One Night the Moon (2001) User Reviews

An unusual and satisfying experience.

[PeterM27 · 7/10 · 18 December 2021]

This is a poetic song of a film, as mythic as Picnic at Hanging Rock or Walkabout, about the disappearance of a child bewitched by the moon, and the anguished searching of his parents.

It's also about racism and the different attitudes to belonging in the beautiful but harsh outback. With haunting music and songs by Australian musical legends Paul Kelly (who also plays the father, singing as he searches) and Kev Carmody as well as Mairead Hannan, this is an unusual and satisfying experience.

At under 60 minutes, it does really not qualify as a feature film, but it did play at cinemas in Australia.

One word, "Brilliant"

[Davo66 · 10/10 · 7 May 2005]

Let me get one thing straight before I start; I CANT STAND OPERA!!!!! BUT I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!! A lot of people have stated that this movie is done in an Operatic style, while this is true the music used is not operatic in form, it is an absolutely gorgeous mix of Folk and Country music.

Those outside of Australia and New Zealand who absolutely enjoyed the style of music in this movie should know that Paul Kelly is the best Folk Singer ever in Australian history, which is the main reason why he pulls off the lead role so well. And Kelton Pell who plays the Aboriginal Tracker sings country music in the same soulful style as other accomplished Aboriginal Country artists like Archie Roach. If many Americans think Keith Urban is the best Australian Country Music Artist they have heard they should listen to some Aboriginal Country music, it is so magical and moving that it blows artists like Urban away.

While a lot of people have made mention of how great the score of this movie is (and believe me it is brilliant) the visuals that accompany the score are just as beautiful and haunting.

Unfortunately this movie never got that much of a wide release and deserves so much more than the paltry handful of votes that it has got.

I own this movie on DVD and it has an excellent 5.1 mix with the best center channel mixing I have ever heard, Paul Kelly's and Kelton Pell's vocals seem to be booming out of the TV screen.

If you only hire or buy one Movie this year make it this one and if you find it hard to find don't give up searching for it you will be rewarded handsomely if you do.

Innovative enacted local drama through the medium of opera.

[uds3 · 7 November 2001]

Well here's a real gem.

Based on the tragic theme of missing children and on a singular incident that happened in 1932 (The year the Sydney Harbor Bridge opened) when an aboriginal tracker was called in to look for a young girl that had wandered off into the Australian outback, this haunting and quite inspirational work plays out the drama primarily in words and mime.

At the recent premiere of the film in Sydney, a hushed audience was totally swept up in the magic of Rachel Perkins' film. Paul Kelly in his big-screen debut, plays the rugged early settler with Fairfax as his wife (she is in real-life!). Their daughter Memphis, plays The Child, who is seduced by the beauty of the moon and follows the graceful orb out of her window one evening. The intriguingly named Kelton Pell, is the Tracker whose commission it is to find the girl and whose task is tragically cut short.

Recurring themes of loss and reconciliation are proposed, enhanced and challenged by this beautiful film, where dialog is kept to a minimum and opera used to nurture and cajole the audience's sympathy. As Paul Kelly himself commented "This is a story of knowledge offered and knowledge rejected."

Perkins, director of the highly acclaimed RADIANCE, has come up with a genuine work of art here, at once innovative and emotionally consuming, you can taste the tragedy! Two other aspects which demand comment: The wonderful musical score from Paul Kelly, who doubles as Composer (in itself a screen rarity) has handed in an unforgettable companionable work that frames and cushions the unfolding drama while Kim Batterham's cinematography simply blew the audience away!

This film was commissioned by Paul Grabowsky, head of Australia's ABC Arts and Entertainment, in collaboration with the Kevin Lucas's Music Arts/Dance Films as well as the OZ Opera Group. If you want to see something completely unique in the way of filmed operatic drama, catch this!

Pride and prejudice

[maddymoo · 9/10 · 24 November 2005]

I saw this last night for the first time. I wouldn't have watched except for recognising Paul Kelly and being intrigued. I'm glad I stayed with it - a poignant tale and a useful piece of didactic cinema.

I found the musical interludes a little odd, making me wonder what kind of message the film-makers had in mind, and whether Kelly and Fairfax were chosen for those roles specifically because they could sing, or if it was the other way around - they wanted to do the project and songs were therefore incorporated.

Nice to see Fairfax is still around. I was amused to see her trademark fringe ("bangs") remains, and pleased that she looked suitably frumpy in the role. I found her acting a little wooden, though, which is why, regrettably, I can't rate this a full 10.

Kelly's portrayal is moving and quite convincing. It does seem for a while he doesn't care too much about his daughter, being more concerned with his pride and ego, but there are moments when it's clear he wants to reconnect with Rose (Fairfax) but doesn't know how. The contrast between the happy and loving scene where they put Emily to bed, and what follows, is stark and does well to convey what this kind of tragedy can do to an otherwise solid relationship.

That Albert does eventually find Emily after however many days and nights (and at least one afternoon of rain) is incredible. I was torn between being impressed and wondering at the plausibility factor. If the Aboriginal trackers really are that good, they deserve enormous recognition (and no doubt, gratitude from many of the lost and found).

I don't know the details of the original event, but as to why the father (Kelly) feels the need to go off and shoot himself (as implied) at the end... that didn't quite mesh for me. Yes, he's lost his daughter, and his wife is angry at him, but does it really have to be the end?

Beautiful and innovative...

[kberg · 9/10 · 11 February 2002]

Wonderfully put together. I didn't realize what it was going to be like when I walked into the screening last month at the Sundance Film Festival... but I wasn't disappointed. A diverse creative team created this one hour musical drama... but its such a melancholy story... its really unexpected to see the characters break out in song... Some of the songs are very moving. "One Night the Moon" is my favorite... the family singing together while putting the little girl to bed is a great scene. Am going to look for a soundtrack!

I would put a 0 if I could!

[endersamuels · 1/10 · 13 September 2019]

Horrible movie. Had to study it for hsc. Not the best.

Beautiful, haunting

[jarich1 · 10/10 · 17 November 2006]

"But they're going the wrong way!" I saw this movie years ago, and yet I can still hear his voice and picture his agony in these 6 words. And it's worse because we're led to believe that he's a good tracker, and we know that time is running out.

It's a beautiful movie. Amazing videography, haunting sound track and accurate portrayal of the gap in understanding between the white and black people of this red continent. It's not a chick-flick, nor action. It's more like sitting around a campfire being told of your family's history by a great story teller who can make it all seem real. Well worth the watch.

Truly truly awful.

[xavierfarias · 1/10 · 17 July 2020]

What is this movie? It's a musical about a girl who ran away because she saw the moon and mesteriously died. It is very bad and just so boring. I cannot belive people aren't embarrassed to say they like it. We watched it for school and everybody in my class hated it. Major spoiler. When they guy killed him self at the end people legit cheered.

A hauntingly beautiful film

[raymond-15 · 21 December 2002]

"Once I knew what I was living for But I don't know anything any more"

Here is a haunting requiem full of anguish about a man who through his own stubborn nature brought about the destruction of his family. The harsh landscape of the Australian outback emphasises the forbidding situation as the searchers trek aimlessly across a dry and stony land.

It comes as a surprise to hear the father break into song but one becomes accustomed to this format as each of the characters in turn play their singing role. It is a clever and different approach to dialogue and seems to fit the sad mood.

The musical background is interesting, though somewhat mixed. At one stage I am sure I heard Afghani music during the hopeless search. I would like to think that it was the ghosts of the Afghan camel drivers who once trekked across this arid land. The film has an unmistakeable mystical quality.

The film is based on an actual event of 1932. It is an incident that could happen to any family living in such a deserted place. The film asks a question about what makes a person wander off from familiar surroundings. Could it be the moon? It is well known that over the centuries the moon has been thought to have magical powers!

This film with its mystical quality recalls an earlier Australian film "Picnic at Hanging Rock" Both are imbued with an eerie stillness as the search goes on without success.

The vastness of this ancient land is well portrayed as cruel yet beautiful and there is an enduring feeling of loneliness.

The mother's sorrow and flashbacks of little Emily Ryan is touching.

Of the many songs in the film the title song "One Night the Moon" will probably be the favourite nicely rendered by the whole family on the night of Emily's disappearance. The full moon plays a large part in the unfolding of the simple yet moving story. What a large and beautiful moon it is!

This is a mood poem of great quality put together in an expert and convincing manner. It is a thought-provoking piece which has a lesson for all of us.

An Excellent Movie on all counts

[dorothyd · 10/10 · 1 November 2005]

What an amazing film - it captured the true essence of the early Australian land and their characters so well. The characters were so real and the soundtrack combined with that big bright shiny moon really sent shivers down my spine.

I loved the scene with the little girl and her Mother playing among the sheets. She was all the love that Mother had in that hard hot land.

My head spun with the bloody minded racial ignorance and the subsequent tragic consequences that ensued. Do we ever learn?

I have tried to buy this film to send it to my friends overseas but can not find it anywhere. Can anyone assist with this?

Excellent and beautiful

[taniaq · 9/10 · 12 December 2001]

"One Night the Moon" is quite possibly the best Australian movie I've seen since "Picnic at Hanging Rock".

It's a very short movie, exquisitely filmed to take advantage of the grandeur of Australian countryside (filmed in South Australia). The story is driven by music, rather than dialogue, but is more of an operatic movie than a musical (both in the emotional intensity of music as well as the theme of the story). I was very impressed with the music and acting (and they get good acting from Paul Kelly by making him sing as he is a musician rather than an actor).

Highly recommended.

Bad movie

[Henry36964 · 2/10 · 21 March 2022]

The movie was boring and the musical aspect felt out of place. I had to watch this for my HSC and the only thing that kept me watching was the sexual tension between Albert and Rose.

The most Brilliant piece of work ever!!!!

[bedjazzcafe · 11 August 2004]

WOW!! What a powerful film! With extraordinary use of music and song, and not being a fan of musicals in general, this film is a true example of modern art. I could not help but be completely and utterly moved. Reduced to tears I felt their pain and heartache. Camera shots comprising of Extreme Close ups amongst long shots of vast Australian Outback forced the viewer to connect with the actors and their anguish amongst an almost uninhabited world. The fathers scene of self destruction was different and very well used to represent his loss. I was surprised how well this little trick worked! This Director got it right. No, she got it better than right - it was amazing!

Thank you Rachel Perkins!! You are truly an inspiration to other filmmakers (like me) and I look forward to seeing more of your work! In fact, I cant wait!!!!

Tragedy by moonlight

[Philby-3 · 17 February 2002]

WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD

This short film (just under one hour) from the accomplished aboriginal director Rachel Perkins (`Radiance') is said to be based on a real-life incident in a remote part of South Australia in 1932. Little Bunny (Ruby Hunter), six years old, living with her parents on a desolate sheep run, is entranced one night by a full moon to leave her bed and follow it into the rough countryside. Her absence is discovered by her mother (Karrin Fairfax) within a few hours and Ryan, her Dad (Paul Kelly) rides into town to get help. The veteran police sergeant, (Chris Haywood) brings along his black tracker and a group of volunteers. Incredibly, Ryan refuses to have the tracker on the property, and the scene is set for tragedy. After days of futile searching, Mum enlists the support of the tracker, who finds the girl within hours, despite the trampling of the trail by the earlier searchers. But of course it is too late. Dad does the decent thing and blows his brains out.

The film is in semi-operatic form and much of the characters' thoughts are expressed in song. The background is the truly and harshly beautiful Flinders Ranges, right at the limit of pastoral settlement, and a powerful symbol of pre-European Australia. Against this magnificent landscape we have a story of mind-blowing stupidity born of bigotry. But this time it's the bigot who suffers.

Paul Kelly, a singer rather than an actor, doesn't have much of an acting range, but looks the part of a careworn, dirt-poor farmer, and of course sings very well. Karrin Fairfax is convincing as the downtrodden but loving mother and Kelton Pell puts in a dignified performance as the tracker.

Assuming this film does convey the story accurately, there's one puzzling thing. Why didn't the copper who well knew the ability of the tracker, just tell the father he was just going to have to put up with one sworn police blackfella on his property? If there's one thing calculated to fire up a copper, especially a senior one, it's a challenge to his authority. Anyway he didn't require the owner's permission for search and rescue. The cop wasn't beholden to local landowners, the South Australian police was and is a statewide organisation – his boss was back in Adelaide. Any landowner who tried to impede a search today would be locked up for obstruction.

It's a simple story poetically told with a true sense of time and place.