Director Tom Jeffrey
Starring Graham Kennedy, John Hargreaves, John Jarratt
Rated M
Score 5/6 (This movie said a lot but needed a bigger budget)
A group of Australian SAS regiment soldiers are deployed to Vietnam around 1967/8 and encounter the realities of war, from the numbing boredom of camp life and long range patrols, raids and ambushes where nothing happens, to the terror of enduring mortar barrages from an unseen enemy.
The Odd Angry Shot was adapted from a novel of the same name written by William Nagle based on his own experience in 3 Squadron SAS Australian Army published in 1975. Personally, I have vague memories of having to watch this in one of my history classes when I was year 11 in school. I’m also told that according to my Grandfather who served in the Vietnam war the movie’s portrayal of the Australian Serviceman’s experience was very accurate.
The Odd Angry Shot has a solid cast which could be considered to be a whose who of Australian acting at the time. I’ll admit that I am not as familiar with Graham Kennedy’s as I should be, but I have always been under the impression that he was regarded as the King of Australian television for his comedic work. It was good to see the range Kennedy had through his performance as Harry because he successfully straddled the line of comedy and drama. One of the more memorable scenes to look out for is the presentation to the padre scene, I also enjoyed the banter Harry had with the cook. There is also a rather poignant monologue about how poor men go to war and rich men tend not to. Other interesting casting choices where Frankie J. Holden and Ray Meagher who both had cameo roles.
By modern standards the action sequences in The Odd Angry Shot could be considered a little tame. However, if you go into this movie expecting large action sequences you will probably end up being disappointed. The Odd Angry Shot is not that kind of movie its more about the men and the boredom they had to endure than anything else.
It is also interesting if you look at other movies about the Vietnam war made around the same time it is interesting to note that The Odd Angry Shot was made for fraction of what they made for. Also, there seems to be a cultural difference between a stereotypical US Vietnam war movie and something like The Odd Angry Shot. Though there where depressing moments in the movie for the most part it could be considered light-hearted. I found that the only really confronting scene in the movie was the scene in the pub in Watsons bay at the end of the movie, which is radically different to anything that you would expect to see from a similar movie produced in the United States.