7.5/10
23,821
249 user 75 critic

Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002)

In 1931, three aboriginal girls escape after being plucked from their homes to be trained as domestic staff and set off on a trek across the Outback.

Director:

Writers:

(book) (as Doris Pilkington Garimara), (screenplay)

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From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 23 wins & 24 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
Laura Monaghan ...
...
Ningali Lawford ...
Maud - Molly's Mother
Myarn Lawford ...
Molly's Grandmother
...
Mavis
...
Constable Riggs
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Natasha Wanganeen ...
Nina, Dormitory Boss
Garry McDonald ...
Mr. Neal at Moore River
...
Police Inspector
Lorna Lesley ...
Miss Thomas (as Lorna Leslie)
Celine O'Leary ...
Miss Jessop
Kate Roberts ...
Matron at Moore River
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Storyline

Western Australia, 1931. Government policy includes taking half-caste children from their Aboriginal mothers and sending them a thousand miles away to what amounts to indentured servitude, "to save them from themselves." Molly, Daisy, and Grace (two sisters and a cousin who are 14, 10, and 8) arrive at their Gulag and promptly escape, under Molly's lead. For days they walk north, following a fence that keeps rabbits from settlements, eluding a native tracker and the regional constabulary. Their pursuers take orders from the government's "chief protector of Aborigines," A.O. Neville, blinded by Anglo-Christian certainty, evolutionary world view and conventional wisdom. Can the girls survive? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

When the government kidnaps your children, you don't expect to see them again. See more »


Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for emotional thematic material | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

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Details

Country:

Language:

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Release Date:

31 January 2003 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Long Walk Home  »

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£221,758 (UK) (8 November 2002)

Gross:

$6,165,429 (USA) (25 April 2003)
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Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

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Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider. See more »

Goofs

Far into the story the film shows the view from Mr. Neville's office window, allowing us to see a few applicants. Among those is a couple whose application had been rejected early in the story by Mr. Neville. Obviously the same set served different scenes that were far apart in time. See more »

Quotes

Gracie Fields: [in native language to her cousins] New clothes!
Miss Jessop: [in English] This is your new home. We don't use that jabber here. You speak English.
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Crazy Credits

The painting songs sung by the Walpiri, Amatjere and Wangajunka women were not sacred songs, but were songs able to be performed in public. See more »

Connections

Featured in Reel Injun (2009) See more »

Soundtracks

The Tracker
Didgeridoo by Ganga Giri
Keyboards by Peter Gabriel
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User Reviews

 
Top marks to the director
25 September 2003 | by (Australia) – See all my reviews

This film has quite a few remarkable features. First of all is its title which is rather unusual and immediately grabs one's interest. Next there is the fence itself which runs for thousands of miles to protect what few green plants there are in these desert regions from the voracious appetites of millions of wild rabbits. This fence plays an important role in this true story. Then there is the diector who not only scoured the continent to find three suitable aboriginal girls to play theleads but moulded these inexperienced beginners into the believable characters of Molly, Daisy and Gracie. The director Phillip Noyce has achieved remarkable success in creating three good little performers and should be given full credit for his difficult task.

For those who do not know the desert regions of Australia, it must be said that the "outback" country is harsh and cruel and can only be crossed by those with experience...those with a knowledge of the land. I think the camera makes it clear that the hostile environment is very much like a fence in itself...almost impossible to cross. All the more remarkable therefore that these girls accomplished what they set out to do. May be it was a reckless decision they made but thanks to the fence they found their way back to family and friends.

The film is largely a record of the long trek and the manner in which the children are able to survive. There are not many dramatic moments on their journey south. The children are mainly concerned with avoiding the blacktracker who is following them. The most unforgettable scene comes early in the film when the children are forcibly torn from their mothers. This is truly heart-wrenching stuff.

This thoughtful presentation is worth watching. It is part of Australian history.


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