
"Nino Culotta", the name of the main character of the book. It was one of the last collaborations of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
Powell and Pressburger
The British film-making partnership of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, also known as The Archers, made a series of influential films in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1981 they were recognized for their contributions to British cinema with the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award, the most prestigious...
. The film stars Walter Chiari
Walter Chiari
Walter Chiari, stage name of Walter Annichiarico , was a hugely successful Italian stage and screen actor, mostly in comedy roles....
, Chips Rafferty
Chips Rafferty
Chips Rafferty MBE was an iconic Australian actor. Called "the living symbol of the typical Australian", Rafferty's career stretched from the 1940s until his death in 1971, and during this time he performed regularly in major Australian feature films as well as appearing in British and American...
and Clare Dunne
Clare Dunne
Clare Dunne OAM is an Irish-born Australian actress, author, lecturer and broadcaster. Her first name is also found as Claire.-1960s Australian celebrity:Dunne was a popular Australian television and film personality of the 1960s...
.
Plot
Nino Culotta is an ItalianItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
immigrant
Post war migrant arrivals, australia
In the immediate aftermath of World War II, Ben Chifley, Prime Minister of Australia from 1945 to 1949, established the Federal Department of Immigration and thereby launched a large scale immigration program...
, newly arrived in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He expected to work for his cousin as a sports writer for an Italian magazine. However on arrival in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
Nino discovers that the cousin has abandoned the magazine, leaving a substantial debt to Kay Kelly. Nino declares that he will get a job and pay back the debt.
Working as a labourer Nino becomes mates with his co-workers, despite some difficulties with Australian slang
Australian English
Australian English is the name given to the group of dialects spoken in Australia that form a major variety of the English language....
and culture of the 1960s. Nino endeavours to understand the aspirational values and social rituals of everyday urban Australians, and assimilate. A romantic attraction builds between Nino and Kay despite her frosty exterior and her conservative Irish father's dislike of Italians.
A tone of racism exists in the film between Anglo-Saxon/Anglo-Irish characters such as Kay Kelly's dad Harry (Chips Rafferty) and Nino. This is undermined when Nino, sitting in the Kelly house notices a picture of the pope on the wall. Nino says "If I'm a dago
Dagö
Dagö is a folk rock band from Tallinn, Estonia.Dagö was formed in 1998 by Lauri Saatpalu, Peeter Rebane and Tiit Kikas. Dagö is the old name of the Estonian island Hiiumaa. In the year 2000 the band published its first album called Dagö. For this album they received the Folk/Ethno Album Of The Year...
, then he's a dago". Realising the impossibility of referring to the pope by that derogatory term, Harry gives in.
Cast
- Walter ChiariWalter ChiariWalter Chiari, stage name of Walter Annichiarico , was a hugely successful Italian stage and screen actor, mostly in comedy roles....
as Nino Culotta - Clare DunneClare DunneClare Dunne OAM is an Irish-born Australian actress, author, lecturer and broadcaster. Her first name is also found as Claire.-1960s Australian celebrity:Dunne was a popular Australian television and film personality of the 1960s...
as Kay Kelly - Chips RaffertyChips RaffertyChips Rafferty MBE was an iconic Australian actor. Called "the living symbol of the typical Australian", Rafferty's career stretched from the 1940s until his death in 1971, and during this time he performed regularly in major Australian feature films as well as appearing in British and American...
as Harry Kelly - Alida Chelli as Giuliana
- Ed DevereauxEd DevereauxEd Devereaux was an Australian actor, who lived in the UK for many years. He was best known for playing the part of "Matt Hammond" in the Australian children's television series Skippy. He was also involved in the series behind the scenes: Devereaux directed The Veteran , for which he received...
as Joe Kennedy - Slim DeGrey as Pat
- John MeillonJohn MeillonJohn Meillon was an Australian actor, most widely known outside Australia for his role as Walter Reilly in the films "Crocodile" Dundee and "Crocodile" Dundee II. He also voiced Victoria Bitter beer commercials until his death.-Biography:Meillon was born in Mosman, Sydney...
as Dennis - Charles Little as Jimmy
- Anne HaddyAnne HaddyAnne Haddy was an Australian film and television actress, best known for her role in the long-running soap opera, Neighbours.-Early and personal life:...
as Barmaid - Jack AllenJack AllenJack Allen may refer to:* Jack Allen * Jack Allen * Jack Allen * Jack Allen , Unionist in Northern Ireland* John F...
as Fat Man in Bar - Graham KennedyGraham KennedyGraham Cyril Kennedy, AO was an Australian radio, television and film performer, often called Gra Gra and The King of Australian television.-Childhood:...
as himself (cameo)
Cast notes
- John O'GradyJohn O'GradyJohn Patrick O'Grady was an Australian writer. His works include the comic novel They're a Weird Mob and the poem The Integrated Adjective, sometimes known as Tumba-bloody-rumba.- Pseudonym :...
, the author of the novel, makes a cameo appearanceCameo appearanceA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
as the grey-bearded drinker in the pub in the opening sequence of the film. - Alida Chelli was the girlfriend of Walter Chiari, but almost didn't get the part because she was thought to be too glamorous and might have upstaged Clare Dunne.
Production
They're a Weird Mob was optioned a number of times by filmmakers, but none of them could come up with a workable screenplay until director Michael PowellMichael Powell (director)
Michael Latham Powell was a renowned English film director, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger...
brought in his long-time collaborator Emeric Pressburger
Emeric Pressburger
Emeric Pressburger was a Hungarian-British screenwriter, film director, and producer. He is best known for his series of film collaborations with Michael Powell, in a multiple-award-winning partnership known as The Archers and produced a series of classic British films, notably 49th Parallel , The...
, who wrote it under the pseudonym "Richard Imrie."
The film started filming in October 1965 was shot at a number of locations in the area of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
:
- Bondi BeachBondi Beach, New South WalesBondi Beach is a popular beach and the name of the surrounding suburb in Sydney, Australia. Bondi Beach is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council, in the Eastern Suburbs...
- Circular QuayCircular Quay ferry wharf, SydneyCircular Quay Ferry Wharf is the complex of the main commuter wharves in Circular Quay in Sydney, Australia. It is part of the Sydney Ferries network. It is the terminus for all public ferry routes in Sydney....
(where the ferry comes ashore) - Clark IslandClark Island (New South Wales)Clark Island is an island in Sydney Harbour, Australia. It lies offshore of the Sydney suburb of Darling Point, in the eastern section of the harbour between the Harbour Bridge and the harbour entrance. It is 0.9 hectares in area....
(the beach party) - Hunter StreetHunter Street, SydneyHunter Street is a cross street in the Central Business District of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It stretches from George Street in the west to Macquarie St in the east. The street was originally named Bell Street. It is named after Governor Hunter, the second Governor of NSW....
and Elizabeth StreetElizabeth Street, SydneyElizabeth Street is a street in Sydney, Australia.-Description and history:Elizabeth Street runs south from Hunter Street, past Hyde Park and David Jones, Central station and through the inner city suburbs of Surry Hills, Redfern, Waterloo and Zetland...
in the central business district - Martin PlaceMartin Place, SydneyMartin Place, formerly known as Moore Street, is a pedestrian mall in the central business district of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Home to the Reserve Bank of Australia, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Macquarie Bank and other corporations, Martin Place is synonymous with corporate...
(where Graham KennedyGraham KennedyGraham Cyril Kennedy, AO was an Australian radio, television and film performer, often called Gra Gra and The King of Australian television.-Childhood:...
asks Nino for directions) - Manly Beach
- Neutral BayNeutral Bay, New South WalesNeutral Bay is a harbourside suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Neutral Bay is located 5 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of North Sydney Council....
(final scene shot at 9 Wallaringa Ave, Neutral Bay) - "The House That Nino Built" is located at 128 Greenacre Road in GreenacreGreenacre, New South WalesGreenacre, a suburb of local government areas City of Bankstown and the Municipality of Strathfield, is located 17 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the state of New South Wales, Australia, and is a part of the South-western Sydney region.-History:This area was once...
, a suburb of Sydney. The actors dug trenches, poured concrete, laid bricks and so on, and it was then finished professionally and sold to raise funds for The Royal Life Saving SocietyRoyal Life Saving Society AustraliaRoyal Life Saving Society Australia has been serving Australia for over 110 years and is the leading water safety, swimming and lifesaving education organisation in Australia. It is active all over Australia. Its branches, members, volunteers, trainers and lifesavers are found in almost all...
. The stars' footprints were set in concrete slabs in the pathway. - Punchbowl railway station, where Nino is picked up by Joe prior to his first day at work has changed over the years. In a previous configuration it was possible to park a vehicle virtually at the bottom of the northern steps.
- Dobroyd PointDobroyd Point, New South WalesDobroyd Point is a historical locality in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Dobroyd Point is part of the suburb of Haberfield, in the local government area of the Municipality of Ashfield. This locality faces the southern shoreline of Iron Cove bounded on the...
(where Nino & Kay want to build)
The film has been credited with the revival of the moribund Australian film industry
Cinema of Australia
Cinema of Australia, more commonly referred to as the Australian film industry, refers to the system of production, distribution, and exhibition of films in Australia. Film production commenced in Australia in 1906 with the production of The Story of the Kelly Gang, the earliest feature film made...
, which led to the Australian "New Wave" films of the 1970s.
Box Office
They're a Weird Mob grossed $2,417,000 at the box office in Australia, which is equivalent to $26,127,770 in 2009 dollars.In 1968 John McCallum wrote that of the $2 million the film had then earned, only $400,000 had been returned to the filmmakers..
External links
- Reviews and articles at the Powell & Pressburger Pages
- They're a Weird Mob at the National Film and Sound Archive
- They're a Weird Mob 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...