Robbery Under Arms

Awkward in fitting English actors into a faraway setting, and yes, over-coloured in Technicolor: so this English director caught some of the paradoxes of Australia, the raw young country less than 100 years settled in Boldrewood's yarn. Three things Jack Lee (who died only c2003) understood and expressed more fully than perhaps anyone, English or Australian. First, the wild irresponsibility of the bushranger released from society's constraints (Peter Finch's manic side caught this brilliantly). Second, the special eternal power of the ancient bush country (in this case, the Flinders Ranges, also the setting for 2002's The Tracker). Third, however briefly seen, the deep calm and perfect attunement to his country of the native man Warrigal, so that in this raw place, it is only the dispossessed who has ownership - a nod here to the real-life horseman Johnny Cadell, a screen natural.

Although officially the star, Peter Finch as bushranger Captain Starlight is really only peripheral to the narrative, whose myriad twists and turns clearly mark it as an adaptation of a novel.

Probably the closest Rank ever came to a western, many of the staple ingredients - prospecting for gold, cattle stealing, robbing stagecoachs - are included; but thanks to Matyas Sieber's score it certainly doesn't sound like one.

As usual we get no sense of the oppressive heat and enormous creepie-crawlies found Down Under, but the presence of a pair of aborigines in the cast makes a refreshing change.

I have always considered this underrated western from Australia and produced with UK as effective and excellent as an Hollywood product. Even better, not because of the directing, but because of the plot. It saves many unusual elements, characterization that you don't necessarily have in US westerns from this fifties period. This western is mostly shown as a tragedy, bleak, dark, gritty, where the audience can feel empathy for all those bad or "less bad" characters. Of, course I advise you to watch this western from Australia. There was a batch of those after this movie. It is not the only western but I guess the first and one of the best. If not the best.

It's....er, a western. A British made western......set in Australia.

Furrowed and weathered, Laurence Naismith has spent his years on the wrong side of the law, leading the life of the quickening heartbeat with each approach of horses hooves and every knock on his front door. Hardly a role model, elder son Ronald Lewis is cut from the same cloth, yearning for adventure, contrasting with David McCallum's more sensitive, responsible disposition. Throwing in their lot with notorious Captain Starlight (Peter Finch), they steal cattle and rob a coach, before the lure of romance prompts the pair to go straight as gold prospectors. The past, it seems, is never far behind. Once a marked man, always a marked man.

Re-setting the Wild West in Australia was an interesting idea and like most 'westerns' of the era it's shot in vivid colour. Much like a click and collect supermarket shop during the Pandemic, its full of substitutions: The Outback for The Nevada Desert, stealing for rustling, Bush ranger for outlaw, kangaroo for coyote, troopers for sheriff's posse. Unfortunately, Peter Finch, Laurence Naismith and Ronald Lewis are NO substitute for Lee Marvin, Richard Boone and Jack Elam.

'Robbery Under Arms' is devoid of a clear hero figure, the single bastion of goodyism. Just an endless carousel of faceless troopers. It's little more than a curio, a period piece. The kinda movie that's worth watching.....ONCE!

A western in everything but name and not a bad one at that, Jack Lee's "Robbery Under Arms" is set during the same period as most westerns, the 1860's, but in Australia where Peter Finch's Captain Starlight leads a small gang of outlaws stealing cattle and robbing banks. Ronald Lewis and David McCallum are the brothers who follow their father into the gang looking for a bit of excitement. Lee makes good use of the Australian landscape which is superbly photographed by Harry Waxman and he never skimps on the action which is plentiful. No classic but very enjoyable nevertheless.