Quigley Down Under (1990)

Sharpshooter Matt Quigley is hired from Montana by an Australian rancher paying a very high price. But when Quigley arrives Down Under, all is not as it seems.

Director:

Simon Wincer

Writer:

John Hill

Stars:

Tom Selleck, Laura San Giacomo, Alan Rickman

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Selleck	...	Matthew Quigley
Laura San Giacomo	...	Crazy Cora
Alan Rickman	...	Elliott Marston
Chris Haywood	...	Major Ashley-Pitt
Ron Haddrick	...	Grimmelman
Tony Bonner	...	Dobkin
Jerome Ehlers	...	Coogan
Conor McDermottroe	...	Hobb
Roger Ward	...	Brophy
Ben Mendelsohn	...	O'Flynn
Steve Dodd	...	Kunkurra
Karen Davitt	...	Slattern
Kylie Foster	...	Slattern
William Zappa	...	Reilly
Jonathan Sweet	...	Sergeant Thomas

Storyline

Sharpshooter Matt Quigley is hired from America by an Australian rancher so he can shoot aborigines at a distance. Quigley takes exception to this and leaves. The rancher tries to kill him for refusing, and Quigley escapes into the brush with a woman he rescued from some of the rancher's men, and are helped by aborigines. Quigley returns the help, before going on to destroy all his enemies.

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Plot Keywords:

aborigine | sharpshooter | one against many | tough guy | reference to wild bill hickok | 

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Taglines:

There's a price on his head. A girl on his mind. And a twinkle in his eye.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

Australia USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 October 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Gun, a Woman and... A Kiss

Filming Locations:

Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$21,413,105 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pathé Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was to have been Steve McQueen's follow-up to The Hunter, but he fell ill shortly after filming The Hunter, so the project was scrapped. It was revived several times throughout the 1980s, with various stars in mind for the lead. Harrison Ford was offered the lead role, but turned it down because he considered it too visibly similar to Indiana Jones. The role was offered to Tom Selleck twice, first in 1985, but he had to turn it down because of his commitment to Magnum, P. I. When this series concluded in 1988, he quickly asked if the role was still available and accepted it. The producers spent another year gathering a reasonable budget.

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Goofs

In the distant shot of Quigley tying his bandana around his wounded leg, the sun is just about to set behind a hill. Just before and after that shot, the shadow of his hat falling on his face and shoulders shows that the sun is high overhead.

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Quotes

Matthew Quigley: You got one shot left in that shooter. Mahe the most of it.

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Connections

Referenced in Basil Poledouris: His Life and Music (1997)

User Reviews

Can't recommend it too highly.

I've been watching Westerns for some 60 years and Quigley Down Under rates in my top 5 along with Unforgiven, The Wild Bunch, The Outlaw Jose Wales and Once Upon a Time in the West. I've watched it 6 times and haven't tired of it yet. The musical score is superb, great story line and beautiful cinematography. Excellent performances by Selleck, Giacomo and Rickman.

Insofar as Quigley's marksmanship goes, there is nothing in the movie rifle shots that are not realistic as far as I'm concerned. During the Civil War, a Whitworth rifle with a telescopic sight had an effective range of 1800 yards and the exploits of Truman "California Joe" Head with his Sharps were lengendary in his own time. Even the Civil War Enfield was fairly accurate to 1100 yards. Given a Sharps with a custom load to match the rifle, it's a matter of familiarity, eyesight (preferably 20/10 or better), practice and reading the wind, the latter of which was shown prior to Quigley's demonstration to Marston and is by far the biggest variable in long range rifle shots. In short, anyone who is an excellent rifle or pistol shot is unbelievable. Check out Bob Munden's .45 Colt demonstrations. Blink and you've missed some of single or double shot feats. Literally!

That's not to say that Quigley is not a mythical character in the movie but no more so than Wild Bill Hickcok, Wyatt Earp or Bat Masterson came to be, usually for only one incident in their lives.

This is a 5 star Western if there ever was one. Can't recommend it too highly.