The Shiralee

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The Shiralee is one of the films made by the British Ealing Studios and directed by Leslie Norman.

[edit] Plot summary

The Shiralee – based on the story of the same name by D'Arcy Niland – tells the story of the itinerant rural worker Macauley —sometimes described as a “swagman” or “swaggie”—who suddenly finds himself taking responsibility for his child. Having returned from “walkabout”, he finds his wife entwined in the arms of another, and so he takes the daughter, Buster, with him. In these days, such an action might be labeled “kidnapping”. The child is the “shiralee”, an Aboriginal world meaning “burden.” In their time together, father and daughter explore new depths of understanding and bonding. The barren landscapes of the outback provided both a backdrop to the richness of the relationship, as well as explaining the swagman’s love for the country. Although Australians Charles Tingwell, Bill Kerr and Ed Devereaux played in supporting roles, the film is really a British film made in Australia, rather than an Australian film.^[1][2]

[edit] Notes

1. ↑  Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 224. ISBN 0-19-550784-5
2. ↑  Albert Moran and Errol Vieth, Historical Dictionary of Australian and New Zealand Cinema, Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2005.

[edit] External links

• 1957 British film version of The Shiralee at the Internet Movie Database
• 1987 Australian miniseries version of The Shiralee at the Internet Movie Database

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