Dad Rudd, MP
| Dad Rudd, M.P. | |
|---|---|
Poster for theatrical release
|
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| Directed by | Ken G. Hall |
| Produced by | Ken G. Hall |
| Written by |
Bert Bailey Frank Harvey William Freshman |
| Based on | characters created by Steele Rudd |
| Starring |
Bert Bailey Grant Taylor Fred MacDonald |
| Cinematography | George Heath |
| Edited by | William Shepherd |
|
Production
company |
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| Distributed by | British Empire Films |
|
Release date
|
June 1940 |
|
Running time
|
83 mins |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £18,000 |
| Box office | £28,000 |
Dad Rudd, M.P. is a 1940 comedy that was the last of four films made by Ken G. Hall starring Bert Bailey as Dad Rudd. It was the last feature film directed by Hall prior to the war and the last made by Cinesound Productions, Bert Bailey and Frank Harvey.
Dad Rudd wants the size of a local dam increased for the benefit of local farmers but faces opposition from a wealthy grazier, Henry Webster. When the local Member of Parliament dies, Webster runs for his seat, and Rudd decides to oppose him.
Webster and his team use dirty tricks to defeat Rudd, so he calls in his old friend from the city, Entwistle to help. Matters are complicated by the fact that Rudd's daughter Ann falls in love with Webster's son Jim.
On polling day, a fierce storm causes the dam to collapse. A major flood traps workers on the wrong side of the dam and the Rudds and Jim Webster team up to save the day. Dad Rudd is elected to parliament, where he gives a rousing speech.
The last six films made by Cinesound Productions were all comedies as producer Ken G. Hall sought to ensure guaranteed box office successes. He elected to make another Dad and Dave film instead of two other long-planned projects, an adaptation of Robbery Under Arms and a story about the Overland Telegraph. Hall said in 1939 that:
Though we were entertaining the idea of other types of stories, the amazing enthusiasm for Dad and Dave Come to Town makes another Bailey picture the wisest commercial choice. We feel that, by placing 'Dad' in politics, we will inject any amount of comedy material which is typical of Bailey at his best.
William Freshman was originally reported as having worked on the script and is credited along with Frank Harvey on the script submitted for copyright registration with the National Archives of Australia. However he does not have screen credit.
The movie was more serious than others in the series, being basically a drama with comic interludes. Bert Bailey commented during filming that:
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