Ned Kelly (2003)

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:

Gang | Constable | Ned Kelly | Friend | Bank

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

Colour:

Colour (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:

Ned's original armor can be seen on display at the State Library of Victoria, Australia. Joe's armor is in the hands of a private collector. The National Trust (Old Melbourne Gaol) owns the armor believed to be Dan's. Steve's is with the Police Historical Unit (Police Museum in Melbourne).

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: They said i'd lost what it meant to be human, maybe never had it in the first place, but wasn't this about protecting the ones I loved? The ones who gave me food, and shelter, even the clothes on me back? And therefore wasn't it now a war?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Australia Unites: The Victorian Bushfire Appeal (2009) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Shelter for My Soul

A tribute to all concerned

The performances were superb, the costumes delivered a unique feeling for the period and being a Victorian Living Historian, I was impressed with the accuracy of weaponry and attention to detail.

I wouldn't say you need any knowledge of the Kelly saga to stay with the flow of this movie but to comprehend the happenings and attitudes of the time you will require a bit of basic historical knowledge. Do not expect, as some rather silly people do, any of the characters to have the Auzzie accent as we know it, it was, at that time, a country during infancy.

OK, the story had some elements of fiction but these are required for a wider following of the film. Gregor Jordan said in the extra feature on the DVD that he wanted his movie to 'inspire an interest', and that is exactly what happened with me so this movie gets the thumbs up here.

See it and you WILL NOT be sorry