Barney (film)
Barney is a 1976 Australian film for children set during the Convict Era. A 12-year-old boy and a convict are shipwrecked together.[2]
Barney | |
---|---|
Directed by | David Waddington |
Written by | Colin Drake |
Produced by | David Waddington |
Starring |
|
Cinematography | Richard Wallace |
Edited by | Rod Hay |
Music by | Tommy Tycho |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date | 16 December 1976 |
Running time | 93 mins |
Country | Australia |
Language | English |
Budget | A$230,000[1] |
It was also known as Lost in the Wild.[3]
Plot
In the 1880s, a small boy called Barney, a wombat called Amanda and an Irish convict called Rafe are the sole survivors of a shipwreck. They head off to Ballarat together to find Barney's father. On the way two gypsy woman drug Rafe and try to steal Barney's money. Rafe is wrongly accused of horse theft and he is imprisoned, but Barney helps him escape. Barney is eventually reunited with his father.
Cast
- Brett Maxworthy as Barney Dawson
- Sean Kramer as Rafe Duggan
- Lionel Long as Charles Dawson
- Spike Milligan as Hawker
- Jack Allen as Sergeant
Production
The budget was provided by Columbia Pictures and Australian Film Commission. Shooting began in May 1976 on the New South Wales coast and at the Australiana Pioneer Village at Wilberforce.[1]
Release
Despite the involvement of a Hollywood studio, commercial results were disappointing in Australia.[1] However it performed better in Hong Kong and Japan.[4]
References
- Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, p 307
- Vagg, Stephen (24 July 2019). "50 Meat Pie Westerns". Filmink.
- Barney at National Film and Sound Archive
- "New Markets", Cinema Papers, April 1977 p 296