This clip chosen to be G
Clip description
Menzies giving an election speech, demonstrating his oratorical skills. The title comes up as the first page in a book held by a presenter who turns around and faces the camera. The presenter comments on the amazing kind of person Menzies was – revered and criticised in equal measure as well as spending time in the political wilderness. Over archival stills, the narrator gives a compressed version of Menzies’s childhood, family, schooling and some of his achievements as a young man.
Curator’s notes
The three elements in the clip (archival footage of Menzies, a presenter to camera and the use of narration) are basically what are used throughout the film to tell the story. Menzies was an extraordinary raconteur and had a sense of humour, both of which are exhibited in the archival footage in the first section of the clip.
That the filmmaker used a book in this manner for disclosing the title would suggest that this film is based on a book of the same name, but there is no mention of such a book in the credits. It could be that it was thought a clever way to reveal the title.
Much is learned about Menzies, including his nickname at one time being ‘Judkins’, after a ‘social reformer of the day’. WH Judkins attacked social evils and has been described as having ‘a florid style in the pulpit and vigorous with the pen’ – a description which could well have fitted Menzies in speech and writing mode.
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menziesp1_bb.mp4
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australianscreen is produced by the National Film and Sound Archive. By using the website you agree to comply with the terms and conditions described elsewhere on this site. The NFSA may amend the 'Conditions of Use’ from time to time without notice.
All materials on the site, including but not limited to text, video clips, audio clips, designs, logos, illustrations and still images, are protected by the Copyright Laws of Australia and international conventions.
When you access australianscreen you agree that:
- You may retrieve materials for information only.
- You may download materials for your personal use or for non-commercial educational purposes, but you must not publish them elsewhere or redistribute clips in any way.
- You may embed the clip for non-commercial educational purposes including for use on a school intranet site or a school resource catalogue.
- The National Film and Sound Archive’s permission must be sought to amend any information in the materials, unless otherwise stated in notices throughout the Site.
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ANY UNAUTHORISED USE OF MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY RESULT IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY.
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