David Stratton had a soft spot for this film which was made for almost $5 million - it's up there on screen - but was barely released, although it was screened theatrically in the US.
Certainly worse films got a wider release, and the movie is entirely fine, but it's not a lost masterpiece. The central story is strong - based on Harry Reardon's cattle drive - but it never quite seems to got alive. Paul Goddard is not a particularly engaging lead neither is Kathryn Walker as his lady love.
They're surrounded by a fine galaxy of hams who do their thing - John Wood, Bruce Spence, John Meillion, Rhys McConnochie, Kerry Walker, Lynette Curran - but it never seems to come alive. Actually that's not true - when Spence is on screen it seems to work.
There's a lot of shadows and I'm not sure the music is right (there's rousing tune at the end - more of that was needed instead of the Paris Texas vibe). The desert photography is pleasing and there's plenty of production value.
But it lacks pace and drive. There's not a lot of laughs. I think Walker should've gone on the cattle drive. It needed more star power - like a Jack Thompson. More stakes. Better Aboriginal characters than the wise old tracker who has minimal dialogue. Something. The film just lacks "oomph".
Don't know what Bob Ellis (credited with "additional dialogue") contributed. Presumably the stuff in the brothel and Phil Scott singing on the piano and Curren refusing to sleep with Paul Chubb.
Quick fixes - have the girl go on the trail, had her be the squatter's daughter, had a real villain who is going to kill Goddard, have some conflict between Goddard and the girl which evovles to love, have a rival for the girl. Just basic stuff.
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