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Cult Review
Senior Film Conservator
If you are into dusty history or just want to see how Australia tried to find its voice on film, give Fellers a go. It is definitely worth a watch if you are a total nerd for early cinema.
Historical junkies will find it fascinating. Most people today will probably turn it off after ten minutes because the sound is so wonky. 🤠
The movie is about three friends—the 'fellers'—who join the Light Horse during the Great War. They spend a lot of time laughing at stuff that isn't really funny to us anymore.
It was filmed right when movies were switching from silent to 'talkies.' This means some parts are quiet with title cards, and then suddenly someone starts shouting in a very loud, echoey voice.
It’s a bit like watching two different movies that were stapled together in the dark. 🎞️
Arthur Tauchert is in this, and he was basically the big star of that era. He has this face that looks like a crumpled paper bag, but in a good way.
The chemistry between the three leads feels real enough, I guess. They do that thing where they slap each other on the back way too hard.
There is a scene in a cafe where they are trying to be charming to the waitresses. It goes on for about three minutes too long and the silence starts to feel awkward rather than romantic.
You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you these guys are the peak of comedy. It reminds me a bit of the slapstick in Pay Day, but with less polish.
One reaction shot of a guy looking surprised lingers so long it actually becomes funny for the wrong reasons. I think he forgot the camera was still running.
The war scenes are supposed to be in Palestine. But you can tell they just found some sand dunes near Sydney and told everyone to look hot and tired.
The horses are the best actors in the whole thing. They look like they actually know what is going on, unlike some of the extras in the background.
I noticed one soldier in the back who is clearly just staring at the camera crew. He looks like he wandered off the set of Annapolis and got lost in the wrong decade.
The action is messy. People fall down before the guns even go off sometimes.
It doesn't have the fancy look of something like The Dark Star. It feels much more 'home-made,' which I actually kind of liked.
I found myself wondering if the director, Arthur Higgins, knew the sound was going to be this crunchy. Probably not.
The script by Ashley Durham is pretty basic. It is mostly 'Oi, mate!' and 'Let's get 'em!'
It is a bit like Hitchin' Posts in how it tries to be serious but ends up feeling a bit sweet and naive. 🍭
The ending tries to be real sad and emotional. But because the sound is so fuzzy, I couldn't really hear the final words very well.
It is a movie that really, really likes its own sense of humor. Even when the jokes don't land, the actors keep grinning like they just won the lottery.
I think Arthur Clarke tries his best, but he is constantly being overshadowed by the loud background noise. Early microphones were clearly a nightmare to work with.
If you have seen Nell Gwyn, you know how those old historical films can be a bit stiff. Fellers is definitely stiff, but it has that Aussie grit that keeps it from being totally boring.
I wouldn't say it's a 'good' movie by modern standards. But it’s a weirdly personal look at what people thought was heroic back then.
One scene with a letter from home is actually quite touching, even if the music is way too loud and dramatic. It’s the only time the movie stops trying to be funny and just breathes for a second.
The crowd scenes have this oddly empty feeling. Like they could only afford ten extras and just told them to run around in circles really fast. 🏃♂️
It’s much better once the war actually starts and they stop trying to do 'comedy' bits in the barracks. The movie gets noticeably better once it stops taking its own jokes seriously.
Anyway, it’s a strange little piece of film history. Watch it if you’re bored and want to see some 1930s moustaches.
Just don't expect it to make much sense teh whole time.
IMDb 5.8
1930
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