Adam's Woman

Director: Philip Leacock Philip Leacock

Overview

Also known as Return of the Boomerang, Adam's Woman is set in the rough-and-tumble Australia of the 1840s. Beau Bridges plays Adam, convicted of a crime he didn't commit and shipped off to the penal colony "Down Under." Enduring brutal treatment, he escapes, only to be captured again. Thanks to the intervention of a reform-minded warden John Mills, Adam is offered a fresh start in life. An unexpectedly vicious climax finds Adam and his new wife (Jane Merrow) fending off a group of scurrilous ex-prisoners headed by Adam's onetime cellmate (James Booth).

Product Details

Release Date:	10/19/2010
UPC:	0883316278536
Original Release:	1970
Source:	Warner Archives
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:57:00
Sales rank:	46,984

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Beau Bridges	Adam
Jane Merrow	Bess
John Mills	Sir Philip MacDonald
James Booth	Dyson
Andrew Keir	O'Shea
Tracy Reed	Duchess
Peter O'Shaughnessy	Barrett
John Warwick	Croydon
Harry Lawrence	Muir
Katy Wild	Millie
Mark McManus	Nobby
Harold Hopkins	Cosh
Doreen Warburton	Fat Anne,Fat Anne
Clarissa Kaye	Matron
Peter Collingwood	Chaplain
Bob Young	Composer

Technical Credits

Richard Fielder

Louis F. Edelman	Producer
Philip Leacock	Director
Richard Fielder	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

A little-seen movie that tends to make a big impression on viewers, Adam's Woman is worth searching out. True, fans of historical films may be a bit disappointed, as the liberal polices espoused by John Mills's character don't quite ring true for the period; but the actual details in the physical production, the authenticism of the basic situation and the imagining of Australia in its rough, criminal days more than makes up for the occasional lapses. More importantly, Adam has a dramatic truth to it, and Richard Fiedler's screenplay is expert at creating characters that totally engage the viewer and plot points that are inevitable without seeming predictable. Philip Leacock's direction could perhaps be slightly more individualistic, but it more than gets the job done and is quite effective at highlighting the narrative in a most efficient manner. And Adam boasts some powerhouse performance, mostly from actors "lower tier" actors (in terms of popularity, at least). Yes, Beau Bridges is well known, but only John Mills truly qualifies as a "star." Mills, of course, is grand, which is what one expects of him, so the surprise is Bridges and the lesser-known Jane Merrow and James Booth. Bridges is superb, giving arguably his best performance, and capturing plenty of nuances that others would have missed. Booth is a beautiful villain, an energizing presence that mesmerizes in several key scenes, and Merrow is a find as the "woman" of the title. Adam has a short lull or two, and the violence of the story may deter some, but overall it's a gem.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler