Bush Christmas (1947 film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bush Christmas |
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| Directed by | Ralph Smart |
| Produced by | Ralph Smart |
| Written by | Ralph Smart |
| Narrated by | John McCallum |
| Starring | Chips Rafferty John Fernside |
| Music by | Sydney John Kay |
| Cinematography | George Heath |
| Editing by | James Pearson |
| Studio | Children's Entertainment Films |
| Distributed by | Rank Organization (United Kingdom) Universal Pictures (United States) Umbrella Entertainment |
| Release date(s) | June 1947 (UK) 19 December 1947 (Australia) |
| Running time | 76 minutes |
| Country | Australia United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £25,000 or £15,000 |
Bush Christmas is an exciting adventure film from 1947. It was made in both Australia and the United Kingdom. This movie was one of the first from a special group called Children's Entertainment Films. This group later became the Children's Film Foundation. They made movies just for kids! The film was directed by Ralph Smart and stars Chips Rafferty.
Contents
The Great Horse Chase: A Bush Adventure
In the beautiful Australian countryside, five young friends love to explore. This group includes siblings, an English boy who came to Australia during the war, and an Aboriginal girl named Neza. One day, they meet three strangers: Long Bill, Jim, and Blue. The kids proudly tell them all about a special mare (a female horse) that belongs to one of their fathers.
The very next day, the mare is gone! The children quickly suspect the three strangers. They decide to go after them to get the horse back. Their adventure begins as they track the suspected thieves.
They find the horse thieves and try to get their attention. The kids cleverly steal the men's food and even their shoes! This makes the thieves very annoyed. The children then get trapped by the thieves in an old, empty ghost town. But don't worry, they are rescued just in time! It's a thrilling chase to the very end.
Meet the Stars: Who's in the Movie?
This film features a great cast of actors. Here are some of the main characters:
- Chips Rafferty as Long Bill
- John Fernside as Jim
- Stan Tolhurst as Blue
- Helen Grieve as Helen
- Nick Yardley as Snow
- Morris Unicomb as John
- Michael Yardley as Michael
- Neza Saunders as Neza
- Pat Penny as father
- Thelma Grigg as mother
- Clyde Combo as Old Jack
- Edmund Allison as policeman
Behind the Scenes: Where Was it Filmed?
The movie was filmed entirely on location in March 1946. This means they shot the movie outside, not in a studio! They filmed in some amazing places in Australia.
Filming Locations
The main filming spots were in the Capertee Valley and at Kanangra Tops. They also filmed in the Burragarong Valley, which is part of the beautiful Blue Mountains. They even spent a week filming at Carr Park in Kogarah.
Fun Facts from Filming
During filming, Neza Saunders, one of the child actors, fell off a horse. Luckily, she was okay and recovered in just two days! After all the filming was done, the movie was put together in Sydney by June 1946.
More Adventures: Spin-Offs and Future Plans
Bush Christmas was so popular that it led to other cool things!
Books and Radio Shows
The story was turned into a series in children's magazines. A book version of the script was also published. The film was even made into a radio show, featuring a young actor named John Meillon.
Future Film Ideas
After the success of Bush Christmas, the director, Ralph Smart, had big plans. He wanted to make many more children's films in Australia. He even planned a movie set on a Northern Territory outback station and a serial about buckjumping (riding wild horses). Nick Yardley, one of the child actors, even signed a contract for these new films.
However, these exciting new films didn't end up happening. Ralph Smart later made another film called Bitter Springs in 1950, also starring Chips Rafferty.
What Happened Next?
Helen Grieve, who played Helen in the movie, stopped acting to study science. Another child actor, Nick Yardley, later had an accident involving a boomerang.
