Thanks, Chris!
I enjoyed watching that film. My first take was that the driver of the newspaper van was on the wrong side, then it occurred to me that there was a reason. I also was surprised to see so many American built cars - especially the Ford Falcon '63. That was the model of the first new car I ever bought. Noticed the super constellation with the US insignia and the TAA (Trans Australian Airlines?) jet. I thought only Qantas flew in Oz.
Thanks for the trip. The clothing and ladies dress styles were very familiar to me.
Some Nostalgia for Our Mr. Greaves and Perhaps Others
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Re: Some Nostalgia for Our Mr. Greaves and Perhaps Others
Bob's yer Uncle
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Re: Some Nostalgia for Our Mr. Greaves and Perhaps Others
No, Bob, Thank YOU for alerting me to these sorts of movies.
I rode back to Uni from Geraldton, 300 miles, one summer in a newspaper van. He had driven Perth-Geraldton up the Three Springs Mingenew road, during the night and was returning via The Great Northern Highway. He made the trip six days a week, a twelve-hour drive.... the driver of the newspaper van was on the wrong side,
I was seventeen and had not realised how expert we become when we live a task. Besides the flat bundles of papers he had several cartons of papers rolled individually with an elastic band. He would reach behind his seat, grab a rolled newspaper, and nonchalantly toss it off to the left or right. I watched amazed as each paper hit the front door of a farmhouse set back from the road. Indeed, as I type this I think not only of his accuracy (brought about through habit and feedback), but of the strength of his throwing arm. And remember, it was a different skill to throw out the driver's door side than to toss it over the roof of the van to the passenger door side.
Yes, Australia had car plants that worked to blueprints from the United States, with modifications for local use.I also was surprised to see so many American built cars - especially the Ford Falcon '63.
The Super Constellation dates the image to pre-1962. In 1962 Perth got The Commonwealth and Empire games, a big runway, and for the first time, jets! "The tail fin is as high as a three-storey building!!!" was the Live! from Guildford reporter's astonishment.Noticed the super constellation with the US insignia and the TAA (Trans Australian Airlines?) jet. I thought only Qantas flew in Oz.
TAA and Ansett are long gone, as is MMA (also known as Mickey-Mouse Airlines).
Qantas was and is the international carrier, like Pan-Am or BOAC. Qantas have annouced a 21,000 reduction in jobs.
So you liked the two bank managers chatting at the 7m27s mark? I find that type of dress strange, now, but it would look in place (and I would dress like that) were I back there.The clothing and ladies dress styles were very familiar to me.
Cheers, and thanks again
Chris
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Re: Some Nostalgia for Our Mr. Greaves and Perhaps Others
Then there is "Life in Australia", set in Melbourne, which, as everyone knows, is in The Eastern States.
The opening scenes, set in the busy heart of the downtown core, show the impact of the contemporary victorious Covd-19 shutdown in Victoria.
There is love and romance and, towards the end, a dazzling display of suburban vinyl-covered lounge suites.
None of the business men are wearing shorts and long socks, as they do in Perth, which gives you an idea of just how cold, wet, and miserable Melbourne really is.
Enjoy!
Chris
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Re: Some Nostalgia for Our Mr. Greaves and Perhaps Others
It took me a bit to figure out the time this was depicting. The ladies hairstyles put me in the '60s, but it was not until I saw the dancing that I saw it had to be at least '65 or '66. The trailer at the end confirmed it was made in 1966 (MCMXLVI).
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Re: Some Nostalgia for Our Mr. Greaves and Perhaps Others
Hi Bob
Heavily-lacquered beehive hairdos were essential in those post-jitterbug days. The Roman Numerals were a secret coded message to women to use hair-grips (hair-clips) to attach their hats to the silicone varnish in windy weather.
Most of these movies seem to be post-war (1950-1960) promotional movies for emigration from the UK. The sun always shines, the trams are clean and run on time, the milko is healthy and pursuing training for his professional career in Aussie Rules, the kitchen is sparkling clean, and there are no house flies and no bush flies!
Dream On!
Cheers
Chris
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Re: Some Nostalgia for Our Mr. Greaves and Perhaps Others
The blurb under the video says:
"From The Film Australia Collection. Made by The Commonwealth Film Unit 1966. Directed by Douglas White. Episode 10 of the Life in Australia series. This series was made to encourage immigration to Australia and to highlight the various social activities, employment and educational opportunities and lifestyles of the various cities and regional centres throughout Australia. This film shows an idyllic picture of life in the Victorian capital of Melbourne in the mid 1960s."
And no spiders, crocodiles, snakes or bush fires that I could see!
And from personal experience, I remember Melbourne as being possibly the coldest city I have visited - possibly due to my expecting it to be hot!
Leif
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Re: Some Nostalgia for Our Mr. Greaves and Perhaps Others
My lasting memory is from around 1976-77 when I attended a library automation conference.
A rainy afternoon.
In the heart of downtown Melbourne a uniformed policeman stands dead-centre in the intersection directing traffic.
He is unperturbed, standing in a foot of rain water ...
Cheers
Chris
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Re: Some Nostalgia for Our Mr. Greaves and Perhaps Others
... and then on Tuesday's "ABC AM" podcast news from Illawarra
In January 1968 I started paid work as a Programmer In Training at the AIS school, second floor, Illawarra County Council Building in Wollongong.
We shared the floor with a cookery school, Basically a Bevy of Beautiful Babes (sorry, ladies, but I was going for alliteration), Basics of Baking, 'bout like that.
Young marrieds, young about-to-be-marrieds, various languages.
My guess is that this was yet-another way of integrating newcomers into The Australian Way Of Life.
Some smooth-talking trainee programmer let it be known that we were 50 unmarried men who craved home-cooking.
The cakes and cookies were still arriving each lunchtime at our door when I left there in August ...
Cheers
Chris
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Re: Some Nostalgia for Our Mr. Greaves and Perhaps Others
Very interesting that the film was to promote immigration. At about that time I was dreaming of being able to emigrate to Australia, but family responsibilities denied that possibility.
Bob's yer Uncle
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Re: Some Nostalgia for Our Mr. Greaves and Perhaps Others
Sigh! I had never heard of immigration; didn't know what it was; was given no choice.
Cheers
Chris
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