The Australian Women's Register

This is the screen adaptation of theatrical entrepreneur Kate Howarde’s very successful stage play. The incomplete footage goes some way to showing why the storyline was so popular, with struggling bushman Andrew McQuade having to sell off his precious 50 acre field ‘Possum Paddock’, to pay off his bank loan. The trials and tribulations of the paddock and of daughter Nancy, who is courted by both a gentlemanly neighbour and a cad happily resolve themselves. General notes: The film did well commercially after opening at the Lyric Theatre, Sydney on 29 January 1921. A scene involving the plight of an unmarried mother was cut by censors. Critics found the film a little long but likeable. Much of the stage cast was retained for the film. Originally 6500 feet, surviving 993 feet with some nitrate damage (16mm, 41mins 22mins @ 16fps). Access copies: 16mm, 1/2 inch video. There is documentation associated with the production of the film held in the NFSA collection.