The true story of a part aboriginal man who finds the pressure of adapting to white culture intolerable, and as a result snaps in a violent and horrific manner.
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Title: Die Ballade von Jimmie Blacksmith (1978)
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5 wins & 10 nominations.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Tommy Lewis | ... | ||
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Freddy Reynolds | ... |
Mort Blacksmith
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| Ray Barrett | ... |
Farrell
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| Jack Thompson | ... |
Rev. Neville
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Angela Punch McGregor | ... |
Gilda Marshall
(as Angela Punch)
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Steve Dodd | ... |
Tabidgi
(as Steve Dodds)
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Peter Carroll | ... |
McCready
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Ruth Cracknell | ... |
Mrs. Heather Newby
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Don Crosby | ... |
Jack Newby
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| Elizabeth Alexander | ... |
Petra Graf
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Peter Sumner | ... |
Dowie Steed
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Tim Robertson | ... |
Healey
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Ray Meagher | ... |
Dud Edmonds
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Brian Anderson | ... |
Hyberry
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Jane Harders | ... |
Mrs. Healey
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Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
The true story of a part aboriginal man who finds the pressure of adapting to white culture intolerable, and as a result snaps in a violent and horrific manner. Written by <tgard@genauto.com>
Taglines:
The chant of Jimmie Blacksmith is the chant of the underdog See more »Certificate:
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Details
Country:
AustraliaLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
21 June 1978 (Australia) See more »Also Known As:
Die Ballade von Jimmie Blacksmith See more »Box Office
Budget:
AUD 1,280,000 (estimated)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
Color (Eastmancolor)Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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This film from 1978 as directed by Fred Schipisi of SIX DEGREES fame and of Thomas Keneally's book - he wrote SCHINDLER'S LIST - is a grim and disturbing depiction set during colonial 19th century Australia of a young Aboriginal man's descent into frustrated violence against his white English landowner masters. It becomes a really brutal film with explicit axe murders, especially against young girls and older women, and it is this visually distressing depiction that ultimately alienated the cinema audience. Jimmy's humiliation and cruel treatment is equally explicit and it is a relentless string of unhappy experiences by his inhumane 'boss' that ultimately causes him to crack - and hack. As a novel it is all in the mind of the reader but as a cinemascope color film, the 'running amok with an axe' sequences make any crowd want to run from the cinema. It was not seen on TV in Australia for almost 20 years and it is not likely to be either without most of the violence cut out, thus blunting the heavy handed message and the ultimate impact. Like poor Jimmy himself, the film version is in no man's land either. Past all that, it is a well made film and with an excellent cast; but very tough going. It fits well into a series of very sharply observed Australian films depicting the British colonial mind and its misunderstanding or cruelty towards Aboriginies: JEDDA in 1956, WALKABOUT in 1970, this film in 1978, RABBIT PROOF FENCE in 2001 and THE TRACKER in 2003. Each and every one are unique and excellent in their story. This one however, is the most violent which does derail its message. White urban Australia run amok is hilarious in a 1966 comedy THEY'RE A WEIRD MOB or demented boozy antics in THE ADVENTURES OF BARRY MCKENZIE in 1972... and alarmingly, horrifyingly realistic, soaked in beer bullets fists and dead kangaroos blood in Ted Kotcheff's superb 1971 drama OUTBACK. See the lot! It is a head-shaking but enlightening string of films, especially if seen in chronological order....like we all did! (may explain why our film makers in the 90s made musicals)