La frusta e la forca

This was an underdog movie if ever i saw one. He (Beau Bridges) was wrongly accused of murder and forced to the Austrailia penal colony. He mets this tenasious woman (played by actress Jane Merrow) who teaches him the value of love and commitment. Like his brother (Jeff Bridges in the Fisherking) he plays a character trying to get out of a bad situation by paying his dues and moving on. However, he realizes that this life is really the life he longed for and together they build a new life in Austrilia. The real irony of this movie is that Austrilia will not let you into the country if you have a criminal record. One of my absolute favorites!

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!!!

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.

This is one of my favorites! In addition to showing the deplorable situation of a convict in 18th century Australia, the movie shows how these very convicts settled the outback, much like American pioneers. So much for redeeming qualities! This is just a good movie, with good actors. I wish it were available on video!