[George Malins Home Movies: Reel 20]

George William Malins (1910–2007) was an amateur filmmaker who made home movies in Australia and overseas from the 1940s to 1970s. According to his daughter, George was ‘optimistic, happy and enthusiastic’, an outlook reflected in his films which are a history of home life and a love of travel.

George came to Australia from England as a young man by way of the merchant navy, after having seen South America and some of Asia. He met his future wife Sybil, who was impressed by George’s world travels and his dreams for the future.

The family lived in the Melbourne suburb of North Balwyn, spending their summers camping at Wye River on the Victorian coast often with extended family and friends.

George and Sybil must have shared a sense of adventure as they eventually sold the family home and sailed on the ‘SS Orontes’ to England, travelling around Britain for two years.

The George Malins Home Movie Collection was donated to ACMI by the creator’s daughter, Ruth Hargrave. The films were made on 16mm film.

This film contains two distinct scenes most likely taken at different times - firstly we see an infant girl in a garden and secondly members of the extended family at the beach.

Selected highlights list:
00:00:02:00 an infant girl walking about a garden in a yellow dress with smocking detail on the front yoke, very much the style of the day
00:00:15:00 title card written in the sand ‘Sue & John’ immediately washed away by a wave before reappearing as ‘Sue & John Just Friends’
00:00:44:00 a glimpse of guests sipping from champagne glasses at a celebration or wedding
00:00:49:00 two people we can presume are Sue and John and two friends
00:01:14:00 Sue walks toward the camera with 1960s style cars behind her
00:01:23:00 titles ‘The End’ and ‘Sue John Just Friends’ in the sand
00:01:34:00 title ‘Mr and Mrs Malins’ and a 1960s style wedding card
00:01:42:00 sign for ‘The Sanctuary’ hangs outside a building followed by titles ‘Two Years Later’, the church sign for ‘St Judes Randwick’ and ‘The End’ in quick succession.