Hannah May English ~ Task 1 2011

1. Hannah May English ~ Task 1 2011

2. Australian Heroes Jim Craig- ‘Man from Snowy River’ Mad Max – ‘Mad Max’ Mick Dundee – ‘Crocodile Dundee’ Lt. Harry “Breaker” Morant – ‘Breaker Morant’ Albert Einstein – ‘Young Einstein’

3. Australian Heroes Ned Kelly

4. Synopsis The true story of the notorious outlaw Ned Kelly depicts the injustices suffered by early Australian settlers. Such was Kelly’s fame and such was the police’s hatred toward him that the largest reward in history to that time was put on his head. Kelly couldn’t expect fair treatment or a proper trial so was forced into the life of an outlaw with his loyal friends and the support of his community around him.

5. Australian Men in Leadership • There are many stereotypes of the Australian male and the cultural characteristics • Stoic • Brave • Macho man with strong, chiselled features • ‘Never-say-die’ attitude • Highlighted through contrasting with the corrupt and villainous authority figures.

6. Australian Men in Leadership • 1800’s – a time before the crime and misconduct commission • Ned Kelly was a popular Australian leader and family man who became a victim of self-serving Victorian Police

8. Australian Men in Leadership • Invited reading sympathises with Ned Kelly • Shows people’s acceptance of leaders brave enough to stand against corruption in high places. • The people didn’t fear this style of leadership or the role that Ned Kelly played

9. Australian Men in Leadership • Ned Kelly - eye level, pulling back to a mid-shot so that he can be shown as one with the people – as emotions become more intense, camera focus tightens • Victorian Police – angles look down on them – lowering the audience’s perception of their importance

10. Australian Men in Leadership • Police were feared by the people because of their self-indulging, power-hungry, hedonistic goals • Hide behind their position and their weapons, therefore denying them the status of real men • Constantly victimise the Kelly family from Ned’s early years and arrest members without following due course

11. Australian Men in Leadership • “...young Kelly... was something more than an ordinary gangster: he loathed the authorities, he thought them brutal and unjust, and his raids were more in the nature of a protest against society itself than an indulgence in blood-thirstiness or greed for private gain. He broke the law because he hated the law…” - Alan Moorehead

12. Australian Men in Leadership • Kelly did murder and used criminal actions to exact revenge against the corrupt authorities • If audience decides to reject Kelly because of murder he committed, that same audience would have to reject great heroes such as David, Moses and Paul • Question of whether Kelly is discarded as a hero potentially boils down to whether or not he was repentant of that murder

14. Australian Men in Leadership • From the research and portrayal of this character, the production team of the film obviously believe he was repentant • Type of character that Kelly portrayed • Love of his family • Pioneering spirit • Sense of humour • Down-to-earth attitude • Strong sense of justice

15. Australian Men in Leadership • Ned Kelly died for the terrible errors of judgement that he made. • He died for defending the causes of justice. • He died for standing against corruption. • And he died because he had a heart to save others.

16. “Such is life”