They're A Weird Mob (1966)

[glumpy_99]

Utterly charming piece of 60s Australiana, a forerunner of the Barry McKenzie style of 70s film-making, with some very rough edges, but much sweeter and more benign. Flimsy, episodic story is really just an excuse to explore (and mostly celebrate) Australian society of the 60s -- with some sly observations of the plight of the outsider, and the effects of casual "harmless" xenophobia present in all walks of life. Chiari conveys the perfect mix of almost Chaplinesque innocence, combined with an undercurrent of self-awareness. Beautifully shot and directed; an unlikely addition to the Powell-Pressburger canon.

83/100