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When Smiley lets it be known that he desperately wants to own a rifle, Sergeant Flaxman promises him one if he can prove himself a responsible citizen by helping others and keeping out of trouble. The sergeant keeps score of Smiley's deeds and misdeeds by marking 'nicks' on a tree outside his father's blacksmith shop. Trouble starts brewing, however, when Smiley's father makes a bet that the boy will not be able to earn the eight nicks required to get his gun. In one of his 'misadventures,' Smiley is suspected of stealing a cache of gold and becomes a fugitive from justice after running away in shame. When the real thief is later caught, Smiley is rewarded with a .22 calibre rifle.
A number of significant, and ultimately unsuccessful, changes were made to the Smiley Gets a Gun screenplay. As Pike and Cooper (1980) note, 'The frank but affectionate view of Australia that Kimmins had revealed in Smiley was less apparent in this sequel: the direction seemed careless and the script insufficiently developed. Concessions to popular taste weakened elements of conflict present in the original film: Smiley's father was transformed from a dissipated drunk into a respectable blacksmith; signs of extreme rural poverty and racial discrimination disappeared; and the film relied for local colour on unimaginative devices such as a tame kangaroo, which Smiley now has as a pet. Furthermore, Ralph Richardson's genial eccentricities in Smiley were replaced by a heavily mannered performance from Sybil Thorndyke as Granny' (p.296).
Smiley
( dir. Anthony Kimmins
)
1956
London
:
London Film Productions
,
Z1366424
1956
single work
film/TV
children's
(taught in 1 units)
Smiley Greevins is a cheeky, mischievous and imaginative little boy who lives in the small Australian country town of Murrumbilla. His alcoholic father, Bill is a poor drover who is often away for long periods while his mother, overworked and embittered by her life, is the one who has to deal with Smiley's frequent misadventures. One of these pranks sees Smiley and his friend Joey run foul of the local policeman, Sgt Flaxman. Amused by the careful attention the sergeant is paying their new schoolteacher, Miss Workman, the boys initially enjoy viewing this budding romance from a safe distance. When Flaxman one day escorts Miss Workman to her house, however, Smiley borrows his police bicycle. When he accidentally crashes the bike Smiley and Joey quickly replace it from where they took it and flee the scene.
Determined to buy his own bike Smiley subsequently takes on odd jobs to raise the money for his dream, but in doing so unwittingly helps the local publican, Rankin to sell opium to the local Aborigines. When Smiley's father returns home and steals all the money he has saved Smiley is furious. He confronts his father and in the ensuing argument unintentionally knocks his dad out with a cricket bat. Frightened of the consequences he runs into the bush and is later bitten by a snake. A swagman saves his life and when Smiley gets back to town he tells the police about Rankin, who is subsequently arrested. The story ends with the grateful townsfolk rallying together to buy Smiley his bike.
