Successful author Beatrice Lynn is commissioned by her publisher to go to the Outback and locate the "legendary" white man, Mara, who heads an Aboriginal Australian tribe.

They announced they had signed a contract with E. V. Timms to provide a story, and also planned to make a movie about contemporary city life.

[5] In July 1935 Chauvel announced the film would be called Uncivilised and concern a white man who grows up among Aboriginal people in North Queensland.

[16][17][18] After ten weeks in the studio, Chauvel then shot additional scenes at the Burragorang Valley[19] and the Royal National Park.

[28] The Bulletin said Chauvel put his cast "into well-chosen, convincing scenic settings, kept the action moving briskly, and utilised, perhaps more effectively than authentically, some of the most picturesque features of life in Australia’s Wild Nor’-west.

"[29] Everyone's said it was "further demonstration of encouraging progress in Australian talkie making: soundly based in melodrama and spiced with novel romantic appeal, the injection of sequences detailing aboriginal tribal dances and introducing perfectly filmed scenic backgrounds are factors which will definitely find a world interest in the picture.

"[30] Variety magazine stated: At last there issues from an Australian studio a picture fit to grace the screens of the world.

Not, however, as an ace attraction but on duals because, outside Australia, the marquee names mean nothing... Chauvel has turned in the picture of his career, and one that should .

[2] The film was re-released in Los Angeles in March 1942 as Pituri and played on a double bill with Black Dragons.