MINNEMURRA
Australia, 1988, 92 minutes, Colour.
Jeff Fahey, Tushka Bergen, Steven Vidler.
Directed by Ian Barry.
Minnemurra (The Fighting Creed) is an entertaining period Australian story. With John Sexton as producer (Man From Snowy River, Light Horse Man), the film is in the tradition of period films with horses - spectacular sequences with horses dashing across the countryside.
The story is conventional enough, a property, financial difficulties, a greedy neighbour, double dealings. However, the film has an excellent cast with many of Australia's top character actors in supporting roles. Tushka Bergen (The Place at the Coast) is an attractive heroine. American Jeff Fahey (True Blood, Split Decisions) is the imported American hero.
The film is set at the turn of the century, shows life in the country as well as in the city - the changes in technology at the turn of the century and the use of horses in the Boer War.
In the tradition of many of Australia's period movies and mini-series.
1.Entertaining story? Australian history? Australian society?
2.The title, the property, the horses? The Minnemurra strain? (And the alternative title for video release: The Fighting Creed with its emphasis on Ben Creed?)
3.Period, costumes and decor? Colour photography, locations? The horses? The property, the city? Musical score?
4.Minemurra, the country property, the 19th century traditions? The Richards family, the father and his management, financial difficulties, clash with his neighbour? Love for his daughter, his wife? Trusting Creed? Allenby and his pressures, the auctioning of Barbicon, the selling of the property? His death? His wife, her snobbishness, manners and style? The losing of the property - and the determination to regain it?
5.Alice as a vigorous heroine: out in the paddocks, with the horses, Barbicon? Going to finishing school? Flirtation with Jack? Clash with Creed? The auctioning of the horse and her condemnation of Creed? Going to the city, Aunt Maude, her education? Meeting the military? Seeing Barbicon, clash with Creed, his coming to the house? Her learning the truth about him? Jack and his visit, her flirtation? The news of her father's death? Her return, the determination, the funeral, working with Creed? Kitchener and the horses, going to get them, the deal, getting them through? Retrieving the property? A future with Creed?
6.Creed, the American, good with horses? The blowing up of the barge? The hostility to Allenby? Attraction to Alice? Friendship with Richards? The auction and his buying the horse, Alice's enmity? In the city, the military? The clash with Jack, Thompson and his financial dealings? The friendship restored with Jack? The funeral, helping Alice, getting the horses through?
7.Jack, drover, the opening, getting the horses through, the explosion? Attraction to Alice, her inviting him to the dinner, his awkwardness, out of place? Going off, social ideals, with Thompson, collecting the men's money, the speeches? Thompson misusing the money? People turning on him? Love for Alice, the news of her father's death? Going off by himself, the decision to return, getting the horses through?
8.Henry, friendship with Creed, the bookish man, keeping the books, desperate, his voyage at the end?
9.Thompson, money deals, with Allenby, teaming up with Jack, the land league, misappropriation of funds, defending himself against Creed's attack? Joining with Allenby, the deed for the property, Allenby spurning him at the end?
10.Allenby, the greedy neighbour, threats to Richards, wanting to buy the horse and failing, enmity with Creed, the documents, Thompson's help, the violence and trying to stop the horses getting through? The confrontation at the end?
11.Aunt Maude, the city salon, the range of types at her establishment, her manner, bringing up Alice, the lessons?
12.The action sequences - the horses, the beach, getting them through, the finale on the wharf and Creed leaping over the gate? The spectacle combined with the manners and style of the period? Part of the Australian heritage?
