The collection features colour footage of the London Blitz in 1941, scenes of the Churchill family at home and the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, while also including, like most home movies, footage of family holidays, birthday celebrations and weddings.

Shot on 16mm colour film, these home movies are a rare glimpse into the life of the longest serving Australian Prime Minister as well as an historical record of Australian political life during the Second World War.

After being given a 16mm camera by his good friend, George Nicholas, Sir Robert Menzies began filming home movies in 1941, the same year as he recorded footage of the London Blitz. When interviewed for The Canberra Files (2006), Menzies’ daughter Heather Henderson explained how her father captured the mood of the country (England) during the Blitz and how the films correspond to his diaries. Menzies had access to many people, allowing him to record the Churchill family at home as well as members of the British Royal Family.

The home movies are shot with an eye for composition and were edited in a way that not only told the story but did so in an interesting way. According to Heather Henderson, Sir Robert used to visit Kodak production studios to instruct the technicians on how to edit his films. He also created his own title cards and often screened his home movies after dinner at The Lodge.

Dame Pattie Menzies donated the Menzies Home Movie Collection to the National Film and Sound Archive in 1985. It was in good condition and most of the titles have been transferred to video.

Curator

Elizabeth Taggart-Speers