Documentary review - "The Making of 'They're a Weird Mob'" (1966) ***

Invaluable making of doco about one of the rare local film successes during the 1960s, produced and directed by none other than David Hill and presented by Ed Devereaux. Some fascinating stuff (for fans of Michael Powell and/or Aussie cinema, anyway): Powell arriving in Australia and some behind the scenes stuff involving talking with John McCallum and Lee Robinson; Devereaux commenting on Powell's prickly temper and us seeing him give Devereaux a bit of a serve; an oh-so-young-looking John Meillion making Powell laugh with his good nature; test shoots with Jeanie Drynan; footage with Clare Dunne in the surf; description of Walter Chiari which keeps emphasising his sport achievements (Hill knows how to make him palatable to Aussies at the time); Chips Rafferty talking about his hopes for the Aussie film industry; a party at the end with Rafferty reciting poetry, and everyone on the dance floor, including various hot women, John O'Grady, Devereaux and Powell.