Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageRobbery Under Arms (1985)
Director: Ken Hannam, Donald Crombie
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
A would-be Australian Western, based on Rolf Boldrewood's novel (previously filmed, equally tediously, in 1957). Raffish pommy crook Captain Starlight and his faithful abo lead a couple of brothers on a sequence of japes that includes bushwhacking, rustling, jail-breaking and bank-robbing. There is also skinny-dipping, elephants and fireworks, but the interest of these supposedly rumbustious antipodean antics is never more than vague. Without a trace of irony or parody, the emotional response of the characters is either a fist in the face or a knee in some cobber's cobblers. With 148 'actors', 2,000 extras (mainly cattle) and 120 crew members, it claims to be 'the most ambitious and expensive film ever made in Australia': a shame it only really deserves the title 'Wankabout'.Author: MS
Cast & crew
Director: Ken Hannam, Donald Crombie
Producer: Jock Blair
Cast: Sam Neill, Steven Vidler, Christopher Cummins, Liz Newman, Ed Devereaux full cast
Genre(s): Action/Adventure
Duration: 141 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Our verdict on Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones
Peter Jackson ends a triumphant decade with a sentimental misfire with this lush Alice Sebold adaptation
On the set of Ken Loach's 'Route Irish'
Dave Calhoun meets Ken Loach on the set of his forthcoming Iraq war movie
Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'
Stephen Poliakoff’s ‘Glorious 39’ is his first film for cinema since ‘Food of Love’ in 1997. Dave Calhoun met him
Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?
How does a film go from DIY experiment to box-office smash? 'Paranormal Activity' director Oren Peli explains
Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'
We talk to Steven Soderbergh about his two forthcoming films: one featuring a porn star, the other a chubby Matt Damon
A gateway to all things 'New Moon'
In anticipation of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon', Time Out is offering the chance to pick up a limited edition pack with three exclusive magazines and a free poster.
London Children's Film Festival
Read our exclusive reviews of films playing at the 2009 London Children’s Film Festival
The films that deserve a TV spin-off
With Roland Emmerich suggesting he'd like to make a '2012' TV spin-off, we propose some more movie-to-TV serialisations
The Coen brothers discuss 'A Serious Man'
Masters of contrary comedy, Joel and Ethan Coen have struck gold again with their latest, ‘A Serious Man’
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations
What do you think?
Post your review now