Conference bookie::movies

564.0. "Quigley Down Under" by 65320::RIVERS (Stupid, STUPID rat creatures!) Mon Jun 06 1994 11:02

    Over the weekend, I picked up the tape of "Quigley Down Under" a
    western set in Australia (natch) starring Tom Selleck.  I'd seen this a
    few years ago and as modern westerns (aka, Westerns made lately, as
    opposed to "classic" westerns) go, I think I like this one about as
    much as "Silverado".  
    
    
    Matthew Quigley has arrived in Freemantle to answer an advertisement
    placed by Marston, a big time rancher (sheep or cattle, we're never
    sure.  Suffice to say he has a lot of land in the middle of nowhere and
    a lot of a hired guns).  The advertisement is looking for the "best
    long-distance shooter in the world".  Quigley, with his modified
    Sharp's rifle, think he qualifies and has hitched a boat to head down
    under.   Quigley, a fairly mild-mannered sort--the kinda guy you'd
    expect Tom Selleck to play--proves that he's an upstanding fellow right
    off as he defends "Crazy Cora", a slightly deranged woman (apparantly a
    whore). Cora, upon spying Quigley, flings herself at him.  "Oh, Roy!
    You're here to take me home!". 
    
    Well, Quigley ain't Roy, but he's not gonna let Cora get picked up by a
    bunch of ranch hands.  Typical fight ensues, with the result that upon
    hearing Quigley state his name, turns out they were here to pick him up
    and take him to Marston anyway.  
    
    They do go and Quigley finds out why Marston is willing to pay a pretty
    penny to "shoot wild dogs".  Quigley takes exception to the real
    reason, ends up on the wrong side of Marston's favor and hence, we have
    the bulk of the movie.  
    
    Selleck does a nice, low key job as Quigley and although I find the
    character of Cora sorta inconsistant (even for a 'crazy person'), Laura
    S. does a nice job of looking crazy and purty.  Marston is played by
    the always fun Alan Rickman -- he doesn't ham it up quite to the
    extent of his Sheriff of Nottingham, but he doesn't play it quite as
    seriously as oh, his Hans Gruber (of Die Hard). 
    
    It's a pretty fun movie.  Probably my favorite Tom Selleck movie.  He
    makes a good cowboy.
    
    
    *** out of ****
    
    
    kim
    
      

    Forgot to elaborate on who "Laura S." is.  Cora is played by Laura San
    Giacomo (sp), of "sex, lies and videotape" and more recently, "The
    Stand".
    
    
    
    kim
    

    I love reading your reviews Kim.
    
    Being a big Magnum PI fan I try and catch all Selleck's movies.  This
    and 3 Men and a baby are my two favorites (didn't like much of anything
    about 3 men and a little lady and I can't remember the name of the one
    where he has an accident prone girlfriend)
    
    As I remember this, the action was entertaining but I found the Cora 
    character to be abrasive - I didn't care for her scenes much.
    
    Great video! **** out of ***** for me (Tom gets 1 star just for the way
    he wears a hat :^} )
    
    Jt

    I think the one where he has an accident prone girlfriend might very
    well be "High Road to China", where Mr. Selleck plays an aviator in the
    barnstormer-style.   Bess Armstrong was the girlfriend if memory
    serves.  T'was Tom Selleck's first starring role, methinks.  He hasn't
    had much luck movie-wise (Three Men and a Baby was his most successful
    movie to date).
    
    
    To keep this more or less on topic, I found Cora a bit abrasive at
    first, but she does seem better on repeated viewings.
    
    
    kim

    
    > I think the one where he has an accident prone girlfriend might very
    >well be "High Road to China"
    
    to further the rathole... the accident prone girlfriend was probably 
    Paula P. (the model) and the movie was "Her Alibi"
    
    
     Bob
             

    Her Alibi!  That was it.....and I almost forgot about High Road to
    China
    
    Jt

    This is an interesting movie to listen to over a decent sound system.
    The sound of the rifle echoing off the hills is chilling.