A Bit Mr Churchill's Way, Pacific Films, 1974
A promotional film about Robert Muldoon, made in the year leading up to the 1975 election. Muldoon is seen addressing a public meeting, where the crowd give him an enthusiastic reception. The documentary discusses issues like: Muldoon’s leadership style, humour in politics, the superannuating scheme, the Labour Government. Muldoon, Thea and family are seen at their bach, strolling along the beach. Not many political promotional films would include negative voices on its subject. However, it's noticeable that the people used to picture the negative response are generally long-haired, young, and feeding the whole argument that this good old boy is a straight talking tough guy, complete with the common touch, who will lead us into the future with surety.
[3 members of the public interviewed:]
- "… speaks his mind, and um, we should all speak our mind, say what do you think … yeah
- "He's a great man, he's a great man. Yes, we want more of him"
- "No, I wouldn't like to see him as a leader at all. I think he will lead the country into doom."
[Muldoon speaks:]
" … You'd have been indignant. You'd have said 'Never'. They'll never pledge New Zealand's credit to the international money barons. That's what they said of course and they've broken promises and this thing is magnificent."
November 1974. It's not actually election year in New Zealand, but the country's opposition leader, Robert Muldoon, has decided to meet the people. And the people have decided to meet Robert Muldoon, in their thousands.
[Muldoon speaks:]
"I think that New Zealand needs a strong leader. But, um, not stupidly strong. I am certainly not dictatorial. And I still retain my sense of humour under the most trying conditions. I think that stops you being too tough."
There are of course people who think that Rob Muldoon may be too tough.
[Muldoon speaks:]
"Thank you very much. The question of leadership - whether or not this country has got as Prime Minister, a man who is a leader."
Muldoon is a journalist's dream. In New Zealand it's an unusual day when his name is not on the front page of your morning paper. People name things after him. He himself has already written his autobiography - a best seller. Whether you love him of hate him, you must agree that "Piggy Muldoon" as he is widely known, is, above all else, a politician.
[Muldoon speaks:] [first someone interjects/interrupts]
" … I'm going to speak about it now. Don't be impatient. I wanted to start from this point. This is from the Labour Party manifesto, this red thing. (interjection) You're not going to like this answer, I can see that."
"… ahh if you're going to say 'alright I am not going to make any enemies you're not going to be a good politician, particularly you're not going to be a good politician in government. I think that one of the faults of the Labour Party in opposition was that they said 'yes' to everyone. So all right they got into government and they couldn't deliver. They couldn't deliver what they had promised. They had said 'yes' to too many people."
"When they were in opposition, he would have expected to see under a Labour government this headline: "New Zealand negotiates largest loan ever with international ?*" audio glitch, cut off
" … people have got somewhere deep down, a sense of humour, even if they repress it. So if you're going to communicate to people and get ideas over, you've got to have a sense of humour. You've got to have a sense of the ridiculous. You've got to have a sense of what just sounds incredible. I know a few politicians that haven’t, of course, they just sound incredible. Ahh, but you've got to have some kind of a sense of humour, but you talk about detachment, and that's very important."
"I mean as political propaganda it's all we've got these days. What they said they were going to do."
"…think there's a man named Tizard. He was Minister of Health. He's now Minister of Finance. He was Member for Tamaki once, but I won't go into that. In fact in some parts of this country, they're introducing me as the first politician to be named after a horse … [laughter] I'm in better shape than "Noodlum" and he's a champion.
"… the superannuation scheme if I may say so. This thing is going to commence on the 1st of April next. And that's a very appropriate day for it to commence, because it's going to make a fool out of about half the working population."
"… that the Labour Party had all the answers to the evils of capitalism. They always said: 'Just put us in. We'll fix it. Look, put us in, we've got all the answers. All these evil capitalists who are stopping people getting houses, we'll put it right, we'll house the people.' Alright, they'll house you if you can save $101 a week in Auckland plus a bit more to get your deposit. They'll house you. But I don't know anybody who can do it. And I'll bet you couldn't."
"There's a man up here says: 'what would we do?' Um, go back to 1972. Go back to 1972. There are a lot of people who would like to go back to 1972 and have their vote over again. Look, I know thousands of people, I guess there are a few here in this hall tonight. If they would only go back to December 19… to November 1972 and say: 'By gosh! Wouldn't vote for that lot. So go back to 1972 and I've given you the answer."
[Member of public interviewed:]
"I think it would be a great thing for the country. I think it would do us a lot of good."
[Member of the public interviewed:]
"He's a bit Mr Churchill's way."
[Muldoon speaks:]
"Anybody who has lived in this country, been brought up in this country, is a man on the street. I know him because I am one of him."
[Member of the public interviewed:]
"He's in control, in control."
Discussion points:
- Muldoon portrayed from two angles – the tough, no-nonsense political leader; and the family man who likes a beer and a bit of a laugh and a walk along the beach with his wife.
- Military music (very American!) as he approaches the stage helps emphasise this image of a tough man.
- He appeals to the more conservative voter – the negative voices, as mentioned above, are long-haired types.
- Speaks directly to hecklers, showing he can think on his feet and isn’t afraid to directly address members of the audience.
- "…whether or not this country has got as Prime Minister a man who is a leader" – Muldoon is obviously suggesting the PM isn’t but he is.
- His strength is again emphasised when he says he isn’t afraid to make enemies – he’ll stand up for what he believes in, whether it makes him unpopular or not.
- The classic politician line – "They couldn’t deliver what they had promised." Have any of them?
- "He used to be Member for Tamaki" – that’s Muldoon’s ‘seat’ now: an "I’ve beaten him once, I can do it again" argument?
- "I’m a competitor."
- Personal pronouns – "I think it would be a great thing…I think it would do us a lot of good."
- "He’s in control," says a member of the public, "…in control."
The propaganda has worked!
