NED KELLY
Australia, 2002, 115 minutes, Colour
Heath Ledger, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush, Naomi Watts, Peter Phelps.
Directed by Gregor Jordan.
It is hard to do an objective review of a film about a character who is part of one's culture and one's upbringing.
Ned Kelly, who was hanged by the Victorian colony government in 1880 at the age of 25, was a legend in his short lifetime and has continued to be a considerable figure in the Australian imagination. The first full-length film made in Australia in 1905 was a Ned Kelly film. In the late 60s, a British company made Ned Kelly with Mick Jagger (who was the exact age for his character) as Ned. It was not a success. Now, an Australian company (with overseas finance) has mounted a new version which is not only helpful for local audiences to see but goes a long way to explaining for overseas audiences just who Ned Kelly was, what he stood for, his strengths and his weaknesses.
The film is based on a novelised version of his life, from Robert Drewe's 'Our Sunshine', the name Ned's father gave him when he was a boy after he had saved another boy from drowning. The film begins with this sequence and Ned's voiceover; and these are the images that come back to Ned after he has been shot by the police.
As a film, Ned Kelly is impressive. Gregor Jordan (Two Hands, Buffalo Soldiers) directs and gives the film a legendary, if not epic sweep, assisted by marvellous photography of the Victorian countryside (perhaps a few too many shots of the flora and fauna, however). The performances are also strong. Heath Ledger (Two Hands, The Patriot, Monster's Ball, Knight's Tale) comes into his own as Ned, playing him from a teenager until his death, not making him a photogenic hero, but rather a young man who did good things and bad, including killing police). The rest of the cast is very good with Geoffrey Rush playing it straight as the pursuing officer.
The screenplay gives enough information to the attentive viewer: the dominance and wealth of the English migrants and the putting down of the Irish, many of whom were descended from convicts; the Irish trying to eke out a living on farms; the cavalier attitude of the local police and their picking fights with the Irish. Those who have seen the westerns about the outlaws like the James Brothers will recognise similar themes from the United States in the same period. However, this film does not look like a Western and the disputes are on a smaller scale with the Irish dressed like farmers not cowboys. When Ned Kelly (who had served a sentence for allegedly stealing a horse) takes a stand against the police, he robs some banks in the Robin Hood vein, makes some political declarations about rights and injustices. When he finally makes a stand, with his bucket-like armour, it is too late because he has killed, even though he repents the killing. His famous last words, with which the film ends, were 'Such is life'.
1. The place of Ned Kelly in Australian history, Australian legend, Australian films? Local issues, universal issues? A legendary hero, a legendary villain?
2. The film as an adaptation of a novel, the imaginative rethinking of history, of the legend? The overall impact of Ned Kelly as a hero, but...?
3. The re-creation of the 19th century, the towns and farms, the world of the rich, the banks? The railways, the jails? The main streets of the towns, the hotels? The costumes, décor, the distinctively Australian tone of the countryside in the 1870s, the blue-grey style of the colour photography? The effect of the insertion of so much flora and fauna?
4. Audience knowledge of the historical background: the role of the British in the Australian colonies in the 19th century, British rule? The colony with its premier, its police, its aristocracy and their wealth? The culture of the time and place? The domination of the British? The Irish and their being looked down on by the English, being seen as thieves? The families and their poverty, the selections, the lack of education? The fights against the government, their powerlessness, their pride? The experience of being put down, the consequent anger, "anti coppers"? the Catholic background of the Irish and the sectarian issues?
5. The title, the focus? Robert Drewe's title, Our Sunshine? The prologue of the film, Ned and the boy being saved from drowning, receiving the sash and the decoration and honour? His father's pride on that day, Ned Kelly remembering this during the siege of Glenrowan, when he was happy, and had saved a life? The voice-over?
6. The Kellys, Ma as the matriarch, tough? The provider? Dan and his presence and absence? Anti coppers? Memories of the past, especially the joy of the sash day? The sons of the family, the relations, the friends? The dangers for the Kellys, Ma's arrest and her sentence? Grace, young, her place in the family? Kate and her strength - and her subsequent history, writing of the Kelly history? Fitzpatrick and his attentions, at the bar, her rejection of him? The men and their reaction to Fitzpatrick, his coming to the home, the gun, his being humiliated? The blood on his hand, his lies, the involvement of the whole family and the region in the dispute?
7. The portrait of Ned, Heath Ledger's appearance and presence, age (more or less the same age as Ned Kelly when he was executed at twenty-five)? The presence of Dan, Joe, Steve Hart, Aaron? The taking of the horse, his being arrested, jail? The encounter with Jane at Glenrowan? The officer, the clash, three years in prison? His getting out, his early twenties, his being met, no lift, the farmer and his home, everybody happy at him being out, work, the fields, the horses and cows, his meeting the young wife, the bare-knuckle fist-fight? The police, Fitzpatrick, the others?
8. The presentation of the police, many of them rogues, lazy, taking the horses, stealing them back silently? The warrants and the clashes? The police and the search for Ned? Trapping him? The alert, the shooting of Lonergan, the family man, death? The watch, Ned saying he was sorry?
9. The build-up to the declarations, especially at Euroa? The issues of land, the politics, the political Act of Parliament - to shoot? The response of the media, the newspapers, in New South Wales and Victoria, the London Times? Their being branded by the media as outlaws?
10. The character of Hare, Geoffrey Rush's style and performance? The South African background, the military corps? His pursuit of Ned Kelly? His leadership, acknowledging Ned and his power? The interviews with Aaron Sherritt? The train arriving and the troops? The build-up to the siege at Glenrowan, his being warned by the teacher escaping from the hotel? The siege itself, the shooting, the casualties for the police, Ned and his helmet, the shooting? Their finally overpowering the gang, the taking of souvenirs?
11. Ned and the group, his brothers, their characters and age, travelling together, the outlaws? The visit to the young wife, her husband and his aristocratic manner, her relationship with Ned (fact or fiction?), the later sequence, the taking of the horses? The group and their travelling through the Victorian landscapes, their pact, drinking the blood? The strong bonds of Ned with his brothers, with Steve and Aaron?
12. Ned and the gang robbing banks, their gentlemanly behaviour, the woman and wanting to change her dress, her flirtatious attitude towards Ned? At Euroa, the crowds, the talk, giving the money back? The declaration - and Bud Tingwell in his role of reading the declaration and giving the particular emphases?
13. The vulnerability of Aaron Sherritt, his place in the group, his friendship with the Kelly family, his age, experience, inexperience? His marrying? The police, their taking him, the torture, his giving the information, especially about Beechworth? The reaction of the gang, the killing of Aaron, the aftermath with Steve Hart?
14. The build-up to Glenrowan, the taking of the pub, the people in the bar, Ned's treatment of them, the teacher, his escape, the warning, the beginning of the siege? The deaths? The making of the armour, wearing the helmet, Ned Kelly as an apparition? The shooting? The deaths of the other members of the group, Ned and his being left alone? Steve's death, the suicides? Ned Kelly down, the morning and his being taken?
15. The people, the horror of Glenrowan, the deaths?
16. Ned, his attitude towards what he had done, the robberies, the killings? His conscience and his examination of conscience, especially about the killings? The context in which he killed, right and wrong, age, inexperience? The Irish background, his being put down? The film not showing his death but the commentary and his final words, "Such is life"? "Such is life" as a comment on the Irish country experience of the 19th century?
17. The film ending with the train, the information? A particularly Australian story? The links with the United States and the outlaws of the west in the 19th century? The place of these events and the execution in the British Empire? Ned Kelly as a foundation character for Australian consciousness - as well as of being a popular character in Australian movies?
