I've seen few films with as rapid a moral decline as shown here in the Australian film Wake In Fright. Although this is set in Australia in what is still in many respects a frontier area, this story could easily take place in some of the sparser populated areas of the USA or Canada. I'm willing to bet if these folks ever sober up long enough and get to the polls they vote for the right wing Country Party.
Gary Bond who is English is teaching in the outback is just looking forward to a two week holiday in Sydney and civilization. He's looking around and finds no intellectual companionship of note. Not among the kids or the grownups. The plan is to spend one night over in a bigger town and then on to the big city.
Australia has given the world the gambling game of two-up which has never caught on any place else, certainly not in the USA. It's the main activity of the town drunk or sober. They've got it refined to tournament level there. Bond loses all his money and is stuck there.
What to do, but drink and go with whatever comes after that. Bond meets a doctor played by Donald Pleasence who has totally surrendered himself to the sins of the flesh. Keeping order in this town and in his farewell big screen appearance is Constable Chips Rafferty. Rafferty was in his day Mr. Australian cinema.
I have to tell you I was disturbed and slightly revolted by the 'hunting scenes' where some of the locals go after the kangaroos. I understand that the kangaroo is in serious danger of extinction and seeing this film I can see why. It's here where Bond loses all sense of self worth and is exposed as just an envious little man who feels that life's just been terribly unfair to him.
Still what Gary Bond does in creating a character in a downward spiral is quite remarkable. If you can stomach the hunting scenes than this film will be a revelation.
Gary Bond who is English is teaching in the outback is just looking forward to a two week holiday in Sydney and civilization. He's looking around and finds no intellectual companionship of note. Not among the kids or the grownups. The plan is to spend one night over in a bigger town and then on to the big city.
Australia has given the world the gambling game of two-up which has never caught on any place else, certainly not in the USA. It's the main activity of the town drunk or sober. They've got it refined to tournament level there. Bond loses all his money and is stuck there.
What to do, but drink and go with whatever comes after that. Bond meets a doctor played by Donald Pleasence who has totally surrendered himself to the sins of the flesh. Keeping order in this town and in his farewell big screen appearance is Constable Chips Rafferty. Rafferty was in his day Mr. Australian cinema.
I have to tell you I was disturbed and slightly revolted by the 'hunting scenes' where some of the locals go after the kangaroos. I understand that the kangaroo is in serious danger of extinction and seeing this film I can see why. It's here where Bond loses all sense of self worth and is exposed as just an envious little man who feels that life's just been terribly unfair to him.
Still what Gary Bond does in creating a character in a downward spiral is quite remarkable. If you can stomach the hunting scenes than this film will be a revelation.