Film Review

By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

"Crocodile" Dundee
Directed by Peter Faiman
Paramount 09/86 DVD/VHS Feature Film
PG-13

Mick Dundee, a legendary Australian outback adventurer, finds himself in the media spotlight after he survives a vicious attack by a crocodile in the Northern Territory. Sue Charlton, a New York newspaper reporter, learns of this incident and decides to do a human interest story on Dundee's close encounter with death.

After she meets him in the pub of the small town where he and his friend Wally run their "Never Never Safaris," Sue realizes that Mick is a hearty drinker, a teller of tall tales, a man's man, and a male chauvinist. But in the bush, where they retrace his adventure, Dundee is a resourceful guide who understands animals, aboriginals, and the wilderness. He agrees to accompany her back to New York City, where she intends to continue writing about him in a new setting.

"Crocodile" Dundee was one of the most successful box-office attractions in Australian film history, and it was also very well received in America. And it's not hard to see why. Paul Hogan, who became a familiar face for his "G'day" television ads produced by the Australian Tourist Commission, is both charming and cocky as Dundee. Linda Kozlowski's performance as the high-spirited Sue is a wonderful combination of sensual and sophisticated élan.

The movie, expertly directed by Peter Faiman, hits high gear as Dundee's prowess as a hunter serves him well at a working-class bar, a high-class party, and on the streets of New York City. This idiosyncratic movie succeeds as a triple threat: it is a delightful comedy, a sexy romance, and a clever cross-cultural study.

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by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat