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Ned Kelly
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Ned Kelly (2003) More at IMDbPro »

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Ned Kelly (2003) -- Open-ended Trailer from Focus Features
Ned Kelly (2003) -- US Home Video Trailer from Focus Features

Overview

User Rating:
6.4/10   8,771 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 2% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Gregor Jordan
Writers:
Robert Drewe (novel)
John Michael McDonagh (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Ned Kelly on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
26 March 2004 (USA) more
Tagline:
A film about the legendary outlaw whose story outgrew his life more
Plot:
After getting threatened by Kelly's friends and family, Constable Fitzpatrick places the blame on Ned Kelly and exaggerates what happened... more | add synopsis
Awards:
3 wins & 13 nominations more
User Comments:
A Legend Becomes A Straight-Forward Narrative more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Ned Kelly: Public Enemy No. 1 (Philippines: English title) (poster title)
Our Sunshine (Australia) (working title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for violence and brief nudity.
Runtime:
110 min
Country:
Australia | UK | USA | France
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Cinevex)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS | Dolby Digital

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The Irish folk singer appearing in the film is Bernard Fanning. more
Goofs:
Factual errors: The scene of the shoot out at Glenrowan shows many police being shot. In reality, the only police casualty was Superintendent Francis Hare who received a slight wound to his wrist. more
Quotes:
Ned Kelly: [narrating] They say the trouble with the Irish is that they rely too much on dreams and not enough on gunpowder. Whereas the English were shy on dreams, as usual, but had plenty of the other. Now we had both. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Besieged: The Ned Kelly Story (2004) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Morning Star - Star of Munster Laingston's Reel more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
12 out of 16 people found the following comment useful:-
A Legend Becomes A Straight-Forward Narrative, 5 April 2004
Author: noralee from Queens, NY

"Ned Kelly" is a straight-forward re-telling of the legendary Australian who has a powerful symbolism as both an outlaw and a revolutionary.

It is not based on the award-winning novel by Peter Carey, "True History of the Ned Kelly Gang," because the rights to that were taken by the Irish Neil Jordan to the consternation of nationalists who rallied around this adaptation of Robert Drewe's "Our Sunshine." But, oddly, though Drewe is listed as a co-producer, this chronological narrative by first-timer John M. McDonagh flattens out the power of the novella's focus on the final three-days' battle that's as important to Australia as "Remember the Alamo!" is to Texans.

Director Gregor Jordan particularly undercuts the core of Kelly's transformation in the public imagination from petty criminal to charismatic Robin Hood to uprising leader against injustice by barely letting Heath Ledger dictate a few lines of the so-called 'Jerilderie Letter' perhaps because it is the powerful centerpiece of the voice of the Carey book. Ledger's basso voice-over connectors do resonate.

Jordan opts for portends of the key confrontation that will only be caught by those familiar with the legend -- Kelly idly looking through an illustrated book about body armor, the loading up of the infamous train that will carry the police to the attack, and Geoffrey Rush replaying his Inspector Javert, but with only implications of a "Les Miserables" back story.

Jordan presides over an excellent recreation of the milieu of the time. There's a strong visual evocation in the art and set direction of time, place, and geography, especially with Oliver Stapleton's beautiful cinematography. The social class differences between descendants of POMmies (Prisoners of his Majesty) and their British overlords, are documented starkly, particularly in carrying over the Irish vs. British conflict to another continent (though the bland music score misses a real opportunity to illustrate that, with only a couple of traditional Celtic songs literally stuck in).

Non-Aussie Orlando Bloom makes quite a dashing Joe Byrne, Kelly's best friend, attracting Rachel Griffiths in a somewhat silly cameo, and many other recognizable Australian actors pass through.

Unfortunately, Naomi Watts and Ledger can be added to the lengthy list of real-life lovers who evince little reel chemistry -- did that only work to our benefit for Bogart/Bacall and Tracy/Hepburn?

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Ned Kelly (2003)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
hero or villain? littleangel9143
What?!?! This movie is so underrrated! It deserves at least an 8!!!!!! englandsqueen
Did Ned consider himself Irish or an Aussie? LNMaguire
Who Cried pirategirl91
Why did this movie perform so poorly? ctyler_lives
violence SierraArizonaMt
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