Quigley Down Under (1990)

Quigley Down Under

“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.”

Quigley, Down Under (1990)

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?

A splendid support cast centered around the great Alan Rickman and lovely Laura San Giacomo.

“God created all men. Sam Colt made them equal.”
– Matthew Quigley (Tom Selleck)

kangaroo

QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER banner shot

QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER poster 2

QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER Selleck

QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER Selleck 2

QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER rifle bracket

QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER Selleck with Laura San Giacomo

Selleck with co-Star Laura San Giacomo

QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER Selleck with Laura San Giacomo 2

QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER Selleck with Laura San Giacomo 3

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.

QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER pistols 2

Alan Rickman

Alan Rickman

Alan Rickman only made one Western: ‘Quigley Down Under‘ (1990)

That’s pretty good shootin’ Al.

Thanks for all your great work

QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER Alan Rickman 3

QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER Alan Rickman

QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER Alan Rickman 2

“This ain’t Dodge City. And you ain’t Bill Hickok.”
– Matthew Quigley (Tom Selleck)

kangaroo

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.

QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER IMDB review

QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER Rotten Tomatoes review

Critics … ? way too low boys.

QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER bracket

The Sharps 1874 Model Rifle

Quigley’s Sharps 1874 Model Rifle – custom made for the movie – as a key feature.

Quigley ... down the barrel

E Arthur Brown

Quigley Sharps Rifle by Shiloh Sharps

“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.”

Quigley and Sharps Demo - Rickman

Quigley and Sharps Demo

Quigley and Sharps Sight

QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER bracket

“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 3

Ka boooom !!!

Quigley Down Under 2

quigley down under poster

kangaroo