Dusty (film)

1983 Australian film

Dusty

Directed by| John Richardson
Written by| Sonia Borg
Based on| novel by Frank Dalby Davison
Produced by| Gil Brealey
Starring| Bill Kerr
Cinematography| Alex McPhee
Edited by| David Greig
Music by| Frank Strangio
Distributed by| Umbrella Entertainment

Release date

* 1983 (1983)

Running time

| 88 min
Country| Australia
Language| English
Box office| A$710,000 (Australia)[1]

Dusty is a 1983 Australian film about the friendship between a drover (Bill Kerr) and his part-dingo dog, Dusty.

Based on the popular novel by Frank Dalby Davison, it was shot on location in northern Victoria.[2]

## Cast

[edit]

* Bill Kerr as Tom Lincoln
* Noel Trevarthen as Harry Morrison
* Carol Burns as Clara Morrison
* John Stanton as Railey Jordan
* Nicholas Holland as Jack Morrison
* Dan Lynch as Ron Morrison
* Kati Edwards as Mrs Muspratt
* William Kerr as Jim Logan
* Ed Thurley as Fred Patterson
* May Howlett as Mrs Patterson
* Kim Trengove as Barmaid

## Reception

[edit]

Writing in the Age Neil Jillett said the film "succeeds artistically where the bombastic 'We of the Never-Never' and 'The Man from Snowy River' failed. Like 'The Getting of Wisdom', it brings a classic of our literature to the screen without sacrificing its spirit, without kowtowing to fashionable attitudes and without trying to ape Hollywood."[3]

The Sydney Morning Herald's Anna Maria Dell'Oso gave it a mixed review and wrote "Dusty is mostly, however, a good-hearted film, plainer than Phar Lap but with the same Aussie affection for a bush story."[4] Susie Eisenhuth of the Sun-Herald gave it 2 stars finishing "Like any good animal film, Dusty checks in with a suitable plea for the wild and its creatures. But here again, as elsewhere, it isn't quite up to dishing it out with the sort of verve that might have made the whole film a lot more memorable."[5]

Sandra Hall wrote in the Bulletin "Dusty is directed by John Richardson with rather too much deliberation and too little humor. Nonetheless, it’s a modestly affecting film dignified by Kerr’s performance which is strong, understated and staunchly unsentimental. No crowd-pleasing compromises here."[6]

The Canberra Times's Dougal MacDonald opines "'Dusty' is not the greatest Australian film by any means, but it is strong, honest work that stands very much to the credit of its makers and deserves a look."[7]

Reviewing for a 1985 TV broadcast John Hindle of the Age began "I've always been impressed by Dusty. In fact, I think it's one of the finest films made in Australia."[8] Jill Morris, also in the Age, notes "John Richardson's direction sets a pace slow enough for us to empathise with the dilemmas of dog lovers who are first and foremost sheepmen; and with the confusions of Dusty himself. Yet there is sufficent (sic) suspense to hold young viewers."[9]

Bill Kerr earned a nomination for the 1982 AFI Award for Best Actor for his role.[7]

## Television series

[edit]

Dusty

Written by| Graeme Farmer
John Misto
Directed by| Colin Budds
Starring| John Heywood
Brenton Whittle
Kris McQuade
Asher Keddie
John Jarratt
Country of origin| Australia
France
Original language| English
No. of episodes| 6
Production
Running time| 85 mins
Original release
Release| 20 February 1989 (1989-02-20)

The film led to a mini series which cost $3 million.[10]

### Cast

[edit]

* John Heywood
* Jessica Muschamp
* Brenton Whittle
* Kris McQuade
* Asher Keddie
* John Jarratt

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Australian Films at the Australian Box Office", Film Victoria accessed 24 October 2009
2. ^ David Stratton, The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry, Pan MacMillan, 1990 p73
3. ^ Jillett, Neil (21 April 1983), "Mood piece for the whole family", The Age
4. ^ Dell'Oso, Anna Maria (18 August 1983), "Australian mythology on the screen. Dusty: son of Lassie and a Disney dingo", The Sydney Morning Herald
5. ^ Eisenhuth, Susie (21 August 1983), "Charming competition to whizzbang fantasies", Sun-Herald
6. ^ Hall, Sandra (13 September 1983), "A dogged passage to the screen", The Bulletin
7. ^ a b MacDonald, Dougal (20 December 1983), "One man and his dog – a film the family will love", The Canberra Times
8. ^ Hindle, John (3 October 1985), "A man and his dog", The Age
9. ^ Morris, Jill (3 October 1985), "'Dusty' brings strong images of Australia", The Age
10. ^ Albert Moran, Moran's Guide to Australian TV Series, AFTRS 1993 p 153

## External links

[edit]

* Dusty at IMDb
* Dusty at IMDb
* Dusty at Oz Movies

*[No.]: Number