The First Kangaroos
The First Kangaroos | |
---|---|
Directed by | Frank Cvitanovich |
Written by | Nigel Williams |
Based on | An original idea by Frank Cvitanovich |
Produced by | Moya Iceton |
Starring | Dennis Waterman Chris Haywood Dominic Sweeney |
Cinematography | Ross Berryman |
Edited by | Richard Hindley |
Music by | William Motzing |
Production companies | Roadshow, Coote & Carroll |
Release date |
|
Running time | 101 minutes |
Countries | United Kingdom Australia |
Language | English |
The First Kangaroos is a 1988 British–Australian made for TV sports film directed by Frank Cvitanovich and starring Dennis Waterman, Chris Haywood and Dominic Sweeney.[1] It depicts the 1908–09 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain, the first-ever such tour by the Australia national rugby league team.[2]
The First Kangaroos drew complaints from the granddaughter of British rugby league legend Albert Goldthorpe for its villainous depiction of him.[3]
Some scenes featured the grandstand of Arlington Oval in the inner-western Sydney suburb Dulwich Hill which hosted women's competitions of the 1938 British Empire Games.[4]
Cast[edit]
- Dennis Waterman ... Albert Goldthorpe
- Chris Haywood ... James Joseph "J J" Giltinan
- Dominic Sweeney ... Herbert Henry "Dally" Messenger
- Philip Quast ... Alex "Bluey" Burdon
- Tony Martin ... Dan Frawley
- Clarissa Kaye-Mason ... Mrs. Messenger
- Jim Carter ... Arthur Hughes
- Alex Broun ... Morton
- Wayne Pygram ... Albie Rosenfeld
- John Dicks ... Reverend Green
- Nell Schofield ... Betty
- Kelly Dingwall ... Jim Devereaux
- Robert Giltinan ... Reporter
- Harold Kissin ... Trainer
- Allan Surtees ... George the Barman
- Wayne Pearce ... Sid "Sandy" Pearce
- Andrew Ettingshausen ... Conlon
- Ian Gilmour ... Steamship Official
Both Wayne Pearce (Balmain Tigers) and Andrew Ettingshausen (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks) were current Australian rugby league test players when the film was released. Pearce had been a member of the undefeated 1982 Kangaroo tour, while Ettingshausen would go on to be the leading try scorer on both the 1990 and 1994 Kangaroo Tours.
Reception[edit]
Karen Hardy, reviewing the film in 2013 said, "Sure, it wasn't the finest sports movie ever made but there was humour – intentional or not, I wasn't quite sure – and conflict and pathos. And its story, which it admitted in the opening credits was sort of based on true events, was an interesting one."[5]
References[edit]
- ^ The First Kangaroos at imdb.com
- ^ Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p62
- ^ John Robinson and Garrett Jones (8 June 1988). "Family fights to clear League Hero's Name". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia. p. 74. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
- ^ History, Dulwich Hill FC (per 10 April 2014).
- ^ Hardy, Karen (12 October 2013). "Tall tales of the first Kangaroos still strike a chord today". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
External links[edit]
- The First Kangaroos at IMDb
- The First Kangaroos at Oz Movies
- 1988 television films
- 1988 films
- Australian drama television films
- Rugby league films
- Australian sports drama films
- British sports drama films
- Cultural depictions of Australian people
- Cultural depictions of rugby footballers
- 1980s English-language films
- 1980s British films
- British drama television films
- English-language sports drama films
- Australian television film stubs
- Sports film stubs