Quigley Down Under - 1990

Pathé Entertainment

Directed by Simon Wincer

Cast:

• Matthew Quigley – Tom Selleck
• Crazy Cora – Laura San Giacomo
• Elliot Marston – Alan Rickman
• Major Ashley-Pitt – Chris Haywood
• Grimmelman – Ron Haddrick
• O'Flynn – Ben Mendelsohn

Story: Elliot Marston has a problem. He advertises for the best long-range rifleman in the world to come to Australia and work for him. When Matthew Quigley arrives from Montana, his Sharps rifle in hand, Marston thinks his problem will be solved. That is, until Marston explains it isn't wild dogs he wants killed but aborigines. Quigley has just arrived after three months at sea, and is in no mood to be told he's been lied to. After a physical confrontation with Marston and his men, Quigley and Crazy Cora, a woman who was being taken to Marston's ranch as “company” for the men, are taken out from the ranch and left to die in the wilderness. Somehow, that doesn't work out, and now Marston has a much bigger problem: Quigley. After being found in the desert by the aborigines, who save their lives with water and tribal medicine, he defends them against a couple of assaults by Marston's men, and winds up with a bounty on his head. When he learns that Marston is offering the bounty, he lets him know in no uncertain terms he is not pleased.

Review: Granted this is not the old west, although it is set in Western Australia. Tom Selleck, in my opinion, was born a couple of decades late. It's too bad the romance with westerns has passed on, since Selleck could have easily been a contemporary of The Duke. His easy-going, “down home” style and charm work well in the western genre, and with the exception of Robert Duvall and Sam Elliot, I can't think of another star who fits the “cowboy” persona better. Well, maybe Eastwood. Laura San Giacomo works beautifully as the films female love interest and comedy relief, since neither Rickman or Selleck offer us much in that way. She gives us her story in brief episodes, the returns to the “Crazy Cora” persona long enough to convince us it isn't all an act. Or is it? Alan Rickman plays what he plays best, an arrogant ass with money and power who enjoys pulling the wings off butterflies when he isn't shooting down people for the fun of it. He uses money as his weapon, and indulges himself whenever possible. Since most of his men are conscripts from the local prison, Marston is of the belief he is untouchable. The aborigines have no lines in English, and are pretty much the window dressing of the film, although there are some interesting scenes where Selleck and the aborigines interact. Overall, the film has plenty of flaws and lapses, but they are easy to look past when you watch the action scenes. And neither Selleck for the ladies or San Giacomo for the gentlemen are that hard to look at. Rated PG-13 for violence and sexual innuendo, the teens in the house will have no problem with the plot and the adults will enjoy the various quibbles between the principles. Not sure if this is all that collectible, but I have a copy. Like I said, I like westerns, and I like Selleck.