| Splendid Fellows | |
| Director: | Beaumont Smith Raymond Longford (associate)[1] Kenneth Brampton (dialogue) |
| Producer: | Beaumont Smith |
| Starring: | Frank Leighton |
| Cinematography: | George D. Malcolm |
| Editing: | Frank Coffey |
| Studio: | J.C. Williamson Picture Productions |
| Distributor: | British Empire Films |
| Runtime: | 84 mins |
| Country: | Australia |
| Language: | English |
| Budget: | £5,000[2] [3] |
Splendid Fellows is a 1934 Australian film from director Beaumont Smith about an Englishman (Frank Leighton) who comes to Australia. The cast includes Eric Colman, brother of Ronald Colman, and Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, who has a cameo as himself. It was Smith's last film.
"Silly ass" Englishman Hubert Montmorency "Monty" Ralston goes to Australia after an argument with his father, accompanied by his valet, Thomson. In a Sydney two up parlour he befriends Australian farmer Jim McBride and goes with him to McBride's farm where he meets flying parson, Reverend Arthur Stanhope. He also falls for McBride's daughter, Eileen.
Monty persuades his father to buy a plane for the parson and enters it in the Centenary Air Race from London to Melbourne. While the race is in progress, Stanhope's old plane crashes and Monty flies to the rescue. A blind prospector, Blind Teddy, flying with the parson regains his sight and recognises a long-lost goldfield.
The film was shot at the studios of Cinesound Productions in Rushcutter's Bay, Sydney in July and August 1934. It was originally entitled The Big Race but was retitled after an American film of that name was announced.[5]
Footage of the real Centenary Air Race was incorporated, as was that of the landing of C. W. A. Scott and Tom Campbell Black at Laverton, and the arrival of the Duke of Gloucester to Melbourne. This meant the movie was not actually completed until October.[6]
Raymond Longford was an assistant director.[7]
Isabelle Mahon was a 17-year-old actor who had appeared on stage in Gay Divorce.[8]
When the film was in post-production, Smith announced plans to make another feature, in New Zealand, "a modern drama with a sporting theme and glimpses of Māori life."[9] [10] However, Splendid Fellows was a commercial disappointment on release and led to Smith's permanent retirement from film production.[2] Reviews were mixed.[11] [12]