Review of Ned Kelly (2003) by Neil K — 01 Jan 2008

This movie would probably not have been possible if not for Peter Carey's Booker Prize winning novel, which probably would not have been possible without JJ Kenneally (1929) "The Inner History of the Kelly Gang".

For my money this is the best telling of the story in film to date, with some well known lemons along the way. This story was the subject of the first ever feature length film produced in 1908. Anyway, why do I like it?

It picks up on the family values and loyalties of an early underclass in Australia, not counting the blackfellas, they were the largely Irish "selectors". The film also portrays these very young but hard men in a hostile social, ecological and economic situation, their efforts to put food on tables and enforce some sort of security for their siblings and mates.

Might not mean much to middle class urban youth, but speaks to me.