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nostalgic and blustery ‘Pop’ Pym – the ‘picture show man’ of the
title – helps frame an earlier historical transition from vaudeville and
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shallow showmanship and homogenised experience that started
to take root and then dominate in the 1920s, while Meillon’s Pym
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3GD /HBSTQD 2GNV ,@Mwas shot in a range of locations on
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established actors and technicians as well as its highly regarded
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considerable experience as a director, including on the AFI Award–
winning TV movie!HKKX @MC /DQBXin 1974.He had also already
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slightly earlier$RB@OD EQNL 2HMF@ONQD(1974), and was chosen
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The project was written as a showcase for Meillon in the central
role, but also provided the opportunity for the reunion of Meillon,
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three drinking buddies as well as some of the concessions made
by Taylor in returning to Australia and taking on a supporting role to
Meillon, commonly a character or ensemble player who was one of
Australia’s most highly regarded actors of the era.^6 The production
team was rounded out by such key personnel as cinematographer
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2GNS 7RP -HIIUH\ DQG!K@BJ1NAD (Bruce Beresford, 1991).Critical reception
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came close to returning the cost of its production budget (just over
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can’t come close to boasting – and was one of the few antipo
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than anticipated, and mirrored its relatively lukewarm or ‘mixed’
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‘beautifully impressionistic camera style’, Meillon’s performance
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vignette, rather than a compelling narrative’.^9 Meanwhile, in3GD
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