Money Movers
Encyclopedia
Money Movers is a 1978 crime action drama film directed by Bruce Beresford
. The film was based on the book Money Movers by Devon Minchin, founder of Metropolitan Security Services. The story deals loosely with two real-life events, the 1970 Sydney Armoured Car Robbery where $A500,000 was stolen from a Mayne Nickless armoured van, and a 1970 incident where $A280,000 was stolen from Metropolitan Security Services' offices by bandits impersonating policemen.
Money Movers is "one of the few films of the 1970s that deal with crime and police corruption as an entrenched state of being, and one of the earliest to embrace extremely violent action."
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20/20 Filmsight said the film is "often let down by stagy performances, uneven editing and a poor script", but is "worth checking out."
Movie News said Money Movers "delivers an intriguing plot and hair-raising suspense with incredible pace and ferocity."
Australian Screen said that "Money Movers was ahead of its time, and may have suffered because of that. The film opened early in 1979, and failed badly, but it was not alone – 1979 was the worst year for Australian films, in box-office terms, since the new wave of Australian cinema had begun."
Bruce Beresford
Bruce Beresford is an Australian film director who has made more than 30 feature films over a 40-year career.-Early life:...
. The film was based on the book Money Movers by Devon Minchin, founder of Metropolitan Security Services. The story deals loosely with two real-life events, the 1970 Sydney Armoured Car Robbery where $A500,000 was stolen from a Mayne Nickless armoured van, and a 1970 incident where $A280,000 was stolen from Metropolitan Security Services' offices by bandits impersonating policemen.
Money Movers is "one of the few films of the 1970s that deal with crime and police corruption as an entrenched state of being, and one of the earliest to embrace extremely violent action."
Production
Bruce Beresford "dashed off" this supposedly "guaranteed audience pleaser" in order to raise the money to make Breaker MorantBreaker Morant
Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant was an Anglo-Australian drover, horseman, poet, soldier and convicted war criminal whose skill with horses earned him the nickname "The Breaker"...
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Cast
- Terence DonovanTerence Donovan (actor)Terence Donovan , also known as Terry Donovan, is an English-born Australian actor and the father of fellow actor and entertainer Jason Donovan...
... Eric Jackson - Tony BonnerTony BonnerTony Bonner is an Australian television, film and stage actor and singer. Bonner became famous in the 1960s children's television series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, later moving on to lead roles in the dramas Cop Shop and Skyways.-Early life:Bonner was born in Manly, a northern beach suburb of Sydney...
... Leo Bassett - Ed DevereauxEd DevereauxEd Devereaux was an Australian actor, who lived in the UK for many years. He was best known for playing the part of "Matt Hammond" in the Australian children's television series Skippy. He was also involved in the series behind the scenes: Devereaux directed The Veteran , for which he received...
... Dick Martin - Charles 'Bud' Tingwell ... Jack Henderson
- Candy RaymondCandy RaymondCandida Raymond is an Australian actress active in film during the 1970s and early 1980s. she attended St Ives High School in Sydney. She is the sister of actress Victoria Raymond....
... Mindel Seagers - Jeanie Drynan ... Dawn Jackson
- Bryan BrownBryan BrownBryan Neathway Brown, AM is an Australian actor.-Early life:Brown was born in Sydney, the son of John Brown and Molly Brown, a house cleaner who worked as a pianist in the early days of the Langshaw School of Ballet. He grew up in the south-western Sydney suburb of Bankstown and began working at...
... Brian Jackson - Alan CassellAlan CassellAlan Cassell is an Australian actor, born in the UK and best known for his roles in film and television.Cassell was one of the actors who worked in Bruce Beresford's early Australian films....
... Sammy Ross - Gary FilesGary FilesGary Files was born in Melbourne, Australia and is an Australian-Canadian actor, writer and director who has resided in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. He has lived in Australia since 1976.-Early life:...
... Ernest Sainsbury - Ray Marshall ... Ed Gallagher
- Hu Pryce ... David Griffiths
- Frank WilsonFrank Wilson (Australian actor)Frank Edward Wilson was an Australian film, stage and television actor; musical comedy singer and director; and television game show and variety host.-Early life:...
... Lionel Darcy
Critical reception
The film, when it was released in 1979, failed badly at the box office.20/20 Filmsight said the film is "often let down by stagy performances, uneven editing and a poor script", but is "worth checking out."
Movie News said Money Movers "delivers an intriguing plot and hair-raising suspense with incredible pace and ferocity."
Australian Screen said that "Money Movers was ahead of its time, and may have suffered because of that. The film opened early in 1979, and failed badly, but it was not alone – 1979 was the worst year for Australian films, in box-office terms, since the new wave of Australian cinema had begun."
Box Office
Money Movers grossed $330,000 at the box office in Australia, which is equivalent to $1,290,300 in 2009 dollars.Further reading
- McFarlane, Brian. Australian cinema New York: Columbia University Press, 1988. ISBN 0231067283
- Minchin, Devon George. The money movers London: Hutchinson of Australia, 1978. ISBN 0091308305
- Moran, Albert and Errol Vieth. Film in Australia: an introduction London: Cambridge University Press, 2006. ISBN 0521613272
- Murray, Scott. Australian film, 1978-1992: a survey of theatrical features : Vol. 2 London: Oxford University Press, 1993. ISBN 0195535847