Mad Dog Morgan (1976) User Reviews

A harsh complaint against social injustice.

[libertyvalance · 7/10 · 27 May 2001]

Philippe Mora's film has more often than not been categorized as a western but might as well be called a political drama. The central character, the famous bushranger Daniel 'Mad Dog' Morgan becomes a bandit as a result of the harsh treatment the racist and unfair government doles out to the poor and ethnic minorities in Victorian Australia. The extremities of this injustice is made clear when a Chinese settlement is burned down -without there being any notable sanctions- while Daniel Morgan is locked up for six years for stealing some clothes. The victim of condoned rape and torture in prison, Morgan swears to revenge himself on society and becomes a sort of down under Robin Hood, much loved by the common people.

Those who love smooth Hollywood storytelling will not be entertained by the rambling structure of this film. However, there are moments of rough and ready poetry to be had for those who care to take a chance and watch something out of the ordinary. Morgan's friendship with Billy, a young aboriginal who saves his life and becomes his partner in crime, lends a strong, anti racist statement to the film which is quite unique. The script is very fragmentary, only dealing with the highlights of Morgan's career. Still, the sober treatment of the story and balanced portrayal of the bandit's growing frustration with the law and life itself, makes for compelling watching.

Dennis Hopper was never better than in this part. The transformation from excitable but honest and friendly Irish immigrant to desperate and saddened outlaw, hunted down by the police and tired of running, is minimally but very persuasively handled. Those of you who are familiar with the sentimental nature of the Irish, will recognize Hopper's truthful treatment of the character.

Rough, brutal, ugly, complex, compelling, and unsettling.

[Jill-68 · 6/10 · 21 May 2001]

This Australian film is based on a true story of an outlaw in the rough and ready world of the 1800's Way Down Under. It's a very rough world indeed. There are no jokes, no hijinks, no pretty lady loves. Morgan is brutalized by his environment of gold camps, opium dens, and a hellish period in prison. His one love, his one true friend, is a male aborigine who acts as both his savior and his servant.

This is, indeed, an ugly film. Yet Dennis Hopper manages to find a note of grace, and gives the film it's heart. The last portion of the film seems deeper and truer than the scenes that went before, allowing the viewer to understand more fully the complexity of a man such as Morgan.

The movie is low-budget and a bit disjointed. It is also often compelling.....and unsettling. I can't give it a high grade, due to it's poor producton values. But I'm glad it's in my collection.

good

[mvv8383 · 7/10 · 23 January 2006]

The movie was like watching a "B" western.Very violent.Dennis Hopper was perfect for the part.He made it believable. I actually felt sorry for "Mad Dog". Was "Mad Dog" a crazy man or an illiterate man who was unlucky?? I saw the horrors of prison and how men in the 1800"s were treated. I wonder if prison changed him from a thief to a murdering thief. The Australian people were friendly to him but the Australian Army was hateful to him.Dennis Hopper rambled on and on when "mad Dog" as talking to people. This made the character believable. I could actually picture the real "Mad Dog" doing this. Unfortunately I'll never know what the real "Mad Dog Morgan" was like. I can only see this movie and read stories about him and his legend.

A revisionist reading of one of Australia's more unsavoury bushrangers: A Minor Screen Gem

[bamptonj · 24 May 2004]

CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS

Once again, Dennis Hopper gives an over-the-top performance as Daniel Morgan, the infamous outlaw of the the 1860s. MAD DOG (as the film was also known) is highly evocative of the colonial era: frontier lands with few townships but individual homesteads, extreme parochialism and an uneasy relationship between free settlers and ex-convicts.

The dirge begins on the NSW Goldfields where our Irish protagonist falls out with his fellow diggers and seeks company with the out-cast Chinese instead. Whilst smoking opium in a Joss House, a group of aggrieved and racist miners beset Morgan and his compatriots; burning the house to the ground. Morgan runs to the bush and becomes a highwayman: eventually being sentenced to the gaols. As the magistrate reveals, severe sentences are necessary to build the colony's roads.

In gaol, Morgan is brutalized and maltreated by both guards and fellow prisoners. Upon his release, he finds himself in old ways and later makes an aboriginal companion. The duo continue to harass (mostly) the squatters and large-lot landowners along the Riverina in New South Wales and Victoria. Morgan is eventually shot and killed by a loose coalition of police officers and privateers.

The authorities generally are portrayed as equally corrupt and invidious as Morgan. The bulk of the police-force, for instance, are recently released prisoners or prison-wardens looking for easy money. The Governor of Victoria (played deliciously by Frank Thring) subscribes to the belief that a mastermind criminal like Morgan must have "the physical attributes of a gorilla" and a "throw-back to primitive man" - forgetting his own monolithic presence and bulging forehead.

Australia is presented as the penal colony it really was: "a melting pot of racial, social, and economic tensions" - and so film is quite a macarabe and episodic one. While evocative of the mood, a far amount of artistic license has been taken in the history. Surprisingly absent from MAD DOG MORGAN are accounts of sadist and barbaric acts committed by Morgan, including the ungentlemenly murder of two policemen shot in the back.

Looking back, MAD DOG MORGAN contains a guest-list of Australian actors which now can be somewhat distracting (Yes, that is Alf Stewart from "HOME AND AWAY" as the Scottish Telegraphist.)

Mad as a cut snake

[Chase_Witherspoon · 6/10 · 28 May 2011]

Unusual biopic of notorious Australian bush-ranger Daniel "Mad Dog" Morgan (played with animation by crazy-eyed Hopper), of Irish extraction who after witnessing a bloody massacre at a gold diggers site, flees into the Victorian countryside where he attempts a robbery, is captured, incarcerated and makes a lifelong enemy of sadistic trooper Bill Hunter. Following an early release for good behaviour, he's soon mistaken for a thief, shot at and left for dead. Aboriginal tracker (Gulpilil) finds, mends and befriends the affable if at times hot-headed Irishman and the pair go on to become the quintessential criminal duo, pillaging the countryside where Morgan becomes a champion for the battler, the bane of the establishment's fragile class structure.

Meandering tale is full of memorable scenes, picturesque landscape and quirky dialogue, but never quite gels the components homogeneously. The cast is superb with Hopper's erratic and at times dramatic characterisation nicely balanced by Gulpilil as his smiling, more at ease companion, Jack Thompson as a very serious-looking trooper, and Frank Thring as a brutal superintendent with a macabre legacy in mind. Graeme Blundell has a frivolous cameo as an Italian settler, while Liza-Lee Atkinson is sure to float your boat as a horny bar-maid starstruck by Morgan's wild-boy reputation.

Violent and sadistic (e.g. Morgan's sodomy in gaol), there's a Sam Peckinpah quality to the bloody executions, where the blood pumps and spurts out of gaping wounds like sauce from a squeezy bottle. Gory elements aside, there's also plenty of humour, particularly Morgan's delight when he hears of his 'up the establishment' reputation from people he encounters while on the lam. It's a bit amateurish in parts, though it's difficult not to like and the ending's implied gruesome epitaph is both shocking and memorable.

Aussie Outlaw

[otteni52 · 7/10 · 10 April 2010]

Despite some technical shortcomings and rather loose presentation, Mad Dog Morgan is an entertaining showcase of the Ozploitation genre. Dennis Hopper gives a strong performance, firing away as Irish prospector turned bushwhacker Daniel Morgan and there's rarely a dull moment. The pacing is quick and punchy, but not without it's more subtle dramatic moments.

Though what's most fascinating is that it's no more about crime than how easily a life can be corrupted, turning an individual into a criminal. Daniel Morgan is a confused, violent character but we sympathize with him nonetheless

All in all it's an interesting, near forgotten piece of film-making. You'd be hard pressed to find a proper version, but it's a must see for anyone interested in the sub-genre.

Not too bad

[info-5918 · 6/10 · 22 March 2009]

I found Hopper's acting pretty good. He is a method actor, and was trying to play a madman. I'm not quite sure how familiar he was with Australia, in the extras, he refers to Aboriginals as "Aboriginaries".

While probably most of the movie portrays events that happened, Morgan in real life was not so nice. It captures the essence of Mad Morgans life, but changes things to make him more endearing. In fact he was racist to Chinese miners, the film shows him as being sympathetic. He didn't have a lifelong Aboriginal friend....and he was never called "Mad Dog" Morgan. He was cruel at times, forcing a woman to walk into a fire at one point, however he was liked by locals, and did force overseers to pay the workers more and hand out cheques.

The acting was pretty good. Probably one of the best things about this movie is that it features some of the best Australian actors at the time - Jack Thompson, Frank Thring, Bill Hunter, JOhn Haregreaves and Graeme Blundell. Cinematography was good too, nice use of the Australian bush.

Troma DVD release made me mad!!!

[BluebirdCN7 · 4/10 · 17 May 2005]

The recent release of "Mad Dog Morgan" on Troma DVD is disappointing.This appears to be a censored print for television viewing. Some of the more violent scenes have been edited and portions of the colorful language have been removed. Anyone who viewed the film uncut will be mad as hell at this toxic DVD version. "Mad Dog Morgan" deserves to be released on DVD in the original theatrical cut. However, even as released on DVD, the film is still one of the better depictions of bushranger life in nineteenth century Australia. After having toured the Old Melbourne Gaol, with death masks of convicts on display, it is "Mad Dog Morgan" that comes to mind.

Hopper turns Irish outlaw.

[lost-in-limbo · 8/10 · 22 January 2007]

Australia, in the 1850s. An Irish man Daniel Morgan starts off as gold-seeking immigrant who turns to robbery and gets sentenced to 12 years prison time. This is where the going gets truly tough and scars his mind. After a couple years he gets released. After befriending an aboriginal named Billy, he becomes a bushranger with an ever-growing bounty looming over his head. The two go out of their way to seek those prominent figures for turning him into what he is and for pushing him to the brink of self-destruction. On his trail is the determined Detective Mainwaring, which puts even more pressure on the cracking mind of Daniel "Mad Dog" Morgan.

I heard of the film before, but never had the chance to see it until just recently when I managed to pick myself up a copy of the film. Those who believe this to be a sorely forgotten Australian gem, do make a valid point and I'll be jumping onto the bandwagon too. Cult Aussie director Philippe Mora makes his directorial debut with an interestingly odd, exploratory and rampant curio piece of an Australian bushranger folk legend. It doesn't feel like your basic outlaw movie, as hounding the picture is a socially minded lashing of corrupt power taking away the respectability of a lone and misunderstood figure (Daniel Morgan). We watch the spiralling depiction of a fazed man fighting a society who thinks they are better accustomed and more civilized than him because of his actions against them (but that's far from the case). I didn't think it was going to be as harrowing and potently involving as it was, but this is very much largely thanks to spellbinding method actor Dennis Hopper's (who fell out favour with Hollywood at the time) multi-layered performance as Mad Dog Morgan. His erratic changes in mood (from being placidly polite to passionately quick tempered) are very successfully timed and indeed convincing. One of his best.

Leading the way is a strong Australian support cast with their characters getting enough time to shine. David Gulpilil is a good choice as Billy and has a budding rapport that works along with Hopper's character. Frank Thring stands out as the aggressively bull-headed Superintendent Cobham and a poignantly stern Jack Thompson makes the most of his small role as Detective Mainwaring. Also lurking on screen with tip-top (and some quirky) performances are John Hargreaves, Wallace Eaton, Bill Hunter (who chews up the scenery) and Bruce Spence ticks in with a blink and you'll miss it spot. These are very human characters and cast do a fine job in bringing that to the screen. Mora has crafted a roughly violent tale that skews between cheekiness and a spiritual foray in a well up drawn period. The story jauntily breezes by to begin with then falls into some patchy holes when it can drag, but never gets dull or loses its bitingly ironic edge. It seems to be more complex in its character's reactions than the basic narrative lets on. Mora smoothly plays along with his stylish filming techniques and has a gifted eye for short spurts of flair and (at time surreal) images. No more than some of the well mounted photography by Mike Molloy focuses on the vastly stunning backdrop of the untamed Australian wilderness and accompanying the action is an diversely roaring music score that fits right in with the style Mora's going for.

"Mad Dog Morgan" is an overlooked Australian rarity of the 70s, which is hard not to be highly fascinated by its boldly rough and evocatively baseless treatment of the stirring material.

a great film

[Dead_Mann · 7/10 · 2 April 2006]

well i went to a store and they had dvds for for really cheap, and i saw this, and dennis hopper on the front, and i bought it, and I'm pretty glad i did, it was really good for a 70's cheap budget western. Dennis Hopper like always, was good, it was kinda uncomfortable to watch, because of how old it was and how they shot, and the picture was in bad shape, but the acting was good, from most of the actors, the dialogue was good, and overall it was really good, which is surprising for a 70's low budget movie, but if it didn't have dennis hopper in it, i probably wouldn't like it as much, so if any of u see at like a rental place or store, buy it!

Unconvincing script

[kneiss1 · 5/10 · 1 December 2010]

While I really liked the pictures and Hoppers performance, the movie itself couldn not convince me. The whole movie is about the character "Mad Dog"; while he was interesting, he simply wasn't realistic. This movie want's to tell the true story Mad Dog Morgan, a bloodthirsty robber and killer - of the ruthless kind! The movie totally stated it that way. But at the same time, the movie turned Mad Dog heroic! He was a rebel and Robin Hood and Jack the ripper in one person - and even worse, the movie wants to show Mad Dog as a victim! It all wouldn't be so bad, if it wouldn't have been told so unconvincing. The character of Mad Dog contradicted himself, and was way too exaggerated.

Some bad acting (and the awful German dub I needed to face), didn't help either.

a shaky, low-budget, Dennis-Hopper fueled above-average curio, though not a "classic"

[Quinoa1984 · 8/10 · 13 August 2010]

If looking on the DVD cover that is provided by Troma (yes, that old chestnut) - and by this I mean the *new* sort-of remastered uncut DVD version released last year, not the much lamented previous version that looks like hell- you would think that you have been missing out on something really special for your whole cinematic life. How has one not seen a mid 70's Aussie-Western (also one of the very first Australian film distributed in the US) which stars Dennis Hopper as a mad bandit going around the Queensland colonies in the 19th century donning a fake beard and shooting (mostly) those who he deems deserve a killing? It could go either way: it could either be the case where it is a suppressed classic just waiting to be unearthed, or it's a piece of Aussie trash given some prestige above its other Ausploitation films due to its star. Ultimately, the movie is somewhere in the middle, though it tries to be a classic when it can, and sometimes can't help but be kind of trashy due to its budget.

It's protagonist is something of an icon in Australia, like their Billy the Kid (sadly I'd yet to hear of him until this film), who started out as just an Irish farmer who enjoyed his opium, but ran away from a massacre of the Chinese in the area. He then got put in jail for one hold-up, got tortured and raped in prison, and then got out to try and become normal again, only to get shot and get healed by an aborigine. If this sounds like something interesting so far, it is. But the only downside it's at this point that the film finally takes off, after the first half hour; it's not that the opening half hour is bad in the slightest, since the cinematography by Mike Molloy is always something cool to look at in widescreen anamorphic. But the pace is kind of jerky and shaky, going from one set-up to another with a jarring feeling. This happens at other points in the film as well, but not as much as at this part.

And yet, as just noted, when Morgan is shot and heals up with the aborigine (a very natural David Gulpilil), he then decides to fight back. In a way he becomes an outlaw since he's left with no alternative, but at the same time goes for it for all it's worth. He especially attacks the upper class, those who have lots of money and land, and he becomes the big target for the police and authorities in the area, garnering a 1,000 dollar reward. It's here we get to see the big bad Dennis Hopper becomes as Morgan, and the film takes on a quality that is kind of special: it's a western, but it's also an anti-western. It's not about how Morgan is just some amoral villain going around to rob and maim and kill. His terms of being criminal are partly for survival (not too oddly enough one of his old prison "buddies" goes after him now as a member of the local authority), and partly to stick it to 'the man' circa 1860 Australia. We see the people who should be taking Morgan out as being, appropriately for the time period, not very sharp: one of their goals once they get kill Morgan is to study his skull to see how primitive he is.

It's this, actually, that Philippe Mora latches on to. How primitive a life does Morgan lead as an outlaw? His main compadre is an aborigine, who is barely looked on as human by the people in charge in the Aussie area, and as he keeps going along he's more at peace in an odd way with his fate. He knows how lucky he is to get *this* far, and he becomes more of a bad-ass because of it. He's a solid anti-hero, and Hopper makes the movie as awesome as it can get. He has a look about him- yes, even with that fake beard like something out of Cannibal the Musical- that is a little frightening, but also kind of sympathetic and sad. There's a scene where his Morgan is in a house with a woman, and she basically offers herself to him sexually, and he just softly speaks about how he just can't do it, and speaks about his mother. It's a very odd but touching scene, mostly due to Hopper's dedication to the role. By the end he becomes a kind of tragic figure.

He's not just the only reason to see the movie; when it's at its best, Mora's direction is sharp and exciting, particularly with action scenes as you really don't know who will get it and how bad in rifle and bullet fire, the blood being a big factor as well. And the cinematography, even in a print that is still shoddy in this updated Troma release, is striking and ethereal, giving the movie a whole other quality than I expected. Is it a great movie? Surely not. The pacing is not always tight, and some of the supporting performances are weak, as they tend to be in low-budget B-movies. But for what they had to work with, star included, it's definitely worth checking out.

Mad Dogs Go out In the Australian sun...

[tim-764-291856 · 7/10 · 12 July 2012]

Firstly, my DVD version is the final disc (of 12) in the Australian Cinema Collection and is in good, clear 'tall' widescreen. Therefore I do not need to cover ground about the quality issues surrounding the transfer that other Amazon reviewers have, apart from that it's fine.

Irish Daniel Morgan (a suitably way-out casting choice and performance from American acting legend Dennis Hopper) goes a bit awry and is subsequently incarcerated into a penal regime that demands 12 years hard labour from him. Here, he is raped, tortured and generally abused by officers and inmates who find pleasure in such things.

Calling himself 'Smith', he is freed on parole after serving half his sentence, but Morgan is emotionally damaged and wild with anger and revenge. The film, directed by Philippe Mora, is certificate "M", for 'Mature', as it's an Australian release, is probably between a 15 and 18, over here in the U.K. Thus, it shows the natural side to bush life, as Morgan starts out a free man as a horse thief. Therefore, if such things as aboriginal methods of pulling off a snake's head to extract a 'medicine' are going to spoil your viewing pleasure, then do, look elsewhere, such as the first disc in the boxed -set, the cert U 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'.

When Morgan is left for dead after a skirmish with those he was trying to steal from, the aboriginal youth mentioned above nurses him back to health and teaches him methods of survival. This is at times illuminating but also clumsy - such as Hopper's bushy, shiny false beards that can be spotted a mile off and gun wounds to a head that's obviously made of something very synthetic.

These anomalies aside, this is a pretty good yarn, with Hopper well able to carry the central character. The locational scenery is often splendid and the supporting cast well able, too. Excesses in violence do occasionally mar, as they do look gratuitous, but not, say in the almost stately manner that Sam Peckinpah managed and seem almost jokey.

All in all, this is a pretty good film and actually one of the best in my boxed set, which was slightly surprising.

Inaccurate depiction

[bartone-music · 3/10 · 16 March 2014]

I was moved to write something after reading with dismay comments from others that this was a fair depiction of Morgan... it wasn't.

Daniel Morgan was not named "Mad Dog" for no reason. He was a murderous rapist, and anyone with the interest to research the matter will agree. On one occasion Morgan joined forces with "Gentleman" Ben Hall to rob a large, well guarded, and very wealthy homestead, but when Morgan attempted to rape one of the women, Hall intervened and the two came to blows, Hall stood his ground and it almost became a gunfight. Hall took control and ordered Morgan off the property, threatening to shoot Morgan on the spot if he didn't go.

Morgan may well have been a victim of a corrupt and autocratic Colonial Rule, but so was Hall, and he never mistreated his victims, other than to take their valuables. Hall never robbed or disrespected women, in fact male victims upon being "baled up" would quickly put all their money and valuables into the women's purses, knowing that Hall would never commit any bad act against a woman. Hall countered by begging forgiveness, but "could the dear lady please remove all the men's belongings from her purse?" His manner was so gracious and flattering they would usually blush and comply.

Mad Dog was entirely the opposite, a brutal and violent psychopath, and to glorify Morgan is simply fictitious sensationalism designed to garner applause for what is essentially a very bad movie. I thought Hopper did not take the role seriously and it seems he felt his reputation was all that was required for the payday. The movie was completely disjointed and came across as a series of unconnected one-act plays.

I gave it 3/10 purely for the beautiful Australian backdrop, but ONLY 3 because it was so poorly shot.

A "lost" Australian 70s classic with one of Dennis Hopper's best performances.

[Infofreak · 5 September 2002]

I've been searching for this movie for years, and now thanks to a recent DVD release here in Australia I've finally been able to see it. And best of all, it's a bloody good movie! 'Mad Dog Morgan' was made in Dennis Hooper's "wilderness" years where his reputation and behaviour meant that mainstream Hollywood was too nervous to employ him. During this period he made some of his most interesting movies, often overseas, with some of his bravest and most honest performances. Movies like 'Tracks', 'Bloodbath', 'The American Friend' and this one. Sadly little seen and rarely talked about. Hopper plays Irish immigrant turned bushranger (that's outlaw to non-Australians) Daniel Morgan, hero to the more famous folk hero Ned Kelly. Hopper, by the look of him in the 25 minute documentary included on the DVD, could out drink and drug Robert Downey Jr and Christian Slater combined and STILL give a remarkable performance. Hopper is helped by a supporting cast of the (then) cream of Aussie acting, most of whom are probably not all that known to overseas audiences apart from Jack Thompson, and maybe David Gulpilil ('Walkabout', 'The Tracker'), Bill Hunter ('Newsfront', 'Muriel's Wedding') and the legendary Frank Thring ('Ben-Hur', 'Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome'). Director, Australian ex-pat Philippe Mora, went on to an eclectic and eccentric career which included cult favourites 'The Beast Within' and 'Communion'. 'Mad Dog Morgan' is one of the most underrated and overlooked movies ever made in Australia and deserves to be rediscovered.

Ozsplootation at it's Best

[jayrh33 · 7/10 · 27 July 2019]

Dennis Hopper was apparently "Chemically Altered" for much of the shoot, but still a sterling job. David Gulpilil is amazing and the late Frank Thring steals the movie with a few fantastic one liners!

Hirsute Irish Dennis Hooper is wrongfully imprisoned and then he seeks justice and vengeance

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 6 May 2021]

A period piece Set in Australia 19th century , it dramatizes the life of a notorious outlaw , beginning when a prospector , hirsute Irish outlaw : Dennis Hooper is attacked by violent assailants . After a robbing and eventual capture he is imprisoned at a tenebrous jail where he is mistreated , hitten and raped . Shortly after , he finds it's impossibie for an Irishman in Queen Victoria's colony to walk the straight and narrow . Later on , there happens a manhunt proceeded by law enforcers : Jack Thompson , Michael Pate , Frank Thring , attempting to capture him , it results in deaths , violence and mayhem . Along the way , he is helped by an Australian aborigen , David Gulpilil , again representing the unknowable forgotten option like some fine Injun .

A peculiar and disjointed film about an outlaw roaming outlands of 19th-century Outback , resulting in a violent and offbeat G'day man . Concerning a victim of barbarities inflicted at the behest of nasty authoriries , and subsequent revenge and retribution . An acceptable early example of the Australia revival of the Seventies , with the same sort of critical kinship to its US models and in the wake of Backroads . Based on a true story in similar style to Ned Kelly 1970 by Tony Richardson with Mick Jagger ,dealing with the Australia's most notorious bandit . Dennis Hooper delivers a nice acting a quirky and outlandish outlaw . While support cast mostly formed by Australian secondaries giving engaging performances , such as : Frank Thring as a bald , bullish policeman , Jack Thompson , Michael Pate , John Hargreaves , Bruce Spence , among others .

Special mention for the colorful cinematography by Mike Molley , showing splendidly the wonderful Outback landscapes . The motion picture being basically a Western in all but locale was regularly directed by Philippe Mora , containing some shortfalls , flaws and gaps . Director Philippe Mora seems to have lacked an empathy for the material , given his lethargic filmmaking , though provides some thrilling scenes . Mora is an Australian craftsman who has made a lot of films in all kinds of genres , getting successes anf flops . Usually directing in low budgets, his uneven career with highs and lows is formed by the following films : "Scream of a winter night , The Beast within , Return of Captain Invincible , A Breed Apart , Howling 2 your sister is a werewolf , Holing 3 The Marsupials , Death of a Soldier , Communion , Precious Find , Back in Business , Pterodactyl Woman of Beverly Hills" and several others .

historical curio - not good, not bad

[winner55 · 6/10 · 28 February 2009]

The previous reviewer, who complained of the historical inaccuracy of the film, somewhat missed the point. While the film may not be true to the original Morgan's personal story, it is certainly true of the conflict between legal authorities and outlaws throughout the English speaking countries during the 19th Century. The Governor at the end asks for Morgan's scrotum to be used as a tobacco pouch; I don't know if this happened to Morgan - but it happened to Nat Turner. Jesse James' corpse went on tour briefly as a carnival attraction before his family intervened; so did the bodies of Bonnie and Clyde in the 1930s. In Canada, one Indian outlaw was so feared, they used cannon to get at him in his last house rather than face him with small arms. Public hangings came to a halt in Great Britain because the crowd got raucously drunk and lecherous after-wards. The fact is, outlaws became legend because government agencies and private interests, as well as the perversity of the general public, made them so.

Like Bonnie and Clyde, part of the function of this film - which is really more a 'docudrama' than an adventure film or simply another crime film - is recording what was said of Morgan once he became infamous. Of course most of it was lies - people want their fifteen minutes of fame, even if it's just for bumping into an well-known outlaw.

That said, this film suffers from two major problems. First its low budget - it is clear from certain set-pieces that the film had high ambitions.. It is unfortunately clear, from the quality of the film-stock used (and its unevenness) and the awkward uniforms of the provincial police, that there just wasn't enough money to fulfill those ambitions.

The second major failing is that the lead is given over to Dennis Hopper, a 'cult' actor of very limited range. He simply isn't up to it. His dialect is terrible, and he utterly lacks either the panache of a flamboyant outlaw, or the angst of a socially driven one. In fact we end the film not knowing much about Morgan, which makes all the broad lies about him believable. And that's a weakness - he needs to be a factual counterpoint to his own legend. Hopper cannot give us this, it's beyond his capabilities.

Nonetheless, its an interesting film to watch, even as merely a curio. It was a risky film to make; Australian film industry had not yet attained 'world-class' status, and the strictly Australian subject-matter is certainly interesting. There is also some interesting cinematography, and the story has an odd draw to it even if its promise is never fully realized.

Not a classic, but hardly the disaster some have remarked it as.

Good Acting by Dennis Hopper, but not a true telling of the real Daniel Morgan

[robertandrews-44556 · 5/10 · 22 February 2017]

I am a HUGE bushranger fan. I have written many essays, read many books, and watched many movies about them. And if anyone out there was also a bushranger fan and Australian history buff, they would soon realize after watching this movie, that it is not quite true to the real-life tale of the notorious bushranger Daniel "Mad Dan" Morgan.

Firstly, I want to say that this is still a pretty good movie. The cinematography is great, the Australian setting, and the eerie Aborigine music that plays in the opening credits sets this relatively violent movie up in the most perfect way. Dennis Hopper does play a fantastic part as the fictionalized version of Morgan, who in this film is portrayed somewhat as a Ned Kelly or Ben Hall type bushranger--romantic Robin Hood-type folk hero. After witnessing a bloody massacre of Chinese gold diggers, he escapes into the bush and becomes a bushranger in order to stay alive, but is caught soon afterwards and sent to prison where he is brutalized not just by his fellow prisoners, but by the hateful police officers as well. Once released, he swears vengeance on those who have wronged him. After being shot and wounded, he is nursed back to health by Billy (played fantastically by Aussie actor David Gulpilil). Soon, the two team up and begin their revenge in the Australian bush. By the time the film ends and Morgan is killed, we feel remorse and sadness for him......which is one of the BIGGEST problems of the whole movie.

Daniel Morgan (AKA John Fuller/John Smith/Sydney Native/Dan the Breaker/Down the River Jack) has always been one of my favourite bushrangers that I have studied. The real Daniel Morgan was a bloodthristy criminal who would NOT hesititate for a moment to shoot and kill anybody he pleased. He was known to have brutally murdered a couple of Chinese settlers in the bush, and cowardly shot John McLean in the back during his time outside of the NSW town of Morven when McLean rode on horseback to get help after another man (John Heriot) who was also shot by Morgan. This historic event was documented in the film, but rather poorly I thought.

The character of the young Aborginie Billy was likely based on one of Morgan's associates named German Bill. Morgan and German Bill got into a bloody police gun fight, where German Bill was killed. Morgan didn't care though, as he didn't care much for human life. Everyone in the 1860's here in Australia had heard about "Mad Dan Morgan",and were terrified to venture in the bush at night in fear of encountering him. He stood 6-feet tall with piercing eyes. Thus, all of this is what I was hoping to be portrayed in the movie version based on his life.

However, putting history aside, I really did enjoy this movie for what it was. This film has now become known as an Aussie Western, or "Bush Western". The acting was good, the premise dark and sometimes depressing, and it did really capture the mood of what life was probably like in Colonial times Australia.

All in all, I give this movie a 5/10

Dennis Hopper excels in this superior Australian bushranger Western

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 11 December 2009]

Australia in the 1850's. Irish miner Daniel Morgan (an electrifying live-wire performance of remarkable intensity and conviction by Dennis Hopper) is forced to become a highway robber out of total necessity. After serving six years hard time in a brutal prison, Morgan gets released and vows revenge on those who wronged him. Assisted by his loyal and amiable Aborignine best buddy Billy (a wonderfully engaging portrayal by David Gulpilil), Morgan becomes a legendary outlaw who's a folk hero to the people and a vehemently hated wanted criminal by the police. Writer/director Phillipe Mora does an expert job of relating this potent, gripping, and often exciting tragic tale of social barbarism and injustice: the brisk pace rarely let's up for a minute, the tone is appropriately tough and gritty, there's a vivid and flavorsome evocation of the Australian outback setting, the jarring outbursts of abrupt and savage violence pack a wicked punch, and the bold and provocative central theme of racism is tackled in a gutsy and confrontational manner. Hopper's fiery impassioned acting in the lead role is nothing short of astounding; Hopper really shows this volatile and unpredictable man in a warts and all fashion (the film scores extra points for depicting the rougher aspects of Morgan's character in an admirably stark and unsentimental way), yet still manages to make Morgan a sympathetic person. The supporting cast is likewise excellent, with stand-out contributions by Frank Thring as ruthless Superintendent Cobham, Bill Hunter as the vicious, determined Sergeant Smith, Jack Thompson as the shrewd, compassionate Detective Mainwaring, Michael Pate as the cocky Superintendent Winch, and Robin Ramsey as jolly photographer Roget. Mike Molloy's sumptuous widescreen cinematography offers plenty of striking shots of the beautiful Australian landscape. Patrick Flynn's moody score also hits the spot. Among the most memorable moments are Morgan's mistreatment at the hands of his foul fellow inmates in jail (these scenes are extremely harsh and harrowing to behold), a barmaid attempting to seduce Morgan in a saloon, and Morgan crashing a posh diner at a mansion. The friendship between Morgan and Billy is genuinely touching. Well worth seeing.

Low budget Aussie outlaw story

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 4 May 2017]

MAD DOG MORGAN is a low budget Aussie drama charting the life and times of the titular character, played with relish by Dennis Hopper at his outlandish best. Morgan was a real-life outlaw who pre-dated Ned Kelly and rang rings around the Aussie police after going on a rampage following his imprisonment for a minor crime. Hopper is a great choice for the role and I can think of few other actors to portray the character's bearded bravado so convincingly.

The film itself is a real cheapie but nonetheless engaging thanks to the rural photography and fun supporting roles. It has a fast pace that focuses on physicality and action throughout and a really vicious streak that emphasises visceral destruction. Even better, the great Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil has a strong supporting role as Hopper's friend and comrade, while the rest of the cast features the usual eccentric Aussie characters. Watch out for Bruce Spence in a bit part.

a very bad movie

[revrvl · 1/10 · 22 May 2008]

This is one of the worst movies I have ever seen. There is not a shred of historical accuracy, in fact reality is reversed. Just one example: Morgan preyed on the few ethnic Chinese he encountered. The acting is over the top, the script is a poorly written lie. I have never seen worse fake beards.

Hopper arrived in Australia and reportedly only would make the film if the script was totally rewritten so he could be a hero. Since the script was ten made up on the fly, the may explain how bad it is and how disjointed the movie is.

Any movie about Ned Kelly is a lot better than this film.

The wild west of Australia

[silverauk · 9/10 · 14 April 2003]

This movie is typical Australian because the landscape has its part of the scenes, it is a protagonist. It is similar to the American Midwest but at the same time it is so different because there is more variety. It is in the most hot parts of Australia that Daniel Morgan will be rescued by a bush-man. He became a horse-thief, element in the story which is not explained well because he already had left prison for three years. We only see the developing of his character at the end of the movie when he invites himself into the family Mcpherson. Why did he become a bandit? He does not lack courage but will he be caught alive? His life in the wilderness is only slightly developed with his bush-comrade who saved his life; the beginning of the story shows him confronted with Australian justice which had no equity at all. The prison system will almost kill him morally. In a scene in a tavern he confesses to a woman that he only knew one women in his life: his mother.

No Humor?

[palainausa · 7/10 · 6 February 2018]

I've read many of the reviews and find little to disagree with. The film has its shortcomings, and also things to recommend about it. But no one noticed the one funny scene in the whole film. Morgan confronts a man who has informed the police of Morgan's possible whereabouts. The man surely fears death, but Morgan only knocks him unconscious. Prior to being knocked out, he was butchering an animal. Morgan reaches into the offal pail and spreads the liver and intestines on the prostrate man, above where his own would be. When the man awakens he looks down to see a dog eating the offal, thinks it's his own innards and screams to bloody hell. Who says there's no humor?

Loose plot, poor direction.

[dracher · 2/10 · 26 July 2014]

I have no idea what the budget was for this film, but it has low budget written all over it from frame one. The establishing shot is about as good as any of the cinematography gets for the remainder of the film.

As the hero approaches the stage coach and wanders aimlessly away into the gaining foreground, it sets the pattern and the standard for the rambling, disjointed grab bag of scenes to follow.

As usual in Australian historic films, the old cultural cringe sets in early. Any English characters, especially characters in authority, are either moronic animals, or outrageously portrayed elitists and silly arsed over enunciating buffoons.

The real men of heroic heart and courage are either Irish or "Australian" bush men. This is the kind of thinking that allows us to make Ned Kelly, a man who clearly had a problem with authority and the rule of law, who killed policemen, and who almost derailed a train, which almost certainly would have made him the country's first mass murderer, a celebrated folk hero.

This film is a string of seemingly hurriedly invented action, gratuitous violence, bluster and bullshit. That it is what I suggest it is, is a shame. The basis of a good story and the makings of a classic film are clearly within it, but they are lost in clouded plot ideas and confused direction, further hindered by surface acting and cultural cringe.