Ned Kelly

Synopsis: Though recognized for heroism as a lad, Ned Kelly can not escape the stigma of being the eldest of a brood sired by a known criminal. In days when an arrest equaled guilt and a conviction, his unfair imprisonment for horse thievery puts him steadfast, in the eyes of Victorian police, on the wrong side of things for life. With a sister unable to dissuade the unwanted advances of Constable Fitzpatrick, Ned, his brother Dan, and friends Joe Byrne and Steve Hart soon find themselves labeled "an outlaw gang" by the less-than-honorable constable. It's a designation they're apt to live up to after Ned's mother is unfairly arrested and sentenced to three years hard labor. In retaliation, the Kelly Gang strikes out against the oppressive Victorian government, with ultimately tragic results and passage into Australian folklore.
Director(s): Gregor Jordan
Production: Focus Features
  3 wins & 14 nominations.
 
IMDB:
6.5
Metacritic:
56
Rotten Tomatoes:
56%
R
Year:
2003
110 min
Website
817 Views


I was the hero of Hughes Creek.

I can still see the glint in me da's eye

as he looked down at me...

his hand on me shoulder.

What did he call me that day?

Ah, what did Da call me?

That's right.

He called me Sunshine.

You're a pretty girl.

You're Wild Wright's horse,

aren't ya?

I know whose ya are.

It's all right.

I'll look after ya.

Handsome-looking horse you got there,

Ned. You're cuttin'a flash, all right.

Ah, great.

You're Ned Kelly, aren't ya?

Red Kelly's boy?

Get down, Jane.

Fine animal you got there.

- Distinctive, wouldn't you say?

- She's Wild Wright's.

- That's the postmaster's mare.

- No, it isn't. It's Wild Wright's.

- He lost her when she bolted into the bushes.

- You're a liar, Kelly.

- No, I'm not. I found her this morning, grazing.

- She's been reported stolen.

- Stolen, me arse!

- A horse thief!

- Get your hands off me!

- You're under arrest.

Stand, Kelly, or I swear to God,

I'll shoot you down.

- I was only going after the horse.

- You were trying to escape.

You're just as thick as your bloody father.

Jesus Christ! Now, what are you trying

to do? I could've tanned your hide for that.

- Strike an officer, and you'll bloody swing for it!

- Strike you down to the ground!

- No blows struck yet, Constable Hall!

- Help me, someone!

Help him! Help Constable Hall!

Poor Constable Hall!

- He's such a f***in' rat!

- He's trying to kill me, the rascally blackguard!

- Help me, someone!

- Stand put! Go on! Put me down!

He tried to shoot me, for Christ's sake!

All right! All right!

Is that the best you can do,

you bloody coward?

Go on. I can take it.

That's enough!

Hello there! Please, can you help me?

Hello! Hello there!

Please! Slow it down, please!

Come on! Come on!

Please!

Please, now! Oh, come on!

Give us a ride, you bastards!

Christ, it's muddy enough

to bog a dog.

- So, where'd you go after Beechworth?

- May Day Hills on a road gang.

Ah, you see Sean Gallagher?

I heard he was up there.

Yeah. I saw him

for a while.

Hey. I think that's old man Wicks and...

What's his daughter called?

- Sarah.

- Sarah. That's right. She's a picture.

Oh, we could be in love, boys.

Mr Wicks, good mornin'.

Mr Wicks, I don't know if you remember

me. I'm Aaron Sherritt, Mr Wicks.

- If you could just hold up for one moment...

- If anyone can persuade...

an old man to share his daughter

with three larrikins like us, it'll be hard.

So how's me ma?

- What?

- Ah, the coppers have been giving her a hard time, Ned.

Something goes missin',

a bullock or anything...

they come round the middle of the night, tear

the place apart, scarin' the kiddies and all.

- She's had it hard.

- Come on, lads!

- Jump up!

- Well, will you look at that.

What did I tell ya?

- Thank you very much, sir.

- Thanks a lot, Mr Wicks.

Thank you, Mr Wicks.

Dan!

Ma, there's someone coming.

Oh, God. It's Ned.

Neddy!

Mommy,

I named Hobson's kookaburra.

- What did you name him, darlin'?

- Beefy, 'cause he likes beef.

- Well, that's a fine name for a kookaburra, Grace.

- Who's the proud father, Ma?

Don't even ask. He's a long time gone.

That's all there is to it.

- The stinkin' Proddy.

- He was a Yank.

George the baker.

We were married, Ned, right and proper.

Well, that's grand, Ma.

Christ! Will you stop messin'?

I'm sick of the pair of ya.

Give your mother some respect, or I'll give

ya a hidin', both of youse, ya hear me?

- And who are you, anyways?

- Steve Hart.

Well, seein' as how the two of you

are so full of beans...

you can both get off your asses

and help me fix up this place.

- You haven't done a minute's work to help your ma, have you?

- Come on, everyone.

- Sit down, now.

- What kind of stew is it?

Wombat. A wombat's a marsupial,

and it lives in a hole.

I know, darlin;

I put one in the stew.

Shh. Da-da-da. La-la-la.

Ned, would you like

to say the grace?

All right.

Dear Lord, thank you for looking

after me mother...

me sister Grace, me sister Kate

and me brother Dan.

- Thank you, Lord, for our beautiful baby Ellen...

- Shh, shh, shh.

And for this wonderful stew

made out of wombat.

- Amen.

- Amen.

Amen.

It's not easy for

an Irishman in Queen Victoria's colony...

to walk the straight

and narrow...

but I toed the line...

despite all temptations.

- With me fighting

with my fists for money.

And after all, I did three years

for that stolen horse.

Wild Wright only got 18 months.

You think I was gonna let that one slide?

I declare Ned the winner!

Bets are in.

So, are we square?

Course we are, you mad bugger.

Come here!

Thank Christ for that!

Could it be possible that

the Kellys were finally getting ahead?

That I could actually

better meself?

Steady.

Excuse me.

You there.

- Would you mind coming and holding my horse's thing?

- All right.

Steady.

Now, what thing are you

talkin' about, ma'am?

Are you gonna help me

or not?

I've been riding him pretty hard

the last two days.

Poor thing's been holding on since Saturday.

His bladder's paralyzed with the colic.

- Good God.

- Have you got that?

- Right there. Good. Good.

- Just hold it there.

Keep still.

I'm glad that's not me. Christ.

- Steady.

- Whoa, boy. Whoa, boy.

Okay. All right.

Watch your boots, boys! Whoo!

- It looks like you've done this kind of thing before.

- Only on horses.

Thank God for that.

My name's Ned Kelly.

Pleased to meet ya.

- Hello, Ned.

- Right.

Watch out, lads! Here

he goes again! Clear the way!

The horse is too wild.

It can't be broken.

A waste of damn money.

Fetch my rifle, please.

What? You can't

just shoot a horse 'cause it's wild.

- What else can we do? We can't keep it here.

- Why don't you set it free?

I could break that horse

for you if you like.

I've broken horses before. You can ask

around. I'd like to give it a try, at least.

We know there's not much point.

The horse is bad.

You know, the Chinese say you should

have only one true love in your entire life...

otherwise you are no better than

a mangy dog or a loose woman.

What did he say?

Good thing I'm not Chinese.

What did he say?

He said what a lucky fellow I am to be

with such a beauty as you.

Too lucky, if you ask me.

Oh, hello, Kate.

I didn't see you there.

- Fancy seeing you here.

- I'm just having a swift pint after work.

It's not like I'm a regular or anything. A

man needs to relax after a hard day's work.

What would you know

about a hard day's work?

Sleeping and drinking and beatin' up

yellow fellows is all you ever seem to do.

That's not fair, now.

I'm only doing me job.

I get along with everybody.

Everybody gets along with me.

- Can I buy you a drink?

- No, thank you. I have money.

- I just wanna buy you a drink.

- I said I don't want one.

You're startin'

to get on me nerves now.

Think you're too good for me?

Is that it?

- Who do you think you are?

- Let go of me bloody arm. You're hurtin' me.

- Let go of her arm, you.

- I'm just bein' friendly, Ned.

Rate this script:5.0 / 6 votes

John Michael McDonagh

John Michael McDonagh is an English/Irish screenwriter and film director. He wrote and directed The Guard and Calvary, both films starring Brendan Gleeson. He was born in London in 1967. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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