Ken Hall was Australia's most commercially successful director of the 1940s and '50s, and his Dad and Dave films were his most popular features. All told, Hall made four such films. Dad Rudd, M.P. has survived the best, both in terms of its comedic value and in its commentary on Australian society. As Germany's shadow creeps across Europe, Dad Rudd enters politics against his will to oppose the shady Henry Webster. Webster wants to build a dam to help the small farmers of the area; Dad Rudd senses foul play but is unable to prevent the dam's construction. His position is vindicated, however, after a heavy rainfall breaks the dam apart. On the strength of this and with the revelation of Webster's dirty dealings, Dad Rudd carries the day and is elected to Parliament. Dad's triumph serves as a metaphor for the world's triumph over the "German menace."
by Brian Whitener
synopsis
