MovieChat Forums > Ned Kelly (2004) Discussion > A true story

A true story

posted 20 years ago by Rose_in_the_Rain
25 replies | jump to latest

The scary thing about this movie is that it's a true story. Ned was really killed at the age of 25. Dan and Steve really did kill themselves so they didn't burn to death. Joe really did get shot in the groin from a ricashaying bullot. The Juerodiry letter that they right in the movie is real. I even read it and was very moved by it. To hear (well read) from Ned Kelly himself why he became an outlaw, why he was always killing people is very touching. He was unjustly condemned to death and family torn apart.

To me Ned Kelly is a hero for how he wouldn't allow anyone to push his family around. And having so many friends that wouldn't snitch on them to the police to get out of jail or to get money showed you that Ned wasn't a mean or bad guy at all. Since his father wasn't reapected the whole family had to suffer. That is no excuse for lying about how some bloody copper got a wound.

[–] teenage_mutant_ninja_turtles 20 years ago

yea, i agree.
i believe that ned was not a bad guy, it was the vic police who were the bad guys.

and its true that because this movie is based on a true story that it so much more touching.

_______________________________________

MAKE POVERTY HISTORY

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] large_arse 19 years ago

the kelly gang were the heroes not the victorian police. they were all druken bastards whilst ned and joe ansd steve fought for evryone and evry thing they loved

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] cobain_rocks03 17 years ago

Ned Kelly was the perfect example of a good person who was put in a situation where he had to do bad things.
Alot of the things he did although misgided were done to prevent harm comming to his famly.
RIP Ned
"Such is life"

[–] star_phoenix_13 19 years ago

It is very sad that such a thing could really happen... But, unfortunately the treatment experienced by Ned Kelly and his family and friends was not an unusual occurrence. I have English blood and I'm ashamed of the way the English historically treated everyone else, Irish, Scots, etc... It's pretty sick, if you ask me...

[–] Fynn13 19 years ago

Australians tend to be divided on whether the depiction of Ned as a basically good guy in terrible circumstances is accurate or not. Some people see him as nothing more than a cop-killer and a thief. Personally, I sympathise with him. I don't think the police back there were any better than the bandits they were trying to catch, especially since they were representative of colonial authority. Nothing the British empire did was done for the benefit of ordinary people like Ned. I love that he declared war on Queen Victoria :D

BTW, I love your spelling of "Jerilderie" :p

[–] majorahq 19 years ago

im aussie and i defenitely see ned as a hero, 2 years ago i was yr9 and we studied deep into the topic. ned kelly merely retaliated out of loyalty to family and friends, the cop having acrush on his sister and his sister hating the cop made ned get revenge on the cop

ned is a hero

[–] muzza88 19 years ago

But the cops were doing there jobs, y should they die for doing that.
in my opinion he is scum

[–] Fynn13 19 years ago

The cops were bullies and thugs. So they were good representatives of the British Empire, really...

Ned Kelly stood up for himself in a society where people like him had no power. I may not agree with his methods, but I understand his motivations. And judging from the petitions that were signed after his arrest, a large number of Victorians sympathised with him. Probably because they had similar experiences of the colonial authorities.

Geez, that Ribena's looking a bit hot...

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] MovieBookLvr 19 years ago

I'd hardly call a murderer a hero.

I can sympathize with what he went through in that era. But I can't celebrate a killer or someone who would put innocent people in danger.

To a few, it'll be grief
To the law, a relief
But it's death for Bonnie and Clyde

[–] majorahq 19 years ago

the cops merely abused their power people, neds family fought the copper off and he lied saying ned kelly shot him, thast how the big hunt on ned started!

the cop was just doing his job? please!

[–] muzza88 19 years ago

it wasn't just one cop he killed, it was tones. maybe the curupt cops deserve to die, but there were plently of good blokes just doing there job and they died for it

[–] little_erin86 19 years ago

i would hardly call the amount of people he killed tons. There were three were killed at stringy bark creek. That was it.

[–] harajuku_irrashaimase 19 years ago

Exactly my thoughts!

I personally would have done the same thing. Although I would've been a lot more careful about the whole Glenrowan incident.

Speaking of which...
Thomas Curnow didn't actually escape, he lef tto take his 'sick' wife and sister home and then ran off to flag down the train.

But that's off topic.

The point is that if you look at it from Ned's point of view, he was trying to stand up for the Irish selectors, and for his family.

This is a direct quote from the Wikipedia article on Ned Kelly:

It should be noted that, in all, 18 charges were brought against members of Ned's immediate family before he was declared an outlaw, while only half that number resulted in guilty verdicts. This is a highly unusual ratio for the time, and is one of the reasons that has caused many to posit that Ned's family was unfairly targeted from the time they moved to North-East Victoria [b]due to Ellen Quinn's bad family name[b]. Indeed, Ellen was eventually wrongfully convicted of aiding and abetting an attempted murder, and was in prison at the time of Ned's execution.

So it wasn't in fact simply racism, it was also to do with his mother's family (which I see as very unfair; just because she's related doesn't make her as bad as the rest of them). But again, going off-topic.

However, some of Ned's behvaiour as a teenager was quite...erm...well, let's just say it wasn't exactly good.

So, really I'm of two minds...

But that's just me.

T.risha: sup?
Samara: influenza. that guy will have a horrible death. ohyes

[–] CinnaMonkey 19 years ago

Ned was hardly a hero, and I doubt he really did all that for the good of the people, it was just an excuse for him to get some form of support, the fact of the matter is, he was a cold blooded killer.

[–] vhw11 19 years ago

Is Robin Hood a hero? Didn't he killed?
Is Napoleon a hero? For French maybe, but why the world worship him.
If Aldolf Hitler won the WW2 he could be a hero. In fact I don't see any differences between Napoleon and Hitler, and dispute French for honoring Napoleon.

Tons of blooded killers in human history regarded as heros, why not Ned Kelly.
In different time, in different place and on different side to set up the completely different view whether a hero or a murderer.

An an tragic, passionate, unscrupulous, brave and capable person, so I would describe Ned Kelly from the film I viewed. Providing it is war time and he join the war he could make his way to a five-star-general as he was really good at battling.

For any who's been treated unjusticed would dream to be Ned Kelly.

A little thought about Iraki war and George Bush.

[–] benroberr 19 years ago

It depends through who's eyes your looking mate. Ned Kelly was and still is a legend, an icon of Australia. The only people who disagree are usually not Australians of poor English/Irish/Scottish heritage. Most people who disagree are those descended from the upper classes (however that does not mean they are still upper class today) thus they were fed untruths on Ned Kelly, passed down. Some people celebrate him, some dont. I personally dont care what anyone thinks i think he is a hero. He was not a murderer.

[–] rasberry_blossom 17 years ago

Too True!

He wasn't a murderer. At Stringybark Creek, both sides, the four police and the four gang members (Joe Byrne, Steve Hart, Dan Kelly and the other guy) all had guns. Both were shooting to kill the other. It wasn't murder, it was self defence.

If the police had killed them, in those days, it would have called a victory and the police who ""had done fine work in the name of the law"" would be promoted, pay raised, parties in their honour. Meanwhile, the families, who poor selectors, farmers, with crud land, would go on suffering.

Such is Life!

[–] IHaveBeenSoothedByJasper 19 years ago

if you dont believe that it is true and that ned kelly was just trying to protect himself and his family then check this out
http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/outlaws/ned_kelly/index.html
it is an awesome telling of the story and it is the true version

Lancelot-Theres a large number of lonely men
Guinevere-Dont worry I wont let them rape you

[–] Mincom 19 years ago

It was a true story and a truly pathetic movie.

[–] Cookiemonster371 19 years ago

Ned Kelly, apparently (the story is not definate) cut off the testicles of a calf and sent them to the wife of a man whom he had a fight with, along with a nasty note, to cause her to believe that they were her husbands..Not exactly the work of a hero..?

[–] user-8678 19 years ago

OK each to their own opinion and that will be based on your own perception. So all good. In that spirit I will give mine.

There is no doubt that generally speaking Ned Kelly is a national icon and for American readers could be taken in a similar vain as Billy the Kid.

Im half Irish decent, and my family lived in northern Victoria fairly close to where all the Kelly action took place. From what I have gathered over the years no one in my family knew the Kellys personally at that time but they were well known in the area. I trust in my families beliefs of course thats who I was raised with. And the old diggers in my family who have all but gone now talked of stories from their fathers, in my grandfathers case, my great grandfather, and to them Ned Kelly was a hero of a cause.

Now to the movie... of course this is only an interpretation from the directors perspective so please keep that in mind. And some things were added for dramatic purpose - its a movie - thats what you do. I enjoyed this interpretation very much, and thought Heath Ledger did a pretty good job of it. The directing was superb, great work Aussies, all round.

[–] TakuyaAus 17 years ago

Ned maybe a hero nowadays, but you guys have to understand that he did kill people and rob banks, even though it was for a good cause it was still against the law.

anyway think about it, just say your father is a CEO with alot of money, then some guy robs and kills him and says it was because he needed to look after people and get justice for your dad fireing him or something

you would still be pissed off and angry that he killed him and would probably want revenge.

Gallipoli is one great flick
so is Mad Max
and Romper Stomper
oh and Chopper ahaha