Ned Kelly (2003)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Gregor Jordan

Writers:

Robert Drewe (novel)
John Michael McDonagh (screenplay)

Release Date:

26 March 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Biography | Crime | History | Western

Tagline:

A film about the legendary outlaw whose story outgrew his life

Plot:

After getting threatened by Kelly's friends and family, Constable Fitzpatrick places the blame on Ned Kelly and exaggerates what happened...

Plot Keywords:

Ned Kelly | Bushranger | Shootout | Irish | Cop Killer

Awards:

3 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Heath Ledger	...	Ned Kelly
Orlando Bloom	...	Joseph Byrne
Geoffrey Rush	...	Superintendent Francis Hare
Naomi Watts	...	Julia Cook
Joel Edgerton	...	Aaron Sherritt
Laurence Kinlan	...	Dan Kelly
Philip Barantini	...	Steve Hart
Kerry Condon	...	Kate Kelly
Kris McQuade	...	Ellen Kelly
Emily Browning	...	Grace Kelly
Kiri Paramore	...	Constable Fitzpatrick
Rachel Griffiths	...	Susan Scott
Geoff Morrell	...	Robert Scott
Charles 'Bud' Tingwell	...	Premier Graham Berry
Saskia Burmeister	...	Jane Jones

Also Known As:

Ned Kelly: Public Enemy No. 1 (Philippines: English title) (poster title)
Our Sunshine (Australia) (working title)

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

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:MA (TV rating) | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18SG | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:12 (TV rating) | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M (re-rating on appeal) | Canada:14A | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #39555)

Filming Locations:

Ballarat, Victoria, Australia

Company:

Australian Film Commission, The

Trivia:

The Irish folk singer appearing in the film is Bernard Fanning.

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.

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Besieged: The Ned Kelly Story (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Morning Star - Star of Munster Laingston's Reel

A Legend Becomes A Straight-Forward Narrative

"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?