I'm going dotty in my old age... I'm developing a fondess for this misfire. Now my expectations are low watching it is like putting on an old pair of shoes - it's the sort of fllm that plays on the ABC at 2am.
It's flaws are clear - it's not very exciting, and it doesn't work on the character relationships. It should be about Starlight and the boys and their dad, and the girls in their life... and the "good people in their life. And that's all there but it's not connected.
Some of it works. Its clear that one brother is shiftier than the other (Roland Lewis vs David McCallum both of whom are quite good) and that one sister is shiftier than the other (Maureen Swanson vs Jill Ireland, again both quite good).
But it's not clear how both brothers interact with Starlight and their father - which should be be the emotional crux of piece.
Starlight just sort of strolls in and out of the movie - he rocks up and goes "we are robbing cattle" and they rob cattle then he disappears and then he's captured off screen and escapes off screen, then they see him again and then he disappears so they go to the goldfields without him.. then Starlight happens to rock up and rob a town that the brothers just happen to be present in.
It's frustrating because all these things could have been fixed with a quick edit - strengthen the relationship between the boys and Starlight, show what he means to them compared with their dad. It feels so lazy that the robbery at the end is conincidental.
Support characters could have been made clearer - that Vincent Ball's neighbour for instance, is meant to be the goody goody that should inspire them. As it is he just pops in and out... they should have combined his character with that of Grace, the good girl... or combined with the trooper Goring, or made Vincent Ball into a villain.
And the nasty bushranger in theStarlight's band - the one who shoots the trooper and then later, shockingly, shoots and kills the mother of a small boy in the robbery (the best sequence in the film). His part could have been even bigger. Larry Taylor is the actor, I think.
The character of the father is completely under utlitised as is that of Warrigal. These should be key.
But lets look at the positives: the location photography,that laid back opening credit sequence, the sparing use of music creates its own atmosphere. The robbery sequence is strong, and I enjoyed the long distance shooting sequences. It's well acted - Roland Lewis and McCallum are effectively contrasting brothers ditto Swanson and Ireland. Finch is good.
There's barely any Aussies in the cast. I mean it's quite shocking how few. Finch, yes and Johnny Waddell and Vincent Ball. But Ball's sister, and the lead four, and the dad and mother... Why not use locals? Grant Taylor or Chips Rafferty or someone? I wonder what happened.
You could cut Starlight out of the film. He has no romance, no impact that the father couldn't do.
To keep what they had I would make Vincent Ball a cop... have him in love with the Marston sister. Have the sister in love with Starlight. Make the dad the fully evil one who kills.
Ah, there I go. Can't help nit picking. Better it exists than it doesn't. I just wish it was better.
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