Robbery Under Arms (1985 film)

Robbery Under Arms is a 1985 Australian action adventure film starring Sam Neill as bushranger Captain Starlight. Joined by bush larrikin, Ben Marston (Ed Devereaux), and Ben's two adventure-hungry sons (Steven Vidler and Christopher Cummins), Starlight leads his gang of wild colonial boys in search of riches, romance – and other men's cattle.

Robbery Under Arms
Soundtrack cover
Directed byDonald Crombie
Ken Hannam
Produced byMace Neufeld
Jock Blair
Written byMichael Jenkins
Based onnovel by Rolf Boldrewood
StarringSam Neill
Steven Vidler
Christopher Cummins
Liz Newman
Jane Menelaus
Andy Anderson
Deborah Coulls
Susie Lindeman
Elaine Cusick
Ed Devereaux
Tommy Lewis
Robert Grubb
Music byGarry McDonald
Laurie Stone
CinematographyErnie Clark
Production
company
Distributed byShock
ITC Entertainment[1]
Release date
  • 28 March 1985 (1985-03-28)
Running time
140 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
BudgetAU$7.3 million[2][3]
Box officeAU$226,648 (Australia)

There were two versions shot simultaneously – a feature film and a TV mini series.[2]

Cast
  • Sam Neill as Captain Starlight
  • Steven Vidler as Dick Marston
  • Christopher Cummins as Jim Marston
  • Liz Newman as Gracey
  • Jane Menelaus as Aileen
  • Andy Anderson as George
  • Deborah Coulls as Kate
  • Susie Lindeman as Jeannie
  • Elaine Cusick as Mum
  • Ed Devereaux as Ben
  • Tommy Lewis as Warrigal
  • Robert Grubb as Sir Frederick Morringer
  • David Bradshaw as Goring
  • John Dick as Trooper Fall
  • Michael Duffield as Mr. Falkland
  • Keith Smith as Trooper Spring
  • David Jobling as Rourke Bounty Hunter

Production

Jock Blair first had the idea to remake the story in 1981 when he was working at the South Australian Film Corporation. It was originally envisioned that it would be a mini series but it was budgeted at a million dollars an hour which was felt to be too expensive. So it was decided to make a film as well at the same time, based on separate scripts.[4]

There were two writers and two directors. Writing the script took two years.[4]

The film was shot partly on location in the Flinders Rangers and at the SAFC studios in Adelaide.[2] The two directors collaborated well together, and Ken Hannam was relieved to work with the SAFC again after the difficulties on Sunday Too Far Away.[4]

Production took 20 weeks.[5]

Box office

Robbery Under Arms grossed $226,648 at the box office in Australia.[6]

See also

References
  1. Robbery Under Arms company credits at The New York Times
  2. David Stratton, The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry, Pan MacMillan, 1990 p71-72
  3. "New 'Robbery'film a TV series too". The Canberra Times (SUNDAY EDITION ed.). 15 January 1984. p. 10. Retrieved 9 November 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. Nick Roddick, "Arms and the Men", Cinema Papers, May 1985 p55-58
  5. "'Robbery Under Arms' crew going bush". The Canberra Times. 21 January 1984. p. 8. Retrieved 9 November 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. Film Victoria - Australian Films at the Australian Box Office
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