''Dimboola'' is a 1979 Australian

independent film An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies (or, i ...

directed by

John Duigan John Duigan (born 19 June 1949) is an Australian film director and screenwriter. He is mostly known for his two autobiographical films '' The Year My Voice Broke'' and ''Flirting'', and the 1994 film ''Sirens'', which stars Hugh Grant. Biogr ...

about a country

wedding reception A wedding reception is a party usually held after the completion of a marriage ceremony as hospitality for those who have attended the wedding, hence the name reception: the couple ''receive'' society, in the form of family and friends, for t ...

. It is based on the 1969 play of the same name by

Jack Hibberd John Charles Hibberd (born 12 April 1940 in Warracknabeal, Victoria) is an Australian playwright and physician. Biography Hibberd studied medicine at the University of Melbourne and resided in Newman College. He worked as a registrar in th ...

and was principally filmed on location in

Dimboola Dimboola is a town in the Shire of Hindmarsh in the Wimmera region of western Victoria, Australia, 334 kilometres north-west of Melbourne. History Situated on the Wimmera River, Dimboola was previously known as 'Nine Creeks'. Following a survey ...

, Victoria.

Plot

English journalist arrives in a small country town to observe a wedding.

Cast

Bruce Spence Bruce Spence (born 17 September 1945) is a New Zealand–Australian actor. Spence has amassed over 100 film and television credits and has also acted in theatre. Biography Spence won an AFI Award for Best Actor for his role in the 1971 comedy ...

as Morrie McAdam * Natalie Bate as Maureen Delaney *

Max Gillies Maxwell Irvine Gillies AM (born 16 November 1941) is an Australian actor and a founding member of the 1970s experimental theatre company, the Australian Performing Group. Early life and education Gillies studied art teaching at Frankston Tea ...

as Vivian Worcester-Jones * Bill Garner as Dangles *

Jack Perry Jack Perry (born June 16, 1997), also known by the ring name Jungle Boy, is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) where he performs under his real name, but has been inactive since August 2023 d ...

as Horrie * Esme Melville as April * Dick May as Shovel * Irene Hewitt as Florence * Val Jellay as Aggie *

Chad Morgan Chadwick William "Chad" Morgan OAM (born 11 February 1933) is an Australian country music singer and guitarist known for his vaudeville style of comic country and western songs, his prominent teeth and goofy stage persona. In reference to his fi ...

as Bayonet *

Max Cullen Max Cullen (born 29 April 1940) is an Australian stage and screen actor. He has appeared in many Australian films and television series but is best known for his role in the film '' Spider and Rose'' and the television series '' The Flying Docto ...

as Mutton * Terry McDermott as Darcy

Production

The movie was shot in Dimboola, Jeparit and Melbourne. The budget was originally $420,000 but was reduced to $350,000. $120,000 came from the Victorian Film Corporation, $75,000 from the New South Wales Film Corporation, $80,000 from

Greater Union Greater Union Organisation Pty Ltd, trading as Event Cinemas, Greater Union, GU Film House, Moonlight Cinema and Birch Carroll & Coyle (BCC Cinemas), is the largest movie exhibitor in Australia and New Zealand, with over 140 cinema complexes cu ...

, and the rest from private investment.Jack Clancy, "Dimboola", '' Cinema Papers'', October/November 1978, pp. 99–101 John Duigan had written all his previous movies himself, and worked in a realist style whereas Hibberd's writing was more theatrical. Hibberd had trouble collaborating and Duigan feels they had entirely different interpretations of the material which hurt the final movie.

David Stratton David James Stratton (born 10 September 1939) is an English-Australian award-winning film critic, as both a journalist and interviewer, film historian and lecturer and television personality and producer. Life and career Born in Trowbridge, ...

, ''The Last New Wave: The Australian Film Revival'', Angus & Robertson, 1980. pp. 178–180 The character of the English journalist was added for Max Gillies. The film plays down the differences between the Catholic and Protestant families.

Songs

*"We're Riding to the Never Never", music and lyrics: Letty Katts *"Will You Love Him Tomorrow", music and original lyrics as "

Will You Love Me Tomorrow "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", sometimes known as "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", is a song with words by Gerry Goffin and music composed by Carole King. It was recorded in 1960 by the Shirelles at Bell Sound Studios in New York City, and hit ...

" written by

Gerry Goffin Gerald Goffin (February 11, 1939 – June 19, 2014) was an American lyricist. Collaborating initially with his first wife, Carole King, he co-wrote many international pop hits of the early and mid-1960s, including the US No.1 hits " Will You L ...

and

Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one o ...

, new lyrics

George Dreyfus George Dreyfus AM (born 22 July 1928) is an Australian contemporary classical, film and television composer. Early life and orchestral career Dreyfus was born to a Jewish family in Elberfeld, Wuppertal, Germany. He was the younger of two sons ...

*" The Sheik of Araby", music and lyrics by Harry B. Smith and Francis Wheeler, performed by

The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band, also known as Soapbox Circus or Matchbox, were an Australian jug band formed in 1969. It centred on Mic Conway ("Captain Matchbox") on lead vocals, washboard and ukulele; and his brother, Jim Conway, on harmon ...

Red River Valley The Red River Valley is a region in central North America that is drained by the Red River of the North; it is part of both Canada and the United States. Forming the border between Minnesota and North Dakota when these territories were admitted ...

", traditional *"

Danny Boy "Danny Boy" is a ballad, written by English songwriter Frederic Weatherly in 1913, and set to the traditional Irish melody of " Londonderry Air". History In 1910, in Bath, Somerset, the English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly initia ...

", music by

Frederic Weatherly Frederic Edward Weatherly, KC (4 October 1848 – 7 September 1929) was an English lawyer, author, lyricist and broadcaster. He was christened and brought up using the name Frederick Edward Weatherly, and appears to have adopted the spelling 'F ...

*"Flame" and "Femme Fatale", written and sung by Frankie Raymond

Reception

The film was a box office disaster.

Home Media

A Collector's Edition of ''Dimboola'' was released on DVD by Umbrella Entertainment in October 2006. The DVD includes special features such as the original theatrical trailer, audio commentary with Jack Hibberd, John Timlin and Max Gillies, and interviews with

David Williamson David Keith Williamson AO (born 24 February 1942) is an Australian dramatist and playwright. He has also written screenplays and teleplays. Early life David Williamson was born in Melbourne, Victoria, on 24 February 1942, and was brought up ...

, Jack Hibberd, John Romeril, John Duigan,

Graeme Blundell Graeme Blundell (born 7 August 1945) is an Australian actor, director, producer, writer, playwright, lyricist and biographer Early life Blundell was born on 7 April 1945 in Melbourne; he grew up in the suburb of Clifton Hill. He was educated a ...

, Max Gillies and Bruce Spence. Also included is a feature-length film of the original stage play directed by David Williamson in 1973 and '' Pram Factory'', a 1994 documentary on the

Australian Performing Group The Australian Performing Group (APG) was a Melbourne-based experimental theatre repertory ensemble formed in an official capacity in 1970 from the La Mama theatre group. Created to address a dissatisfaction with Australia's theatrical climate, t ...

. A single DVD edition of ''Dimboola'' was released by Umbrella Entertainment in October 2008 with fewer special features. Umbrella Entertainment has also released it in a three-disc DVD set with '' Puberty Blues'' and '' Monkey Grip''.

References

External links

*
''Dimboola''
at Oz Movies * {{John Duigan 1979 films Australian comedy films Australian independent films 1970s English-language films Films directed by John Duigan Australian films based on plays Films set in Victoria (Australia) 1979 comedy films 1979 independent films