L'homme qui sortait du bagne

I saw this movie in 1973 in Chicago late one night on TV and was thoroughly taken with it! It's the kind of story that will last forever,-- so why is it impossible to find??? If I could get my hands on a VHS or DVD of this movie I'd watch it all the time! I'd give it to everyone I know for Xmas/Birthdays/etc.!

A young and handsome Beau Bridges is at his best in this film. Bridges plays Adam, an American wrongly accused of murder. Adam ends up in a very different kind of Garden of Eden - the inhospitable outback of penal colony Australia.

He becomes the first man, as it were, of a new world of the Governor's design. What better way to kill two birds with one stone? The convicts will better themselves by bettering the land. Character and fortitude, along with improved land can be gotten with toil and sweat. In this experiment, Adam (Bridges) is forced to partner with the wretched-looking Bess (Jane Merrow) with attitude to match. She has had her head shaven and is dirty and not amenable to partner with Adam.

Merrow and Bridges give a full fleshing-out of their characters and act with great depth and dimension. They cause the viewer to be sympathetic with each person. I was captivated by this film and found it very easy to suspend my disbelief and enter their characters' world. I haven't seen the movie for years, but I have been searching for it.

Now the question is this - Why can't this movie be found on video? Why doesn't it receive air time on TV? Somebody is dropping the ball on this one!

This is a LOVELY film. The perfect meshing of a good story, actors, and a gorgeous Australian setting. I agree that this is one of Beau Bridges' best roles, as I've never seen a character that's fit him so well as Adam Beecher. And Jane Merrow is wonderful and beautiful as his convict bride. Their scenes together are imbued with real warmth and feeling.

Also the other actors, such as John Mills and Andrew Keir were respectively great as the governor and the sergeant who is Adam's "guardian angel". The movie's alternate title of "Return of the Boomerang" was most fitting, given what happens with Adam's character. And the soundtrack/score grew on me, as I found myself humming it for days afterwards.

Warner Brothers, are you listening? Release this on DVD!!!

Read the other reviews. They are right on.

I have seen this movie twice on TV. It was a long time ago, too long ago. I would love to see it again and again. I really don't understand why it is still impossible to find. Surely there is a copy of it somewhere that could be legally distributed. It is too good a movie to disappear.

I found reference to someone who has a copy (Adam's Woman – An Australian Viewpoint) I wonder if it is possible to create a consortium to resurrect this gem. I am certainly aware there are hundreds/thousands of movies that need rescue. IMNSHO, this should be on someone's list.

Beau Bridges is an engaging rogue in this movie about an American who becomes an Australian convict. Jane Merrow is excellent as his convict wife. I don't think this movie gets the credit it deserves mainly because it is not seen that much. But if you get a chance to see it, do. You will be in for a pleasant couple of hours.