The Moth of Moonbi is the first film by Charles Chauvel, who would go on to be a pivotal figure in Australian cinema. It's a fairly conventional story of a tomboy country girl, lured to the city high-life, only to learn some valuable lessons and return to the country wiser for the wear.
The production value of of this film is surprisingly high, considering Chauvel made it without an established 'industry' to support him, and there are some genuinely fascinating sequences (particularly the water skiing). That said, the film is marred by noticeably amateurish direction and some occasionally rough camera movement.
Worth seeing as a historical document more so than as a great piece of cinema.
The production value of of this film is surprisingly high, considering Chauvel made it without an established 'industry' to support him, and there are some genuinely fascinating sequences (particularly the water skiing). That said, the film is marred by noticeably amateurish direction and some occasionally rough camera movement.
Worth seeing as a historical document more so than as a great piece of cinema.
