Mad Dog Morgan (1976)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Philippe Mora

Writers:

Margaret Carnegie (story)
Philippe Mora (writer)

Release Date:

9 July 1976 (Australia)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | History | Western

Tagline:

In the autumn of 1865 the unique and notorious desperado, bushranger Dan Morgan, crossed the Murray River from New South Wales into Victoria to do battle with the law for the last time. What happened has been a secret for over 100 years. And so it should have been, if only to save face for the corrupt and hated colonial establishment of the day. This then is the fascinating tale, told for the first time, of the romantic and extraordinary villain they called Mad Dog Morgan.

Plot:

The true story of Irish outlaw Daniel Morgan, who is wanted, dead or alive, in Australia during the 1850s.

Plot Keywords:

Australia | Outlaw | Prison | Australian Aboriginal | 1800s

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Dennis Hopper	...	Daniel Morgan
Jack Thompson	...	Detective Mainwaring
David Gulpilil	...	Billy
Frank Thring	...	Supt. Cobham
Michael Pate	...	Supt. Winch
Wallas Eaton	...	MacPherson (as Wallace Eaton)
Bill Hunter	...	Sgt. Smith
John Hargreaves	...	Baylis
Martin Harris	...	Wendlan
Robin Ramsay	...	Roget
Graeme Blundell	...	Italian Jack
Gregory Apps	...	Arthur
Liza Lee-Atkinson	...	Barmaid
Elaine Baillie	...	Farm Girl
Don Barkham	...	Morrow

Also Known As:

Mad Dog
Mad Dog Morgan (USA)

Runtime:

USA:102 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:18 | Australia:MA (Special Edition DVD) | USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | Finland:K-16 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Australia

Company:

Mad Dog

Trivia:

The purple flowers in the fields are not wildflowers, but an invasive or noxious weed known variously as "Paterson's Curse' or 'Salvation Jane'. It is a European plant (Echium plantagineum - Purple Viper's Bugloss), native to western and southern Europe. It is also called Blueweed, Lady Campbell Weed or Riverina Bluebell.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In a farmhouse, a picture of a Tasmanian tiger or Thylacine is pointed out as being that of an extinct animal. The Thylacine did not become extinct until the 1930s.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! (2008)

Bizarre little film.

I'd love to say that this film is an under-appreciated classic, but the low budget techniques and loose plot prevent me from doing so.

That said, if the content was a little more trendy, if it didn't pack so much of a punch, if it wasn't so uncomfortable to watch, maybe it would have a higher rating than it does (4.7 as I speak). I mean, there are some pretty horrendous films out there with huge followings and subsequently high IMDb ratings (Evil Dead anyone? Fan as I am, it's not exactly "slick"). Although there's probably an amount of poetic justice in that a film such as this, dealing with the themes it does, should be less appreciated than some of the schlock that Troma puts out (Toxic Avenger for example). Here is the story of a real life man, real events, set in a real world, portrayed realistically (occasionally beautiful, always authentic sets), and most can but dismiss it.

Above all is Dennis Hopper's performance. I've never seen him better, considering the relative difficulty in playing someone who'd lived 100+ years previously, and in quite a different part of the world. I can now do nothing but see him in a different, more positive light.

It was the acting that carried this for the most part. Were it not for a consistent effort on behalf of the entire cast, this film could have fallen in a heap.

Too easy to dismiss. Don't make that mistake.

8/10

(After having seen Gregor Jordan's recent portrayal of Ned Kelly, this has given me renewed faith in our ability to make a decent bushranger flick.)