Tim Burstall was a bit cocky in the mid 70s about having his finger on the commercial pulse but like all directors soon discovered it was harder than it looked. The public didn't go to this. Or anything he made after Eliza Fraser, really.
It's a shame because this is a decent movie. Beautifully shot, some tough locations, a strong cast. It feels a little Sunday Too Far Away - men being tough in the outback - even though I think the play came first.
There's memorable scenes - the poker game between Mike Preston and Michael Duffield, some brawls, visiting the prostitutes. It's an interesting world.
But it lacks focus. Sunday had Jack Thompson this one is more all over the shop. It's an ensemble piece which is fine, but it lacks some unifying event. I guess Mike Preston is trying to take over from Gerard Kennedy... but that doesn't unify the other strands. You've got Michael Caton being a newcomer, and a guy who looks like Honey Badger the football player being mysterious, and a subplot about a robbery in the city which feels outlandish, and Duffield being old, and the prostitutes... It feels diffuse. The robbery stuff clangs - an escaped con working there feels natural but the story here feels at odd in its melodrama to the rest... especially Honey Badger being a kung fu expert.
I think more work needed to be done on the adaptation. Maybe really focus it around Preston trying to take over the gang. Use Kennedy more - he's hardly in the film. They can be trying to get allies. Or it takes place over one night. Or something.
I wonder if this is one of the films that David Williamson was referring to when his surrogate in Emerald City goes "I see films and know how they could be made to work but no one gives me a call."
Still, much to admire - an excellent chance for Duffield (who has a far bigger role than Kennedy), people like Steve Bisley are in it and so on.
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