The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978)

I found this Australian film listed in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before Die, like many of the others titles featured, I knew nothing about what to expect, but with good ratings I was looking forward to it, directed by Fred Schepisi (Roxanne, The Russia House, Six Degrees of Separation, Fierce Creatures). Basically set in early twentieth century Australia, Jimmie Blacksmith (Tommy Lewis) is a half-caste young man, child of an Aboriginal mother and a white father, raised by Reverand Neville (Jack Thompson) and his wife Martha (Julie Dawson). With a letter of recommendation from his foster family, Jimmie searches for work and hopes to establish himself, but he faces prejudice and people taking advantage, including his first employer Healey (Tim Robertson) while he is fence building, and his second employer, local constable Farrell (Ray Barrett). Jimmie finds some stability working for the Newby family on their farm, but they treat little better than previous employment, then he meets and marries white girlfriend Gilda Marshall (Angela Punch McGregor), who is already heavily pregnant, she gives birth to a white child, he is upset by the public embarrassment, but Jimmie embraces being a parent. Shortly after the birth, Jimmie's full-caste brother Mort (Freddy Reynolds) and uncle Tabidgi (Steve Dodd) come to the Newby property, Jimmie enlists them to help with fence building, but Mr. Newby uses their presence as an excuse not to provide Jimmie with provisions and pay, meanwhile Gilda refuses a teaching opportunity suggested by schoolteacher friend Petra Graf (Elizabeth Alexander). Furious by his family's mistreatment, Jimmie enlists Tabidgi to help him "scare" the Newby women, threatening them with hatchets, but this suddenly turns into a rampage that leaves Mrs. Newby, Miss Graf, and all the Newby daughters but one infant dead. Jimmy's family are forced to flee, Tabidgi, Gilda, and the child are left behind, while Jimmie and Mort continue to run, they next murder Healey, Jimmie announces he has declared war against all that have wronged him. Soon Jimmie's killings are covered by the press and becomes national news, a reporter questions the butcher, who also doubles as the city's hangman for the police, what may happen to Jimmie when he is caught, Tabidgi is captured and sentenced to death for accessory to murder, he tells that the killing was not part of the plan. Jimmie and Mort still uncaptured come upon schoolteacher McCready (Peter Carroll), they wound him by gunfire, he convinces them not to kill him, instead they take him hostage, the brothers argue about the morality of their crimes, specifically killing women and children, McCready mocks that white people have influence over the native Aboriginies. McCready convinces Jimmie to go alone, Mort takes the hostage to a farm to recover, there a hunting party led by the Neby males and Miss Graf's fiancée Dowie Steed (Peter Sumner) kill Mort. Jimmie meanwhile is shot in a lake, he is able to tend to his wounds and hide overnight, however he is found the next morning and arrested, they try to avoid the townspeople from beating him, in the end the last rights of Jimmie are read by Reverand Neville in his cell, the butcher/hangman observes them, despite his unique physical characteristics, he declares that Jimmie's hanging should go as normal as any other. Also starring Robyn Nevin as Mrs. McCready, Don Crosby as Jack Newby, Mrs. Heather Newby as Ruth Cracknell and Home and Away's Ray Meagher as Dud Edmonds. Lewis does give a compelling performance as the half-Aborigine on a war cry of ferocious rebellion, this film caused some controversy upon its release, not necessarily for its obscenity, but it was caught up in the video nasties panic, the murderous rampage is certainly the memorable material, it is slow at times, but all in all an interesting period drama. Good!

Deals with the antihero that goes over the edge...beyond obvious comprehension. Many miss the point...."he's half white." This film explore what structural racism produces, especially in that individual that seems to have the chance of crossing lines. Instead these are the individuals that are repeatedly humiliated and demeaned by those they are seeking acceptance from. This is the point of the film. It is the potential from the "half breed" that contextualizes the journey to where is own people/ family see him as a devil. He is a man gone rabid...tormented by the world he does not fit. This film is moving on many levels and provides a glimpse into a history foreign to many. A tragedy in the deepest sense.

In Australia at the turn of the 19th century a part aboriginal man Jimmie, is torn between two different cultures. One being the traditions of his people and the other is adopting the white customs. Though, the racism he confronts from his white employers, he finds it unbearable trying to fit in and commits a massacre on a white family.This is an adaptation of Thomas Kelly's stimulating novel of the same title. That's actually based on real events. Director Fred Schepisi vision of the story is totally stunning in capturing the detail of the Australian landscape and the friction between two cultures, with such confronting and stirring context and some downright absorbing and strong performances.The look of the film is incredibly impressive. A boldly effectual music score of emotion captures the harsh bushland and gritty desert landscape beautifully. The film is tremendously well shot, with it holding such a noble aurora. The main leads were excellent and potent in their roles, especially the marvellous Tommy Lewis as Jimmie Blacksmith. As well there were some effective supporting roles from some well known Australian faces.The violence is brutal; it comes across as uncomfortable to view at times. Especially the scene involving Jimmie in a fist of rage hacking up some young white girls as the injured mother watches. The violence is supposed to be shocking and it comes across as truly powerful in evoking the tension of racism that is fuelled between the Europeans and Aboriginals. The racism is so vivid and it has some fairly shattering dialogue and scenes of confrontations. The drama is a very heated one, especially the further along the film goes. Though, it doesn't try to twist the side of things giving each their own good and bad traits of the two cultures. We feel sympathy for Jimmie because of his treatment, but not pity because of what he has done, but he has become.The tone of the story is fairly bleak, explicit and uneasy. Though, the emotional effect is never pushed onto you or forced in any way. You just become compelled in the characters and the story, which just sucks you right into the situation at hand. As we see one culture dying because of disease and alcohol and another one being forced upon those. Jimmie is caught between the two ways of life, as he was brought up in his childhood through a white European couple. He can see that his people are losing their identity, him being one. While, he has a stint in doing white customs and achieving his dreams of a job, marriage and own house, but still his treated real badly and at times humiliated by his bosses, in a society that he will never be accepted in. This causes the down ward spiral for Jimmie, as he can't take any more of it.Like some fellow users had typed, this is one depressing film that will stir up some emotion towards the material and characters. It's a tense and fearless look into racism. It comes across as one grand epic and a very good one too.

If you're the sort of person who enjoys being depressed, The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith is the film for you. A short summary of the film is as follows. Young half aboriginal/half white boy is raised by a white Christian family. As he goes off to find a job, he discovers that every white person in the world is actually a racist. He tries to get over this fact by trying to lose his 'black soul', and become more like a white man. He is constantly cheated and laughed at by his white employers. Of course there is only one thing a decent person can possibly do when faced with this. He goes and chops up a couple of women and young girls with an axe. Sound fun so far? Well it gets better anyway, but I won't give away the whole plot in case you actually want to watch the movie. Of course one might say, but isn't the message important? Well, no. It is true that Aborigines were generally considered inferior at the time, and that there was some racism going on. But this film ruthlessly exaggerates it to prove a point, which appears to be that white society is a corrupter of black people. Leaving aside the negative storyline and the political point-scoring, however, the acting is fairly decent, and score is alright too. Apart from that, don't bother watching this.