The Intruders (1969 film)
| Company type | Motion picture |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Lee Robinson (director) |
| Products | Film |
The Intruders—also titled Skippy and the Intruders—is a 1969 Australian motion picture directed by Lee Robinson. This film serves as a cinematic extension of the well-known television series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo.
Synopsis
Meredith leads a criminal group in a covert operation to locate sunken treasure near Mallacoota, masquerading their activity as abalone harvesting. Sonny, the son of Matt Hammond, who is the Chief Ranger at Waratah National Park, teams up with family friend Clancy to investigate. When both Sonny and Clancy are abducted, Skippy intervenes and facilitates their rescue. The pursuit concludes with Meredith’s apprehension after a high-speed boat chase and confrontation on sand dunes.
Cast
- Ed Devereaux portraying Matt Hammond
- Tony Bonner as Jerry King
- Ken James playing Mark Hammond
- Garry Pankhurst in the role of Sonny Hammond
- Liza Goddard as Clancy
- Ron Graham cast as Yordan
- Jeanie Drynan as Margaret 'Meg' Curtis
- Kevin Miles in the role of Meredith
- Jack Hume playing Curtis
- Jeff Ashby as Graigoe
- George Assang portraying Sigigi
- John Unicomb as Bernie
- Mike Dawkins in the role of Scott
- Robert Bruning
- Harry Lawrence
- Reg Gorman credited as Boatman (uncredited)
- Skippy
Production
Principal photography commenced in October 1968, utilizing the same production team and locations as the original television series. Supplementary filming took place at Mallacoota, Victoria—located roughly 470 kilometers south of the fictional Waratah National Park (Ku-ring-gai Chase)—as well as in Sydney.
Release
The movie’s theatrical launch was supported by promotional events featuring personal appearances by Skippy.
Critical
According to The Age, the film provided "an enjoyable adventure for younger audiences," though it was critiqued for its sluggish pacing and overly formal dialogue. The review suggested that more concise editing could enhance its appeal. Filmink pointed out that a significant flaw was insufficient screen time for Skippy, which limited its attraction among fans.
Box office
The film did not replicate the television series’ popularity and failed to achieve commercial success at cinemas. John McCallum remarked that while production costs were recouped, expectations for a stronger box office reception were unmet. He attributed this to the series’ free availability on television, which reduced families’ willingness to purchase movie tickets. The film was later sold to the Children's Film Foundation in the United Kingdom, where a condensed 60-minute version found success during Saturday morning cinema sessions.
By 1976, Lee Robinson noted that although the film had been acquired by a US network for television broadcast, it had not yet recovered its expenses and was unlikely to do so. He linked this shortfall to concurrent production of the TV series during that period. Robinson regarded the shorter cut as "a very good film" with effective pacing.