The last official Cinesound film - shorts, and Smithy did follow, but Smithy was made for Columbia. Sad because this is so slick and confident.
You do sense boredom from Hall with comedy. The firemen sequence is outstandingly funny. The Laughing gas scene not bad. Other stuff not as good - Dad telling Ossie Wenban the birds and the bees, Dad charming snobs at fancy dress... these seem like retreads of Dad and Dave Come to Town.
The film copies a lot of that - mum's inspirational speech. Alec Kellaway is back and just as gay.
Hall seems more interested in spectacle and Hollywood drama - Dad and Webster fighting over the dam, a crooked political machine smashing up operations a la Mr Smith Goes to Washington (Aussie politics is very corrupt here), trying to stop a dam flooding, a romance between charming Yvonne East and Grant Taylor (slim, handsome, balding, terrific). The backprojection of the dam. All the extras running to vote. There's even a little song and dance at the end where people celebrate Dad's victory.
East and Taylor are a sweet team. Also very sweet is where Dad and Mum discuss their old romance.
Barbara Weeks is in it as a man trap American but she's hardly a threat. (This feels very "Frank Harvey" this plot. The political machine plot feels very cribbed from Hollywood especially Capra.)
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