Share
Clip description
The children have stolen the horses, food and walking boots of the thieves and laid a trap. As the three men walk slowly out of a box canyon, Snow (Nicky Yardley) directs the others with hand signals. They roll boulders down the narrow opening of a gorge to scare the men. Long Bill (Chips Rafferty) thinks they are being attacked by wild Aborigines; Jim (John Fernside) wants to turn back. The tough guy Blue (Stan Tolhurst) climbs the rocks and takes a shot at the first thing he sees – one of the children’s hats. Michael (Michael Yardley) thinks he’s been shot, but it’s a near miss.
Curator’s notes
This is classic Children’s Film Foundation kind of stuff – action, rather than talk, with the children shown as creative, inventive and fearless when faced with the corrupt adult world. Nicky Yardley, who plays Snow, was one of the most loved characters in the film, partly because he always seems to be right out on the edges of cliffs, with absolutely no fear! Ralph Smart used him again in Bitter Springs made in 1950. (Any information on the whereabouts of any of these actors would be appreciated – please contact this site).
