Quigley Down Under

Plot synopsis:
Tom Selleck plays Matthew Quigley, a cowboy and rifleman from America with a keen eye and a specially modified rifle with which he can shoot accurately at extraordinary distances. Quigley's weapon of choice is a 1874 Sharps Buffalo Rifle. He answers an advertisement that asks for men with a special talent in long distance shooting with four words: "M. Quigley 900 yards." When he arrives in Australia, he is met by employees of the man who hired him, Elliot Marston (Alan Rickman). Quigley tries to prevent the men from forcing "Crazy Cora" (Laura San Giacomo) onto their wagon and beats the men until they learn that Quigley is the individual they were sent to pick up. Quigley is eventually taken to Marston's Station in the Western Australian outback. She continually calls Quigley "Roy", much to his resentment.Marston is a gentleman infatuated with stories of quick-draw gunslingers from the American Old West, believing he was born on the wrong continent. He continually practices with a pistol and fancies himself as a quick draw with a pistol. He is amazed that Quigley has actually been to Dodge City. He pays Quigley 50 gold coins for coming to Australia. Marston asks for a demonstration of Quigley's shooting talent.Quigley describes the weapon he produces as a Sharps rifle with a 34 inch long barrel, four more than normal. It has been modified to shoot a .45 caliber, 110 grain metal cartridge with a 540 grain paper patch bullet. It has a double set trigger and a Vernier sight marked up to 1200 yards, but "This one shoots a mite further."Quigley demonstrates his ability with his rifle, shooting a bucket in rapid succession three times at around 1200 yards. When Marston offers Quigley a pistol, he replies, "I've never had much use for one."Marston wants Quigley to his sharpshooting skills to help eradicate the native Indigenous Aborigines. Quigley finds the idea abhorrent and the two men are quickly headed for a showdown.Quigley refuses Marston's offer and the two fight. Quigley throws Marston out of his house through a glass door and then again through a window. Marston's Aborigine servant knocks Quigley over the head and Marston's men first beat Quigley badly. Two cowboys drive him and Cora two days into the Australian Outback and dump them with no water and virtually no chance of survival. Quigley tempts them with the word "Gold", and kills one man with a knife and the second with a long distance shot from his rifle. They walk a long distance when he and Cora are rescued by Aborigines. Cora reveals that she is from Texas. When her home was attacked by Comanches she hid in the root cellar. To prevent her crying infant son Roy from revealing their hiding place, she covered the baby's mouth and unintentionally suffocated him. Upon returning home, her husband Roy found their dead son. He buried the baby, drove Cora to Galveston, Texas and put her alone on the first ship leaving, which happened to be bound for Australia.Recovering, they witness an attack by Marston's men on the Aborigines who rescued them. Quigley kills two of them, the Aborigines kill one, and the fourth escapes. They capture a single horse. The next day they encounter six of Marston's men driving a group of Aborigines towards and over a cliff. Quigley kills two more of the men, and Cora finds an orphaned baby alive among the dead. Caring for the baby helps Cora overcome her tragic past and she slowly begins to recognize Quigley as his real self and stop calling him Roy.Quigley rides alone to a nearby town leaving Cora and the infant Aborigine in the desert with food and water. In town he obtains a new reloader from a town member who is only too ready to help when he learns Quigley is intending to kill Marston. Marston's men recognize Quigley's horse and attack him, cornering him in a burning building. Escaping through a skylight, Quigley kills all but one of Marston's men, who he sends back to Marston to tell him that Quigley is coming for him. In the desert, Dingos circle Cora and the crying infant, preparing to attack. She at first attempts to shush the infant, as she had done to her son Roy. Then she grabs the weapons left her by Quigley and kills several of the dogs.Quigley brings Cora and the baby to the town, where Cora gives the baby to Aborigines in the town. Quigley leaves Cora with the towns people and rides to Marston's ranch where he first confronts Marston's men from a distance. Marston gradually loses more and more men to Quigley until he Quigley is captured. Marston relishes stories of the American west and insists on in a quickdraw contest with Quigley. Quigley faces down Marston and two of his men, shooting all three before they can get off a single shot. He tells the dying Marston, "Just because I said I never had much use for one doesn't mean I don't know how to use it." The Aborigine servants abandon Marstons station, walking off into the Outback.With the bodies of Marston and his men still lying in the dirt, a British Major and his company arrive at the Station, confronting Quigley, who is still bleeding from a gunshot wound to his thigh. The hostile British major Ashley Pitt (Chris Haywood) is ready to shoot Quigley where he stands for numerous crimes when hundreds of Aborigines appear on the mountains nearby, surrounding the Major and his forces. Lowering their weapons, the Major and his troops retreat without a word.Quigley returns to the port city where he arrived and is reunited with Cora who is wearing the red dress he bought for her. They book passage for America. She greets him by his real name and the movie ends with their embrace and kiss.

Tags: good versus evil, revenge, murder, violence

Review:
Matthew Quigley, a stoic rifleman arrives in Australia in the 1860s a world far away from his home Wyoming He is answering an ad from a British landowner who will use his talents as an expert marksman But things don't go according to plan and, at supper, and after we hear these words, "Nobody knocks me out of my own house," Elliott Marston becomes his arch enemy Quigley's arrival sets the tone of the motion picture perfectly, coming into a fight with an evil plantation owner before he has even set foot on Australian soil where some genuinely funny moments happened especially when he met Crazy Cora right off the ship After a showy display of his talents (continuously hitting a bucket at about a thousand yards) Quigley discovers to his horror that he has been hired for sniping Aborigines encouraged by the local authorities Tom Selleck is excellent in the role of a cowboy, exuding natural charm, cool spirit and dignity He perfectly suited to the role of the finest sharp shooter hero with a moral There is a moment when he teaches local Aborigines a secret, and it hits the correct note...Alan Rickman is perfect as Marston, the arrogant, clever bad baron who thinks himself the fastest six-gun Laura San Giacomo believes Quigley to be a man she once loved and whose name is Roy She has her own tragic past as obviously her romance between Quigley and herself San Giacomo proves to be a lovable heroine Director Simon Wincer creates outstanding scenery with the desolate Australian landscapes....
Selleck represents, as did John Wayne, the decent and noble side of America, and there is no doubt that this is a man given to stand up and do the right thing no matter where he is, Wyoming or Fremantle.This aside, Quigley succeeds most as a light romance amidst the traditional shoot em up scenario.
When presented with their first parting, Quigley leaves Cora and the Aborigine baby in the cave and though assuring her he will return for her he rides away, without stopping to look back.This is mere oversight on his part and it leads to the most moving scene in the film, one which never fails to bring a tear to my eye - when they are again about to be parted she asks him "I'll never see you again, Will I".
Unlike most "modern" westerns, this one is unburdened by the usual Hollywood flaws: overproduction, overacting and a massive cast of big names demanding their share of "face time."  Selleck & San Giacomo do a masterful job of creating honest, three-dimensional characters facing a truly evil antagonist -- a part played with fiendish perfection by the superb Alan Rickman.
Literally!That's not to say that Quigley is not a mythical character in the movie but no more so than Wild Bill Hickcok, Wyatt Earp or Bat Masterson came to be, usually for only one incident in their lives.This is a 5 star Western if there ever was one.
It's a really good movie!Tom Selleck does a great job as Matthew Quigley.
"Crazy Cora" is a cheerful rendition to lady-pokes everywhere in Western cinema, and one who keeps calling "Roy" all the time, plus Tom Selleck shows us what a true cowboy should be like.
Kudos to the Aborigines for actually knowing how to survive in such a place.So, add this with a hero (Selleck) who comes from Wyoming answering a somewhat vague ad from our urbane villain (Alan Rickman) who is a station (ranch) owner in the outback.
The Sharps rifle is one of the stars, too.And to some of our reviewers who think this shooting is a bit unbelievable, there are a handful of people who can shoot some long distances with just iron sights.I have seen them.If you like westerns you will like Quigley..
It's a great homage to the classic westerns of the past, with all the best elements combined in a fun movie about one man's fight against an evil land baron who (unknown to the hero) wanted to hire him to kill the local Aborigines, not the dingos as the hero originally thought.
Alan Rickman is great as the bad guy, one of those characters you love to hate, and the beautiful Laura San Giacomo is a perfect western girl, whose (thankfully) is not the kind who becomes kidnapped and must be rescued.
I was weaned on westerns and so after a while you get numb by the vast amount of bad ones done over the years.I always thought a `twist'gives a western something more,a `hook'if you will.This IS such a flick.It is also fair to say I am NOT a huge  Tom Selleck fan.That being said I think this has become one of my top 5 favorite  westerns ever and top 10 movies of all time.The hook is the Outback and this twist is right on target.The Aborigine are the Indians and we have the evil land owner in Alan Rickman and the `Lady'in Laura San Giacomo.In Lieu of the Mexican Army  we have the English.A interesting Rifle to rival a artillery piece or Gattling gun for interest.
Fine vast action theme music and a down hill chase via horseback that is a classic.It had to be well shoot and filmed and it was.The ending had a `mystical'setting not seen in westerns but a staple of the Aborigine mystique if you will.
The movie also serves to bring light to the shameful treating of the Aborigine in Australia that climaxed only in the last 20 years.A dirty secret only hinted at of the policy in force until the late 1960s of removing Aboriginal children from their families.A touching scene with Laura San Giacomo and a small Aborigine child hammer this home on no uncertain terms.This film works on so many levels it should be recognized as a Aborigine in Australia `message' film set to western theme.I cannot say enough and recommend this film to everyone.You will not be sorry..
Yet, the film features two American characters, played by Tom Selleck and Laura San Giacomo.
Meanhile, Alan Rickman, who was good at this sort of thing, plays the hated, despicable villain.The movie is appealing because it has a good mixture of action (and that is mixed, too, not just the same kind of fistfights or gun battles), romance, nice scenery and a little comedy thrown in.
Warning: this a rough film in parts with a couple of harrowing scenes, such as people being pushed off cliffs, Selleck brutally beaten several times and wild vicious dingoes threatening San Giacamo and a little baby, but the action never goes on too long.All in all, I found it one of the more memorable westerns I've watched.
Tom plays the title character, Matthew Quigley, an American cowboy come to the land down under at Alan Rickman's invitation.
However, project-wise, I don't see anything else impressive on it, with the possible exception of "D.A.R.Y.L."  So this film, 'Quigley,' is one of those rare great pairings of actors, directors and screenplay that just makes for a fun time at the movies, and one that holds up for future generations (which, alas, "D.A.R.Y.L" does not).Great locations, cinematography, acting (somebody give Lara San Giacomo a job, please)...
Plot sees Selleck as Matthew Quigley, a Wyoming cowboy and sharp shooting rifleman who answers an advertisement to go to Western Australia as a hired sharp shooter.
The sad thing about Quigley Down Under is that had this been done thirty years earlier the film would have warranted a major release the way a John Wayne or a James Stewart western would have had.
Alan Rickman is an especially loathsome villain, he makes his Sheriff of Nottingham in Kevin Costner's Robin Hood film look like a Girl Scout.And the aborigines do learn to appreciate Selleck and the payback he exacts.
They come through for him at critical times in the film.Tom Selleck is a perfectly cast western hero, the kind I used to spend Saturday afternoon's watching..
But what ultimately gets it a top rating is that it is creative, with an original story line and some great, creative music.From the opening scene of Selleck packing, the movie gets your interest and keeps it.The acting is very genuine, and the relationships are believable.
Tom Selleck, Alan Rickman and Laura San Giacomo all give outstanding performances and the story and directing are top flight, making this a movie that has lasting appeal.
One cannot help falling in love with her in this movie, which makes Quigley's astonishing restraint all the more honorable.Mention should be made of Alan Rickman in a quintessential role for his dry sarcasm.
The part fits him like a glove.All the acting is impeccable, including the aborigines, such as Gnarnayarrahe Waitairie, Paul Gurrumurruwuy Wunungmurra, Dorothy Warnggarrknga, and especially Cory Tjapaltjarri!The Sharps rifle, which is still produced in reproductions, is also quite impressive.If you enjoy this movie, you may also like Monte Walsh, in which Selleck also plays a humane cowboy.
He does not ever disappoint, and he certainly didn't her in a film I have ignored up to now.I have to say that Tom Selleck and Laura San Giacomo were also interesting, though Selleck pretty much belongs in the western character he played.
Tom Selleck is the reigning king of Westerns, and this movie, while set in Australia, has the good guy/bad guy code down pat.
(As a cowboy action shooter, I can attest to the large following of "the legendary Sharps.")  Tom Selleck and Sam Elliot have no competition as today's reigning western box-office kings, partly because they honestly care about the American West (and the American Western.)  The fact that "Quigley" is a down-under western bothers us not at all.For some years after its release, there were persistent rumors of a sequel, possibly "Quigley in Africa."  What a pity that it never panned out.Meanwhile, the movie's famous "bucket shot" (something around a quarter mile on film) has become a staple of Winter Range, the national championship of cowboy action shooting--at rather reduced distances..
But if you're looking for a good, old-fashioned Western movie with an indestructible (and gorgeous) hero, a strong and interesting heroine, a dastardly villain, and enough action to fill a dozen Saturday matinees, this one's for you.I adore Selleck, so this film already had that point in its favor, but I was surprised to see than Laura San Giacomo could actually act.
One of Selleck's better efforts, ably supported by Rickman and San Giacomo.Interplay between their characters carries the plot, aided by sweeping Outback scenery and effective appearances by Aboriginal performers.
An excellent film and perfect for Selleck who appears to cherish the somewhat off-beat setting and story, this time in Australia, for a western.
John Wayne would be right at home in this one...Top Notch performances by Tom Sellick, Laura San Giacomo, and my absolute favorite bad-guy, Alan Rickman.The Best scenery I've ever seen in a Western.A Must-see..
Quigley played by Tom Selleck, thought he was being hired to exterminate the local wildlife from the cattle ranch of Elliott Marston, deviously played by Alan Rickman.
That prospect sickens Quigley, he and Marston have a falling-out, and Quigley winds up on the Australian wild lands, beaten-up, no water, and a half-loco lady, who keeps calling him by another name.Selleck is able to give the role a fantastic reason for watching the film over several times, because it seems to fit him so well.
Marston represents the complete opposite of those guidelines, and the two eventually end up in the confrontation that stamps movies of the western genre.Selleck and Rickman do very well in their parts, and Laura San Giacomo plays the loco lady that Quigley has to take under his arm, as if he does not have enough to deal with.
It's mostly already been said: Selleck very good, Rickman even better and San Giacomo effective, the Sharps best of all.
Along the way, Quigley battles with the Australian army, Rickman and his desperadoes, San Giacoma's mental illness, the Australian desert, and anyone wanting to collect off his wanted poster, in a story so well written that a rather innocuous statement at the beginning of the film becomes not only one of his best lines in the movie, but also the haunting last line delivered to Rickman near the end.
I like to watch when Tom Selleck is picking off the enemy from a distance and we get to see them get thrown right off their saddles and into the dust.Quigley Down Under is one of the movies that got me hooked on the Western genre and it remains today as one of my favorite movies..
Tom Selleck plays a decent man who is asked to do an indecent job by an Australian rancher--Alan Rickman, one of the best "heavies" in the movies since Basil Rathbone's turn in the Adenture of Robin Hood.Had this movie been done in the 50s, I very well could see Jimmy Stewart or Gary Cooper playing this part.
I bought Quigley Down Under on DVD and watched it many times for its beautiful photography and to see Tom Selleck play the role he was built for.
This is a film called "Quigley Down Under." A Western to be sure, but one set in Australia.
Intriguing plot, good acting, takes you to a place you have never visited before, plot twists, great villain, outstanding cinematography.Tom Selleck is weak in many of his chosen roles, but he excels in a Western.The director also directed the highly acclaimed Lonesome Dove series; no surprise there.Does anyone out there wince a little at the terrible aim that all of the villain's minions are afflicted with?
Sharpshooter Matt Quigley (Tom Selleck) travels from Wyoming to Western Australia hired by ranch baron Elliot Marston (Alan Rickman).
Quigley and Crazy Cora are left to die in the desert.This is an old fashion western out in the Australian outback.
Well, maybe Eastwood.Laura San Giacomo works beautifully as the films female love interest and comedy relief, since neither Rickman or Selleck offer us much in that way.
As for Quigley, he's just a cowboy and Tom Selleck is just a cowboy actor, so there is no major problem there.I wouldn't say that this is a memorable film, but it is not every day that you see a western in Australia, and it does make a difference.
Put that together with a great musical score, a fabulous performance by Tom Selleck, spectacular scenes with thousands of Aboríginials, a remarkable rifle that shoots from a great distance and you have one of the best westerns ever made.
the score is rousing good fun that lets you no your watching a western.now the cast was great with tom at his best as the tall man in the saddle and allen rickman again playing the villain with evil spitting venom.
This is a different kind of Western, featuring Tom Selleck as an American cowboy in Australia, Laura San Giacomo as a mentally challenged and emotionally shattered woman Selleck must save, and Alan Rickman as the villain.This is a general crowd-pleaser as it paces the suspense and action slowly enough to make the movie enjoyable, yet with enough action to keep most people interested.
The gentle romantic sub-plot helps smooth the rough edges, and Selleck's ironic wit acts as a cushion to those sometimes gritty scenes wherein the action can get a bit rough.This film also lends a hand at showing the world that the Australian Aboriginies were (and still are) treated pretty much the same as the Native Americans were.I enjoyed this one, though there are Westerns out there I like more, but this has a great deal of original creativity, which makes it a must see for fans of the American western, regardless of the fact that this is set in Australia.It rates a 7.8/10 from...the Fiend :..
The weakest link in the cast is Laura San Giacomo, but that's largely the fault of the script and not her acting.In summary, if you like traditional westerns (or just like Tom Selleck, as my wife does), this is a film you should see..
What is true, is the Sharps buffalo rifle really existed.Sure, Quigley is a variation of the American Western set in Australia, one of the few places you can transplant the genre to, believably.
Tom Selleck at his best and Alan Rickman as glorious as ever great setting good music score what not to like.
Starring Tom Selleck as Quigley, he brings the American West to the outback.Along the way, he meets Crazy Cora, played by Laura San Giacomo (later famous for Just Shoot Me with David Spade), a woman who mistakes him for her husband.
Also, Alan Rickman stars as the unethical Aussie rancher, Elliot Marston, who hires, then quickly fires Quigley.The story was great, as well as the acting from Selleck and Rickman.
Quigley (Tom Selleck) is an expert long range marksman who has been recruited ostensibly to shoot dingoes, but, as he finds out after his first night with Mr. Marsden (Alan Rickman), his real targets are to be local Aboriginies.
Having been dumped to die in the outback along with Crazy Cora, Quigley finally makes his way back to Marston's ranch for a showdown.This unusual Australian western benefits from a number of things.
And, three, the three principals - Tom Selleck as Quigley, Alan Rickman as Marston, and Laura San Giacomo as Cora - are perfectly cast.This film is thoroughly enjoyable..
QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER is a straightforward Australian western starring journeyman hero Tom Selleck as an American gunslinger who arrives in the rural outback in order to take a new job working for rich landowner Alan Rickman.
Marston is simply an evil person who deserved his initial trouncing by Quigley, thus setting up the eventual final showdown.The early appearance by Crazy Cora (Laura San Giacomo) makes one wonder what her eventual role in the film might be, and it turns out to be a good one.
Great mostly due to the incredible scenery, Tom Selleck stands up with veteran films actors like Alan Rickman and Laura San Giacomo and holds his own.