When the small town of Minyaka suffers from a drought, a kind and mysterious stranger offers to make it rain by playing his flute; under the condition that he be paid. But after Fluteman makes it rain, and even stops it; the town council, blind by their greed and pride, refuse to pay him. Fluteman stands before the town and warns them of a curse he would bring; and so the next day the school playground fades into silence as all the children disappear into the bush… except one.
Director: Peter Maxwell.
Writers: Charles Stamp (screenplay), Robert Browning (poem) (uncredited).
Stars: John Jarratt, Emil Minty, Michael Caton, Aileen Britton, Patrick Dickson, John Ewart, Ron Graham, Peter Gwynne, Sheila Kennelly, Debra Lawrance, Geoffrey Brown, Margi Brown, Beth Buchanan, Sarah Lambert, Martin Lewis, Warwick Moss, Ron Shand, Redmond Phillips, John Sheerin, Martin Vaughan.
Cinematographer: Phil Pike.
Composer: John Sangster.
Gentle update of the Pied Piper + the RainMaker stories, spun into a neat film for kids.
Story books …. are they nicer to hold and read, or nicer to produce into video?