No Fences, No Boundaries – Walter Burley Griffin (c1976)

A biography that examines the life and work of architect Walter Burley Griffin (1876 – 1937), based on the unpublished biography by his wife, Marion Mahony (1871 – 1961), ‘The Magic of America’. Walter Burley Griffin moved to Australia after he won the competition to design the national capital, Canberra. He stayed on in Australia designing houses and public buildings in Melbourne and Sydney.

The documentary uses actors to play Marion Mahony Griffin and the voice of Walter Burley Griffin. Marion is recognised as a talented designer in her own right and an important collaborator in Griffin’s architectural work. No Fences, No Boundaries is a stylishly made documentary that delivers insight into an exciting period of architecture and the ideals behind Griffin’s endeavours. The director, Tristram Miall, later produced the feature films Strictly Ballroom and Looking for Alibrandi.