Review of The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978) by Scott R — 21 May 2017
For me, this is a solid, brutal depiction of racism in Australian colonial times that still has resonance today. The length of the film however, seems a bit unnecessary and the brutality displayed against the white settlers is most probably too confronting for Australian audiences to accept, which is probably why this was a more widely acclaimed film in the rest of the world compared with the more muted acclaim it receives in Australia (possibly only praised among film students and critics).
Tommy Lewis has a larrikin naiivity that is both charming and tortured and is great as the 'Christianised' aborigine caught between the dreamtime and the crucifixion. In the end there are no heroes, no accolades but the preservation of a faux genial whitewashed society.
This is perhaps what Australians are still not quite ready to accept. Did we right any of these numerous wrongs? And, what steps are we taking to reach that point of awareness?
This review of The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978) was written by Scott R on 21 May 2017.
The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith has generally received positive reviews.
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