{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Use Australian English|date=October 2012}} {{Infobox film |name = Country Town |image = |caption = |producer = Fenton Rosewarne |director = [[Peter Maxwell (director)|Peter Maxwell]] |writer = [[Barbara Vernon (writer)|Barbara Vernon]] |starring = [[Terry McDermott (actor)|Terry McDermott]] |music = Bruce Clarke |cinematography = Bruce McNaughton |editing = Raymond Daley |studio = Outback Films<br>Avargo Productions |distributor = Gary Gray<br>Terry McDermott |released = {{Film date|1971|06|19|df=yes}} |runtime = 106 minutes |country = Australia |language = English |budget = $85,000<ref name="pike">Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, ''Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production'', Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998 p257</ref> }} '''''Bellbird: A Country Town''''' is a 1971 Australian [[drama film]] directed by [[Peter Maxwell (director)|Peter Maxwell]], produced by Fenton Rosewarne and starring [[Terry McDermott (actor)|Terry McDermott]], [[Gary Gray (Australian actor)|Gary Gray]] and [[Lynette Curran]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090118023241/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/598447 BFI.org]</ref> It was a film version of the Australian television series ''[[Bellbird (television series)|Bellbird]]'', written by [[Barbara Vernon (writer)|Barbara Vernon]].<ref>[http://members.ozemail.com.au/~fangora/bellbird.html ''Bellbird''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714182609/http://members.ozemail.com.au/~fangora/bellbird.html |date=14 July 2018 }} at Australian Soap Archive</ref>

==Plot== A severe drought strikes the town of Bellbird. Young reporter Philip Henderson arrives and stirs old tensions. The locals rally together and hold a fund-raising gymkhana.

==Cast== * [[Terry McDermott (actor)|Terry McDermott]] – Max Pearson * [[Gary Gray (Australian actor)|Gary Gray]] – David Emerson * [[Lynette Curran]] – Rhoda Wilson * [[Gerard Maguire]] – Philip Henderson * Sue Parsons – Jean Fowler * [[Gerda Nicolson]] - Fiona Davies * Carl Bleazby – Jim Emerson * [[Maurie Fields]] – John Quinney * Carmel Millhouse – Marge Bacon * Brian Anderson – Stan Bacon * [[Margaret Cruickshank (actress)|Margaret Cruickshank]] – Doctor Liz * [[Mark Albiston]] – Bob Wright * [[Kirsty Child]] – Julie * Frank Rich – Giorgio Lini * Rosie Sturgess – Anna Maria Lini * Kurt Ludescher – Grossark * [[Sheila Florance]] – Old Mrs Bacon * [[Peter Cummins]] – First Lair

==Production== The film was made in January 1971 during a break in production from filming the TV series. Although most of the regular cast were involved and the script was written by Barbara Vernon, who was one of the main writers on the show,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article43600396 |title="LANE END" should please "Bellbird" fans. |newspaper=[[The Australian Women's Weekly]] | date=8 December 1971 |accessdate=23 September 2012 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> the ABC was not formally involved in production. The movie was the idea of two regular cast members, Gary Gray and Terry McDermott who formed a production company, Avargo, with Fenton Rosewarne, an ABC film editor, and Rod Barnett, a chartered accountant. English director Peter Maxwell, who had extensive experience of working in Australia, was hired to direct.<ref name="pike"/>

The film was shot on 16mm over four weeks on a $70,000 budget starting late January 1971. [[Yea, Victoria|Yea]] in Victoria was the main location with drought scenes shot in [[Wentworth, New South Wales]]. After editing was completed the [[Screen Australia|Australian Film Development Corporation]] provided $15,000 to help prepare 35&nbsp;mm prints.

==Release== The film was distributed by Gray and McDermott themselves, released first in country areas then reaching Sydney in 1973.<ref name="pike"/>

==References== <references/>

==External links== *{{IMDb title|0123741}} *[http://www.ozmovies.com.au/movie/country-town ''Country Town''] at Oz Movies

[[Category:1971 films]] [[Category:1971 drama films]] [[Category:Films directed by Peter Maxwell]] [[Category:Australian drama films]] [[Category:1971 English-language films]] [[Category:1971 Australian films]] [[Category:English-language drama films]] [[Category:Works by Barbara Vernon]]

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