Alan Rickman only made one Western: ‘Quigley Down Under‘ (1990)
But is was a good one. One of My Favorites.
Thanks for all your great work Al.
A Celebration of Western Movies… Pardner!
“The Quigley® rifle itself was a custom conversion from a cavalry model breech loader and it retained the patch box and saddle ring from that incarnation. The older 1863 rifles shot non-metallic paper cartridges, loaded from the breech. The falling block served to slice off the end of the paper cartridge and expose the gun powder. The Quigley® 1874 conversion was rebarreled and re-worked to fire 45 calibre 110 grain metallic cartridges. The 45 -110 stands for 45 calibre and 110 grains of black powder … Authenticity is everywhere in this movie, including the time it takes for a heavy 45 calibre bullet to travel 1,000 yards AND the fact that it gets there a noticeable few moments before the sound of the shot can be heard
by the bad guy who’s getting shot!
The Quigley® Rifle used in the actual movie was made by Shiloh Rifle company (Powder River Rifle Company). Its rumoured the movie production schedule had to wait in line three years for the rifle to be completed! After the movie it was donated by Tom Selleck to the NRA for a fund raising auction. In 2010, Powder River Rifle Company acquired the Quigley® trademark from Cimarron Firearms Company. See the actual rifle at ShilohSharps Rifles.”
“The Movie Is Magnificent – Tom Selleck makes the Quigley® character into a hero we all wish we could be. He wins the love of a beautiful girl, beats the bad guys with heroic American style, and introduces the audience to the deadly efficiency of Single Shot Rifles… See the Movie. Own the Gun!”
– Quigley Down Under Soundtrack – Main theme: Basil Poledouris
“God created all men. Sam Colt made them equal.”
– Matthew Quigley (Tom Selleck)
Selleck with co-Star Laura San Giacomo
Cora: You know, if we’re lost, you can tell me.
Quigley: We’re lost.
Cora: I can take bad news. Just tell me straight.
Quigley: I don’t know where the hell we are.
Cora: No sense takin’ time to make it sound better than it is.
Quigley: I reckon we’re goin’ in circles.
“This ain’t Dodge City. And you ain’t Bill Hickok.”
– Matthew Quigley (Tom Selleck)
From WIkipedia:
John Hill first began writing Quigley Down Under in 1978, and both Steve McQueen and Clint Eastwood were considered for the lead, but by the time production began in 1980, McQueen was too ill and the project was scrapped. In the mid-1980s Tom Selleck heard of it and UAA got involved; the film was almost set up at Warner Bros with Lewis Gilbert as director but it fell over during pre-production. Simon Wincer then became director, who felt a good story had been ruined by numerous rewrites from people who knew little about Australian history, so he brought on Ian Jones as writer. They went back to the original draft, re-set it from the 1880s to the 1860s and made it more historically accurate.
I stumble out of the bush … flinging down the worthy ghost of Ned Kelly …
(I never thought he would be so heavy … maybe it’s that armour?)
I’m heading for desert and high country … the lands of crocodiles, the Aborigine, Snowy River, and the Outback …
3 Dusters await: Quigley, Down Under (1990), The Man from Snowy River (1982) and The Proposition (2005), Australian-style: ‘not necessarily in that order’ … but who knows what the hell else is out here ???
Not me.
“There’s a price on his head,
A girl on his mind,
And a twinkle in his eye.”“The West was never this far West.”
… this outta get some dust in my mouth.
Tom Selleck’s notable (and long anticipated) appearance in a Western worthy of his stature. We can now see why Speilberg wanted him for Indiana Jones – and are somewhat saddened that he hadn’t done more work like this up till now as Selleck seems to be one of those actors who was born to be a Cowboy.
Strange that it had to happen in Australia?
No matter – it’s all good: A Classic.