The Naked Country

A turgid account of one man's struggle to escape from the murderous clutches of a bunch of estranged aborigines. The film concerns itself more with the gruesome dispatch of the villains than the reasons for their disgruntlement and their attitude towards the white landowner who is the victim of their hunt. There's a story here about the treatment of the native population, and the pernicious effect the 'white folk' have had on the spirituality, belief system and way of life of one of the world's remaining indigenous peoples, however the filmmakers seem to steer clear. The turns are good, particularly John Stanton, but Rebecca Gillings has a thankless part as his long suffering, staid wife, and Ivar Kantz has even less to do as her unexpected 'knight in shining armour'. Still, as ever, the Australian outback proves itself as a great film set.