How was the accent?

It's actually a pretty good accent. I didn't think he could pull it off but there you go! I've heard many old men of his age talk like that down south.
The accent sounds different from what most people hear coming out of true blue kiwis mouths because Munro comes from Invercargill and the bulk of the people who live there are descended from immigrant scotsman. Therefore they roll their rrrr's. The more down south you go the difference in the accent starts to become more pronounced. Up here in auckland we don't roll our rrrr's at all. It's just like the many different accents in britain. Except ours don't differ a great deal.

The North Island is way better! Lol (I live here).

Hopkins accent is flawless in the beginning but I think he lost it a bit when he went to The United States, it started to sound a bit British/Australian. But then who cares because by that moment the story itself was more important.

I also think there was an excellent attention to detail with the set/props/clothes etc.(my Grandad said it was exactly how he remembered stuff growing up).

"Burt can I have a gingernut?!"
(And how the hell does one eat those without jumping on them first until they lose their rock-like consistency?)

Thats scary how Aucklanders have similiar accents to some urban Australians, apart from some differences in specific words I can see how people think they sound the same.

Interesting. You say that the examples given "are all false". I have come to eccept that many of the sites are the work of folks who are just giving their opinion and cannot be considered FACT.

The link you gave says that "some versions claim the convicts bore one of these legends printed on the backs of their shirts". In the Early Settlers Museum there are photos in the 1880s,which I have seen, which shows this.

Thanks anyhow.

John

One man's dream! We could all achieve our dreams if we had this depth of determination.

Well,
I come from Cardiff, which is about twenty-odd miles from Port Talbot, where Anthony Hopkins hails from.
Whenever I've been in the States, I have been asked if I am Australian, New Zealander, South African, - anything but Welsh! Incidentally, most Americans have no idea of where Wales is; most seem to think it's somewhere in Europe. I've even been told that I speak English very well for a European!

Anyway, I can't do accents to save my life, but Tony obviously has a fantastic ear for them. Apart for 19th century Californian, of course.

Incidentally, when I interviewed Tony a few years ago, when he was doing 'Uncle Vanya' here, he said that he tended to speak a bit more 'English' in the US, as it caused less problems and interminable explanations of where he came from.

John Munro; if you read this, may I say that your father is one of my heroes.
I accept that there were a few *liberties* taken with your father's story, but apart from that the film seemed to be an honest and heartfelt tribute to the man.

Lovely film. Great man.

My granddad was from the deep south and he sounded exactly like Burt did in the movie. Great acting... for a pom.

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