Alice to Nowhere

Jewel thieves Johnny and Frog plant a stolen opal necklace in the luggage of Barbara, a bush nurse. They follow her to Alice Springs in an attempt to retrieve the jewellery, by rail to Marree, South Australia, then towards Birdsville on a mail truck operated by Dave Mitchell in a service similar to that provided by the real-life Tom Kruse.

After failing to extract the stolen goods, they hijack the truck by threatening the nurse and Dave's off-sider Ivan.{{Citation | last= Lee Lewes | first= Jacqueline | title= Slick thriller has refreshing slant | periodical=The Sun-Herald | date= 29 June 1986}}

Dave has little choice but complete his journey, appeasing the gangsters in an attempt to avoid bloodshed. As the truck nears its destination the crew encounter various difficulties and situations, while Johnny progressively reveals himself as a sadistic killer and Frog his hapless accomplice.

• John Waters as Johnny Parson
• Steven Jacobs as Dave Mitchell
• Rosey Jones as Barbara Dean
• Esben Storm as Frog
• Slawomir Wabik as Ivan
• Ruth Cracknell as Mrs Spencer
• John Clayton as Sgt Wallace
• Joy Smithers as Betty Spencer

Alice to Nowhere is based on the Evan Green novel of the same name. It was made by Crawford Productions with a projected budget of $2.8 million.{{Citation | last= Hooks | first= Barbara | title=Bush hijack makes a new mini-series | periodical= The Age | date= 28 October 1985}} Much of the film was shot in the Flinders Ranges, Simpson Desert and Broken Hill.

It has been announced by Crawford Productions that this miniseries will be released on DVD in 2025.{{Cite web |title=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1257492471984226&set=a.743238793409599 |access-date=2024-12-25 |website=www.facebook.com}}

The show enjoyed reasonable ratings when it aired.Albert Moran, Moran's Guide to Australian TV Series, AFTRS 1993 p 48 Albert Moran praised the film for its "drive, pace and nervous involvement" as displayed by such American directors as Raoul Walsh or Nicholas Ray.{{cite web|url=https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C803525 |title=AustLit: Alice to Nowhere |publisher= The University of Queensland}}

The Age{{'}}s Barbara Hooks says the series "has some simply splendid attributes in terms of production and performance. Unfortunately, they seem to throw its silly and avoidable mistakes into stark relief."{{Citation | last= Hooks | first= Barbara | title= Menace, romance and thrills in a flawed gem | periodical= The Age | date= 30 June 1986}} Suzanne Borlase of the Sydney Morning Herald praised the mini-series, saying it "is a gripping action-packed drama set in the vast emptiness of the Australian Outback. At once an adventure, a tale of madness and a love story, it is worth watching for the scenery alone."{{Citation | last= Borlase | first= Suzanne | title=A violent parable of good and evil in the Outback | url= | periodical= The Sydney Morning Herald | date= 30 June 1986}} Helen O'Neil, also from the Sydney Morning Herald, reviewed it positively when it was repeated in 1990. She finished "Alice to Nowhere is a nicely handled, gruelling watch – and an argument, if ever there was need of one, for having more than 10 minutes between ad breaks. Repeat runs of this quality can't be missed. {{Citation | last= O'Neil | first= Helen | title= Alice to Nowhere | url= | periodical= The Sydney Morning Herald | date= 8 January 1990}}

Also commenting on the 1990 repeat, Paul Leadon of the Sydney Morning Herald gave it a bad review, writing that "Johnny and Frog were a pair of incompetent outback psychopaths in search of a better mini-series script."{{Citation | last= Leadon | first= Paul | title=Cast-iron myths of bronzed bushies and true believers | periodical= The Sydney Morning Herald | date= 13 January 1990}} The Mercury News{{'}} David N. Rosenthal was also critical. He writes "What this 1986 miniseries, which stars no one you ever heard of, demonstrates all too vividly is that Australian television may not be Down Under's finest export -- at least in every instance."{{Citation | last= Rosenthal | first= David N. | title= Aussie appeal dries up. 'Alice to Nowhere' should have stayed in the outback | periodical= The Mercury News | date= 24 April 1988}}

{{reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|id=0090604}}
• [http://colsearch.nfsa.afc.gov.au/nfsa/search/display/display.w3p;adv=yes;group=;groupequals=;holdingType=;page=0;parentid=;query=507613;querytype=;rec=0;resCount=10 Alice to Nowhere at the National Film and Sound Archive]
• [http://www.crawfords.com.au/libary/series/alicetonw.shtml Alice to Nowhere] – Crawfords Australia
• [https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C110396 Australian Army truck, International No. I Mk III]

Category:1986 films

Category:1986 drama films

Category:Australian drama films

Category:Television series set in 1954

Category:Television shows set in the Northern Territory

Category:Television shows set in Queensland

Category:Television shows set in South Australia

Category:1980s English-language films

Category:Films directed by John Power

Category:1980s Australian films

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