Sweet, charming - one of the best Australian kid films made in part because there's a lot of adult content. Scenes in the aboriginal camp (some sympathetic characters refer to the "abos"), the publican sells opium to the aboriginals, Smiley's father is a drunken gambler who spends his sons money and his son reacts in a rage by smashing his bed with a cricket bat (accidentally taking out dad). There's a smug fat red haired kid lording it over Smiley, the pub is full of baggarts.
This makes the warm stuff more warm. Colin Petersen is charming as Smiley - plucky, mischievious, fun, full of life. Chips Rafferty is spot on as the copper who spends most of his work time having tea and flirting with the teacher, with a crime solved in front of his eyes but he's still slow (Smiley says John McCallum is getting him to send packages to the camp etc). Ralph Richardon's town padre is fun and its lovely that the film shows the importance of the church in small town life - though after everything in recent years I admit I did think "oh was he a kiddy fiddler."
It's made with warmth and affection. The Brits did Australia well.
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