A City Family

From the Film Australia Collection. Made by the Commonwealth Film Unit 1972. Directed by Chris McGill. Made for an overseas audience, this short film shows a "typical" Australian family, their home, family life, work and recreation. A simple and intimate film featuring a piano soundtrack by Elizabeth Powell.
This film was uploaded to mark the recent passing of Michael Edols A.S.C. Edols was a an internationally respected DOP, cinematographer and director whose work is highly regarded throughout the film industry. Film maker Mike Rubbo said this of Michael Edols: "It was the intimacy of his camera work which I found so compelling. I sensed he had some almost magical ability to instill trust"
Mike Edols made many films for the Commonwealth Film Unit and Film Australia including Out They Go which won an AFI and which he also directed.
• Outlook: Out They Go
A City Family was edited for this upload in order to meet KZbin's Community Guidelines.

[@davidlee4619]

Bringing back memories of a time when life was so much more simple. In fact the late 60's early 70's were probably the best times to raise a family. A great little film, it made me quite nostalgic.

[@michaelwilliams3232]

2:18 must be North Shore, I could see that orange block from my unit in Crows Nest. Now demolished or re-clad.

[@kazbutler]

I remember those coloured rods @ 7:05. Used for maths to learn counting and fractions. Also the pink tub of Perkins paste with the spreader inside the lid!

[@RocketRocket-ce3ke]

Cuisinaire?

[@andrewmason8691]

6.22 mins appears to be Long Reef Headland.

[@ACDZ123]

8.57..those Chinese paper latern light shades were all the rage back then

[@0IDaveCouch]

The year I was born 😢

[@johncadogan9450]

That bloody piano. ACDC would be much better

[@stevensmith8876]

God this is SLOW

[@RocketRocket-ce3ke]

Who would come to Australia after watching this? It was supposed to be selling the country not advertising a country of simpletons. The narration is appalling. ' Mother is cooking dinner with meat and vegetable bought from a local shop'.

[@roydidlock1012]

I agree with you completely filmtechnz. Some interesting memories. The classic Sunbeam electric frypan. Meat and 3 veg for dinner(every night).When children still actually went outside to play instead of playing computer games or walking around like zombies staring at smartphones with bits of wire stuck in their ears.

[@peterm1826]

i still have the sunbeam electric frypan years old and still going well

[@viviekazanili1077]

This film was 1972 i was 5yrs old. What a Wonderful film, luv watching these it brings back so many wonderful memories of my childhood life & miss that, and the things we did and used our imagination. ❤

[@NFSAFilms]

Glad you enjoyed it Vivie.

[@fordlandau]

also great footage of QANTAS ops at a newly built international terminal. Included aeroplanes such as the soon to be retired 707 and first generation 747.

[@viviekazanili1077]

❤Loved the life we lived back then, life was so simple miss the era and the look of those days miss my childhood yrs wish we could turn back time, hate the life we live now 😔

[@bubblesleef4415]

Vivie Kazanili same 😔

[@retrothingz]

Thanks for this. ..... 3.20 mark ...... "... each day .....Ross drives many miles to Sydney airport ". In 1972, the trip probably took him about 30 minutes. Now, the whole family would have to live at the airport if Ross was going to have any chance of getting to work on time.

[@lukei6255]

In 1972 the roads were not even sealed!

[@DylanPerryFeatureAnimation]

What a lovely little film 👍🏾

[@louisafarmer2385]

Thank you Elizabeth for the beautiful music

[@MargotHypnos]

this brings back good memories

[@vengefulvegan]

The way they used to cook veges in the olden days, (boil the crap out of them) no wonder we didn't like eating them:)

[@ariesred777]

lol! yes I remember

[@peterm1826]

i still cook like that

[@retrothingz]

8.20 mark ...."Margaret Wheeler's mother arrives .... her husband died recently..." ... shortly after he had eaten something that Margaret had cooked ..

[@lukei6255]

English cuisine 🤣🤣🤣

[@mehdio8872]

Thank you for uploading ~ Unique Australia ☺

[@lordsod69]

How is the family these days I wonder. Any recent news?

[@offgriddreaming5403]

Great video Still the lucky country, although a lot has changed

[@blaxlandpianopathways]

Enjoying the Debussy from Elizabeth Powell

[@alanwhit5429]

Very few Australians drank red wine at the dinner table in the late 60s ... this was a push in the early 1970s to promote the local wine industry, with good results!

[@stevecallaghan3245]

It looked like a sparkling red or rose perhaps. By yes you are right not many drank any kind of wine back then

[@ariesred777]

I actually liked the piano music.Easy on the ears and intellect even though I also like heavy metal and grunge

[@thegreaterbilby2171]

I wonder what life had in store for Ross, Margaret and their children.

[@RocketRocket-ce3ke]

Unmitigated boredom going by this.

[@fordlandau]

what did Ross's red QANTAS cap signify ?

[@NFSAFilms]

He seemed to work as some sort of customs official / liaison.

[@NFSAFilms]

Good information, thank you.

[@jerelmani]

I am curious what the scene that had been removed was about? What was offensive about it?

[@NFSAFilms]

Not offensive but probably would have not met KZbin guidelines. We've had archival videos taken down before. It only takes one complaint. Kids in bath in this instance.

[@jerelmani]

@@NFSAFilms thanks for the reply. I guess thats not as offensive as i thought it might have been and i do understand. Thanks for putting up all these great historic films.

[@NFSAFilms]

@@jerelmani Thanks for your comments. We appreciate the feedback.

[@peterjonas1545]

I believe I have mentioned this before on other NFSA productions: It is a lovely film and very charming in presenting a narrative. It also tugs the nostalgia heartstrings for many, no doubt. However, too many people mistake the settings and situations as some form of reality, where in fact it is heavily stylized and beautified. The implication of reality in some of the scenes just makes it seem even ridiculous. The characters themselves are also shamelessly stereotyped in order to present a fairy-tale of a world to the audience, obviously being potential European migrants. It is akin to watching a soap opera or sitcom on TV. It is not even close what society would look like and function. Beautifully made, but don't kid yourself..

[@NFSAFilms]

Thanks Peter and you are correct. Unlike many of our films though this one actually does feature a real family. Not to say their situation is presented as a completely factual representation. Can you really reproduce "real life" in a film?

[@cromulentparty]

And they're STILL making Boeing 747's

[@NoosaHeads]

The time before the globalist corporate parasites took over the world economy.

[@StowNova]

Vale Mr Michael Edols and my condolences to his family, the cinematography was excellent. But overall, what a nightmarish flashback! A badly made film even for back then. A dull bland existence depicted, not helped by the dreary piano playing. Yeah I know, those days were the best of times, and the worst of times, just like this present day.. But give me this days excitement and chaos anytime over that overcooked and unseasoned floret of cauliflower..though but I did like the wife's yellow dress....

[@lordsod69]

Do you still dream of, or have nightmares of, overcooked and unseasoned floret's of cauliflower? There are many of us and we have formed a therapy group (Cauliflower Abuses Anonymous) if you would like to join?

[@StowNova]

yes.. yes I would....

[@davidau8455]

They were indeed the best of times being a free range child in the 50's, 60s and early 70's. We travelled everywhere as unaccompanied kids. I live in Ingleburn NSW and would travel to the flicks in Campbelltown and on a 10c train ticket to Cronulla on the trains. They were simple, but very safe, and fulfilling days.

[@StowNova]

Yeah well that's good David. Childhood SHOULD always be a very good time in everyone's life in any era everywhere, you, and the most of us were lucky. But Dave, have a think about the bigger picture mate...

[@vengefulvegan]

Hey give him a break, the old days Cyberlink or Media Suite consisted mostly of scissors, glue and a marking pen:)

[@jimbotheassclown]

British propaganda film everyone knows Australia doesn't exist .