RAW DEAL
Australia, 1977, 94 minutes., Colour.
Gerard Kennedy, Gus Mercurio, Rod Mullinar, Chris Pate, Michael Carman.
Directed by Russell Hagg.
Raw Deal is a title both for stars and audience. Stars go through standard Western routines, chases, shoot-ups and repartee. Audiences wonder whether this conventional actioner (enjoyable enough at the time as such standard fare is what Australians need make. "Spaghetti Westerns" make way for the "meat pie Western" (and the sauce is not forgotten). Derivative films are quite all right in their way - influenced by, illustrating and perhaps adding to a genre. Mere copies are not creative; they ape something else and that's it. This is why this film is a "raw deal". Set in the 19th century and in unlocatable places, the film sounds and looks like average ranch-night fodder.
1. This film as an Australian Western? As an Australian adventure. how authentic? The significance of the title, the treatment of the plot, musical background.. action music and the song?
2. How much did the film derive from American conventions? How creative was it within these conventions? How much did it merely imitate or ape?
3. The background of time and nineteenth century revolution, no revolution in Australia? The clarity or the vagueness of time? The locations,, towns and deserts,, the vagueness of situation? The clarity of the issue in terms of revolution.. bounty hunters, violence Catholic versus Protestant in nineteenth century Australia,, political power?
4. The confrontation and mission structure of the film? Its momentum and suspense. sense of adventure, revenge. violence?
5. The initial impact of the opening,, the confrontation of the Tyrones in the town, the background of their ideology and the leadership of O'Neil? The people in fear? Palmer and Ben liberating the town with their shooting?
6. The introduction of Palmer and Ben in conventional Western style? The travelling salesman, the gunman? Their types, the presentation of their personalities. their reason for joining forces? The relationship between the two?
7. The contrast with Sir Charles and his intrigue? The support of Sir Frederick? The political and religious motivation? Greed? The film's punctuating its adventures with scenes of the two playing chess etc.? The final revelation of their treachery? Deaths?
8. Dick as a comic character? His inexperience and showing-off? Gaol.. acceptance by the group,, the brothel, the mirages? Alex and his background of being a ladies' man? The presentation of the duel and his escape? The Welshman in prison? The conventional backgrounds for establishing a group?
9. The adventure of their journey the relationship between them all. the clashes? The taking of the hearse, the capture of the ammunition? Going across the desert with the hearse?
10. The atmosphere of political injustice,, the siege of the Tyrones, the presentation of O'Neil as a fanatic the capture of the Welshman and his rescue? The shoot-out?
11. The contrast with the elegance of the dance? The humour of the group going in and taking the gentlemen's wives for the dance? The irony of the treachery of Sir Charles and Frederick?
12. The violence of the treachery and the final shoot-out? The inevitability of those who survived?
13. The achievement of this kind of conventional adventure? As an Australian film?
