Reckless Kelly

Reckless Kelly is a 1993 Australian comedy film produced, written, directed and starring Yahoo Serious. It co-stars Melora Hardin, Alexei Sayle and Hugo Weaving. The story is a satirical take on a modern-day Ned Kelly, a famous Australian outlaw.

Plot

A modern-day Ned Kelly robs banks in Australia and gives all the money to the poor people. Ned is forced to go to Hollywood to make enough money to save his family's land. As it goes against his belief, he cannot simply rob banks there for his own benefit. Ned is forced to find another way to come up with the $1 million required to save his family island. That is when a movie producer shows up and gives Ned an offer he cannot refuse.

Cast

Yahoo Serious as Ned Kelly
Melora Hardin as Robin Banks
Alexei Sayle as Major Wib
Hugo Weaving as Sir John
Kathleen Freeman as Mrs. Delance
John Pinette as Sam Delance
Bob Maza as Dan Kelly
Martin Ferrero as Ernie the Fan
Anthony Ackroyd as Joe Kelly
Max Walker as Newsreader
Willie Fennell as Mr. Arnold
Tracy Mann as Miss Twisty
Tyler Coppin as Hollywood Bank Teller
Robert Alan Beuth as Beverly Hills Bank Teller
Lulu Pinkus as Hollywood Supermarket Checkout

Production

The film was financed by Warner Bros, Village Roadshow and the Australian Film Finance Corporation. Serious used many of the same key creatives he had on Young Einstein.

Reception

Neil Jillett, film critic for The Age wrote, "There are some good gags along the way, and a few of the plot's twists have an entertainingly surreal zaniness. But there is much heavy going too. Most of the messages Serious loads into the film—protect the environment, hate violence and banks, mock the British, go for a republic, sneer at American fads and religious hypocrisy—are presented with a smugness that was missing from Young Einstein".

Box office

Reckless Kelly opened at List of 1993 [box office number-one films in Australia|number one at the Australian box office] with a gross of $2,036,224. It remained at number one for a second week and went on to gross $5,444,534 at the Australian box office.