Ethel Turner's wonderful book about a strict army man, his young second wife, their child, and his six children from a previous marriage is here given a heavy-handed, badly acted and over-moralising film treatment.  The later TV mini-series was much better.  The biggest problem is Charles McCallum as the Captain - he plays the character with no love for wife or children at all, instead of suppressing love because of his belief in discipline.  His miraculous transformation at the end is silly and completely unbelievable.

It is sad that this film is not better as so few films were made in Australia at that time - but when you consider that this amateurish and badly directed film was competing with "Gone With the Wind", "The Wizard of Oz" and "Mr Smith Goes to Washington" it's not hard to see why many Australians lost faith in our film industry.

The adventure genre features exciting journeys, quests, or expeditions undertaken by characters who often face challenges, obstacles, and risks in pursuit of a goal. Adventures can take place in a wide range of settings, from exotic and fantastical locations to historical or even everyday environments.

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The family genre features stories specifically created to be suitable for a wide range of age groups within a family. Family-oriented content is designed to be enjoyed by both children and adults, often providing entertainment that is wholesome, relatable, and appropriate for all members of a family to watch or experience together.

Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Ethel Turner's well-known Victorian period family novel is updated to the (then) present in this version for the screen.

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

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