Hildegarde (2001)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Di Drew

Writer:

Gabrielle S. Prendergast (writer)

Release Date:

10 October 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Adventure

Tagline:

A family's adventure to save one of their own - their beloved pet duck.

Plot Keywords:

Child Driving Car

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Richard E. Grant	...	Wolf
Tom Long	...	Tony
Tara Morice	...	Kim Powell
Sam Geer	...	Chris Powell
Dayne Hudson	...	Jeremy
Gezelle Byrnes	...	Isabel
Paul Goddard	...	Dad
John Dommett	...	Mayor
David Hannay	...	Beauty Pageant Judge
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Monique Allison	...	Juggler
Xanthe Beesley	...	Greenie
Ilona Betts	...	Townie
Sheila Boyd	...	Lady in Tent
Louise Brehmer	...	Greenie
Andrew Buchanan	...	Father in Tent
Martin Challis	...	Town Cop
Brendan Cookson	...	Readheaded Father
Steve Daddow	...	Greenie (as Stephen Daddow)
Thomas Davidson	...	Naughty Boy in Tent
Paul Denny	...	Constable Peters
Jodie Dry	...	Constable Oki
Brent Dunner	...	Greenie
Iain Gardiner	...	Townie
Matthew Gordon	...	Naughty Boy in Tent
Peter Grose	...	Greenie
Alise Harvey	...	Pretty Girl in Tent
Dayle Hatchett	...	Redheaded Mother
Russell Krause	...	Ranger
Jan Nary	...	Servo Lady
Wayne Neuendorf	...	Townie
Penny Brown O'Dare	...	Volvo Driver (as Penny Brown-O'Dare)
Ruby O'Rourke	...	Townie
Robbie Parkin	...	Baker
Bryan Probets	...	Postie
Sally Rodda	...	Greenie
Rhys Ryan	...	Redheaded Son
Riane Ryan	...	Redheaded Daughter
Julie Schrag	...	Townie
Trent Sullivan	...	Young Jeremy
Jarrod Symons	...	Little Boy in Tent
Barrie Young	...	Sergeant

Also Known As:

Hildegarde, a Duck Down Under

MPAA:

Rated PG for some mild thematic elements.

Runtime:

88 min | Netherlands:85 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Queensland, Australia

Company:

Australian Film Commission, The

Soundtrack:

If I Only Had a Brain

Hits its target audience

This film reminded me of the sort of thing we'd see at Saturday Morning Kids club; independent 'ordinary' children, trying to solve their own problems and taking on the 'baddies'.

Its plot is built around a widow, her 3 children and a duck. Whilst mum is trying to hold down a job the children try to help. Enter a bird-poacher whose dream is to own a beach-bar. In order to finance his scheme, with his young side-kick, he catches and sells exotic birds. The duck is kidnapped for use in his decoy operation - a wildlife sideshow. All the children want is their duck back.

Richard E Grant plays the obnoxious Wolf, a scruffy bully, with a high opinion of his ability to impress the opposite sex and a low opinion about everything else.

Enough to say it's a good film that hits its target audience without leaving adults cringing (except at the state of REG's feet!). It's a shame that it could not have had a general cinema release. My children were rivetted and I was pleased that, for once, they weren't watching a cartoon.