100,000 Cobbers is a 1942 dramatised documentary made by director Ken G. Hall for the Australian Department of Information during World War II to boost recruitment into the armed forces. Grant Taylor, Joe Valli and Shirley Ann Richards play fictitious characters. Plot Five men enlist in the AIF – laid back Bill; World War I veteran Scotty, who pretends to be 37 years old; an "old school tie" businessman Peter, who is running his dead father's business, and whose secretary Miss Lane leaves for overseas service as a VAD; the rebellious "Bluey" William Baker; and Jim, who leaves behind his new wife, Jean. Bluey and Bill almost get in a fight when Bluey tries to cut into the line during enlistment but the five soon become friends. The five soldiers go through basic training and become good soldiers. Bill falls for a female chiropodist working at the camp. Bluey, Bill, Jim and Peter get leave and spend a day at Luna Park in Sydney with their women (Bluey has a girl called "Blondie"), then go to a cabaret. They all toast to the future. The men then go to a pub before embarking for overseas. Scotty tells his four mates that he has been kicked out the army for being too old at 48 years old. The other four go on board while Scotty works in a munitions factory. The final scene is of the four cobbers going into action, Jim, Peter and Bill thinking of their women. The movie ends with a quote from Henry Lawson, "I tell you the star of the south shall rise... in the lurid clouds of war". Cast Some of the cast were billed with their military rank: Sgt John Fleeting, AIF as Peter Montgomery Joe Valli, ex-AIF as Scotty Sig. Barry Ross, AIF as William "Bluey" Baker Pvte Grant Taylor, AMF as Bill Gilbert Ellis as Jim Aileen Britten as Miss Lane Shirley Ann Richards Lorna Westbrook as Blondie Patricia Firman as Jean Production Cinesound Productions were commissioned to make the film by the Department of Information and its Minister Harry Foll. The original title was Democratic Army. Director Ken G. Hall said he wanted to make a featurette as opposed to a documentary film. The theme of it was to "show that a man may not have a friend in the world, but from the moment he joins the Army he has