Who Plays Who?

Paul Hogan Shane Jacobson Morgan Griffin Roy Billing Reg Evans Val Lehman Anne Phelan Lisa N Edwards Rebecca Asha Deborah Kennedy Eloise Grace Stewart Faichney Anthony Hammer Diane Smith Rob Mills Beverley Dunn John Nutting Scott Harrison Joe Faulkner T.J. Alcaniz Richard Payten Sam Elia Deb Fryers Peggy Thompson Patricia Wood Brett Tomlin Shelley Moser Shelley Minson Alan Powell

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Charlie Boots Jess Roly Mac Bowl's Lady Female Truckie Graeme's Wife Gunbar Waitress Miles Waitress Masseuse Truck Driver Tristan Strawberry Lady Rodeo Announcer Val Himself Graeme Cowboy Not Mexican Waiter Toilet Guy Motorbike Cop Massage Girl 1 Grace Bowling Lady Country Band Leilani Country Band Rodeo Clown

What Do The Critics Say

"Shane Jacobson (Kenny) plays "Boots", a likeable lad who takes his dad Charlie (Paul Hogan) on a road trip from Victoria to go fishing at Cape York. Yes, pairing Aussie icons Crocodile Dundee and "waste manager" Kenny together is fraught with danger – but, good news, Charlie and Boots is not a crock of shit. Some scenes are very funny. I laughed; the woman beside me snorted and wiped tears from her eyes. All in all, director Dean Murphy (Strange Bedfellows) has done a decent effort." Colin Newton BRISBANE COURIER MAIL "There are three main characters in this movie: Charlie McFarland (Paul Hogan), Boots McFarland (Shane Jacobson) and Australia - and they're all fantastic! Director/co-writer Dean Murphy (Strange Bedfellows) succeeds in portraying typical Aussie characters that, no matter how colourful, don't come across as cardboard caricatures. There's so much heart in this comedy/drama that even the feel-good clichés that it throws at you from time to time seem charming. Beautiful locations add texture to this heart-warming comedy that never fails to charm." Hernán Alcerreca FILMINK "Hogan's lean muscularity has weathered over the years to the consistency of Crocodile Dundee's hat. He's always been witty. Now he seems wily as well. Jacobson's appeal, on the other hand, rests on a sweet-natured and seemingly guileless candour stiffened by a healthy self-respect and a highly efficient bulldust detector. A road movie that offers a series of simple but singular pleasures, most of which stem from the way in which Charlie and Boots begin to relax in one another's company." Sandra Hall SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

"It was not long before I found myself yielding to the film's pervasive charms. It may be corny, it may be shallow, it may be sentimental, but this is the sweetest, the funniest, the most endearing Australian film I've seen for a long time. I suppose it would have worked well enough with, say, Bryan Brown and Ben Mendelsohn in the father and son roles. But getting Hogan and Jacobson together was a great idea, however tenuous their physical resemblance. It's a superbly relaxed and good-natured film." Evan Williams THE AUSTRALIAN "Charlie and Boots is a father-son road movie, a meandering journey that puts Kenny's Shane Jacobson at the wheel of a Kingswood, with Paul Hogan as his reluctant passenger. Jacobson and Hogan work well together; drawing on their amiable rapport, co-writer and director Dean Murphy (Strange Bedfellows) opts for a low-key approach that aims to please and doesn't press too hard for redemption or resolution." Philippa Hawker THE AGE "Strange Bedfellows, in which Paul Hogan shared top billing with Michael Caton playing straight men pretending to be in a relationship, became 2004's biggest Australian film. There's every prospect Hogan, director Dean Murphy, and Murphy's co-writer Stewart Faichney, will be as successful this year with this more engaging film that teams Hogan with Kenny star Shane Jacobson in a film with wide appeal. It's a big, open road and colourful characters turn up on the journey, with the most vital being young hitchhiker and aspiring country singer Jess." Des Partridge BRISBANE COURIER MAIL

The Inside Story "Charlie & Boots" celebrates many varied and wonderful characters and places that make up this great country, Australia. The characters of "Charlie and Boots" are inspired by people that the Director & Co-writer, Dean Murphy, knows very well. He grew up on a dairy farm at the foot of Mount Murramurrangbong in country Victoria. Dean’s father was a farmer and a pilot and strongly influenced the character of Charlie. Dean says his father has a wonderful dry sense of humour and whilst on the surface can sometimes appear serious, is hilarious and has a fascinating view on the world. "Charlie & Boots" is a celebration of a father and son’s relationship and their memories of lost loved ones and two estranged men’s love and support through the many challenges life offers. Dean’s relationship with his own father and much of the relationship being explored by Charlie and Boots comes from a very real place for him. While Charlie and Boots are typically dry and authentic Aussie blokes who struggle to express their emotions, they have an incredibly strong love and bond between them and ultimately would go to the end of the world for each other. Charlie is a dry, 'salt of the earth' type who has always had his life in order. Being a farmer, he knew every morning when he awoke there’d be 220 cows to milk and that his wife, Grace, and two boys, Graeme and Boots would be working alongside him on the farm and sharing with him common goals and dreams. Charlie knew his place in the world and community and was a happy, confident individual who had life under control. Then a family tragedy, a marriage break-up and the sudden death of Grace change everything. Charlie suddenly loses his best friend, his soul mate, his work mate and lover and now finds himself alone on a farm and in a home that no longer offers him the support it once did. Charlie is a country bloke in the true sense of the word, a man that cares for others deeply but never lets it show and certainly tries to not let it show when he, himself is struggling. Boots also grew up happy and confident, going to a local Tech School and leaving school at fifteen knowing his home was on the family farm and knowing his future and career was in his own control. Before long he finds himself married to Therese, a woman who doesn’t feel his passion for the country and begins to feel guilty that his partner has moved from the city to become a farmer’s wife: something she has never settled with. This causes some conflict within the family and marriage when suddenly the family tragedy hits. Boots and Therese struggled through the tragedy and as a part of trying to move on, leave the farm and move to Warrnambool where Boots takesa job at a local Farming dealership. But the family tragedy is overwhelming and the marriage breaks down. Boots suddenly finds himself living alone in a flat in the city and no longer feeling able to return to the family farm: his true home. Boots tries hard to remain upbeat and positive but the realities of his life and moving away from the family farm has caused many conflicts between him and his father and they have become estranged at the time the film opens. Charlie and Boots take to the road, both needing a new start and a break from old hurt and pain. As they travel north, amidst fun adventures and unusual situations, they start to work through and slowly resolve many of their issues. Their journey is about exploring loss, grief and the people left behind. To create the road trip for "Charlie & Boots", a cast and crew of more than seventy five people traveled for eight weeks across 3000 kilometres. The physical journey Charlie and Boots take from Warrnambool to Cape York takes them up through Victoria via the Grampians, Maryborough, Echuca into the centre of New South Wales: via Hay, Tamworth to Tenterfield and then into Queensland, showcasing Miles, Dullaca, Emerald, Cairns, Yarrabah, Comet and the Great Barrier Reef. Many real locations, hotel rooms, museums and diners were used in the making of Charlie & Boots, using only minimal enhancements to these already fascinating locales. Australian icon Paul Hogan was born on the 8th of October 1939 in Lightning Ridge, New South Wales. He was working as a painter on the Sydney Harbour Bridge before he rose to fame in the early 1970s with his own comedy sketch programme, "The Paul Hogan Show", which he produced, co-wrote, and in which he played a panoply of characters including a daredevil named Leo Wanker. The series, which ran for sixty episodes between 1973 and 1984, was popular both in his native country and around the world. In 1985, Hogan was awarded Australian of the Year and was also inducted into the Order of Australia. During the early 1980s, Hogan filmed a series of television ads promoting the Australian tourism industry, which aired in the United States. In particular the advertisement featuring the phrase "Shrimp on the Barbie" which aired from 1984, was particularly successful. Later in the decade, he appeared on British television in a long-running series of advertisements for Fosters’ Lager, in which he played an earthy Australian abroad in London. The character's most notable line (spoken incredulously at a ballet performance) was: "Strewth, mate, there's a bloke down there with no strides on!". It followed Hogan for years, and the popularity of its "fish out of water" humour was repeated with his next endeavour. Hogan's first film, "Crocodile Dundee" (1986), featured a similarly down to earth hunter travelling from the Australian Outback to New York City. The film became the most successful Australian film ever, grossing $US328,203,506 world-wide and $AU47,707,045 down under. It launched Hogan's international film career. It won him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Comedy, as well as an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay, and a BAFTA Award nomination. Following the success of "Crocodile Dundee" Hogan starred in the 1988 sequel "Crocodile Dundee II" which took $US$239,606,210 world-wide and $AU24,916,805 down under. These two films, which have taken over half a billion dollars at the worldwide Box Office were, along with "Babe", "Happy Feet", "Australia", Moulin Rouge" and "Strictly Ballroom" the last shining examples of the glory days of Australian filmmaking. Hogan's most recent appearance in a film was when he co-starred with Michael Caton in the highest grossing Australian film of 2004, "Strange Bedfellows". Better known for his warm and charismatic portrayal of the 'fairdinkum Aussie bloke' Kenny, Shane Jacobson won the 2006 AFI Award for Best Lead Actor, the 2006 Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Actor in a Lead Role, the 2007 Filmink Magazine Award for Best Newcomer and won 2007 Australian Star of the Year Award at the Australian International Movie Convention. Kenny was the highest grossing Australian film of 2006. Shane Jacobson began his career on the stage at the tender age of ten in amateur theatre, performing in Australia and overseas. At age eighteen he began his comedy career with regular theatre restaurant, musical theatre, stand-up and MC gigs. It wasn’t long until the corporate world caught onto his talent for characterization and a quick quip, hiring him to play to huge corporate functions impersonating business icons and luminaries. His sharply honed performance and character skills were noticed by Melbourne’s Gold FM radio station, which in 1999 gave him a regular spot. Shane’s focus eventually moved towards the camera and he began acting in prominent music videos, short films and TV commercials whilst continuing to perform audience warm-ups for all the major TV networks. Shane and his brother/director Clayton Jacobson shared the 2006 IF Awards for both Best Feature Film and Best Script and the 2006 Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Original Screenplay. In 2007 Shane acted in the feature film "Newcastle", directed by Dan Castle and Cactus, directed by Jasmine Yuen-Carrucan. In 2008 Shane completed a five month season of "Guys 'N' Dolls" at the Princess Theatre as "Nicely Nicely". For his role he won a Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role. Shane reprised the role in Sydney at the Capitol Theatre for a very successful twelve week season starring alongside Kath and Kim’s Magda Szubanski, "Sea Patrol" stars Lisa McCune and Ian Stenlake, "Mother and Son" star Garry McDonald and singing star Marina Prior. Shane is currently working with his brother Clayton Jacobson on a new and exciting project called Mordy Koots Roy Billing has enjoyed an extensive thirty year career which has spanned film, television and theatre in Australia and New Zealand. He is also an established voice artist. His NZ credits are substantial and he has won NZ acting awards for film and television and been nominated for Australian awards. He has been based in Australia for the past twenty years. Apart from "Charlie & Boots", recently Roy appeared in "Unfinished Sky" and can be next seen in the feature film "$9.99". Other films include "Strange Bedfellows", "The Bet", "Razzle Dazzle", "Aquamarine", "Thunderstruck", "Rabbit Proof Fence", "Black and White", and "The Dish", for which he received a Film Critic's Circle nomination, and "Siam Sunset" for which he was nominated for both an AFI Award and a Film Critics Circle Award. His extensive television credits included recurring roles in "Always Greener", "Don’t Blame Me", "Blue Heelers", "Bad Cop Bad Cop", "Hampton Cour"t, "Over the Hill" and "All Saints" as well as one-off guest roles in many other TV series like "Wildside", "Secret Life of Us", "Water Rats" and "Murder Call". Most recently, Roy has worked on the tele-movies "Hell has Harbour Views" and "Small Claims "2 as well as 'Two Twisted", "Packed to the Rafters" and "Out of The Blue". He recently completed the ABC tele-movie "Valentine’s Day" directed by long time collaborator Peter Duncan. Most recently Roy was cast in the comedy series "Chandon Season 2" and played the role of Robert 'Aussie Bob' Trimbole in the highly successful series "Underbelly: A Tale Of Two Cities". Val Lehman was born in Western Australia and attended St. Hilda's CEGGS. In the early 1950s the family relocated to Victoria and Val completed her general education at Melbourne's Westleigh College before going on to RMIT and a Fine Art course. In 1962 Val married her first husband (an army officer) and three children, Cassandra, Joanne and Jason soon followed. Throughout the sixties and early seventies, the family was stationed in Townsville, the UK and Singapore. It was during this period Val became heavily involved in amateur dramatics, directing and acting in a number of productions. Upon settling back in Australia, Val was overwhelmingly drawn into pursuing a full-time acting career. By this time she had separated from her husband and was a twenty nine year old single mother of three young children. She soon began working in Theatre in Education with the Children's Arena Theatre, honing her acting skills and learning about all aspects of her chosen profession. In 1978 Val auditioned for a new TV show set in a women's prison. Although originally sent by her agent to read for the role of Vera 'Vinegar Tits' Bennett, the casting director had different ideas, and arranged for Val to read for the 'Earth Mother' character ‘Queen Bea’ Smith. The TV show was "Prisoner", for which she received a Logie and two Silver Logie's. Her first major film role was in "Kitty And The Bagman". Synopsis

Charlie McFarland is a man in his late sixties who withdraws into his grief after the devastating loss of his wife. Charlie’s youngest son, 'Boots' , who has become largely estranged from his father in recent years, is deeply concerned by his father’s decline. After visiting him one morning he decides something needs to be done and it is up to him to do it. Boots convinces his reluctant father to take a fishing trip with him, but it is not until they are on their way does he confess that they are not actually going to fish at their favourite local spot, but off the top of Australia at Cape York: 3,000 miles away! The feisty old curmudgeon wants no part of his son’s crazy idea and does his best to escape, but Boots is onto him and the resulting trip takes them on an adventure across some of the most beautiful locations and landscapes in Australia. Their days on the road will bring new places, new faces and a sense of newfound freedom. But, as their quality time together increases, old wounds are reopened and family secrets exposed.

The Verdict "In 2004 the Paul Hogan & Michael Caton teamed up and starred in a film called, "Strange Bedfellows". It topped the box-office for Australian films in-release with a take of $4,816,495. While that may not seem all that significant, it was a massive effort considering "Somersault" (which received 13 AFI awards) took just $2,008,00 and, in total, all Australian films released in 2004 grossed a megre $11,878,014 (just over 1% of the total gross for all films released in 2004). The one and only award "Strange Bedfellows" received was an FFC IF Award for Box Office Office Achievement:ie, for highest grossing Australian film, in a category not voted on by the 47,000 who participated, on-line. Now, five years on, Hogan teams up with another familiar comedic film identity, Shane Jacobson for "Charlie and Boots"; a road trip film that takes a grieving widower and his son from Mount Murramurrangbong in country Victoria to the very tip of Australia: Cape York. The film looks and feels good, despite at times coming across as an unashamedly out and out tourism promotion. Along the way, this estranged pair will get themselves into, and out of strife; meet a wide variety of colorful characters (who epitimize what is so great about our nation); visit places many cinemagoers will have heard of but may not yet have had the chance to visit; rediscover themselves; and finally, reignite the father and son bond. It's all good natured, down to earth simple stuff that younger viewers probably won't appreciate. But, for a slightly older audience, it all works well. This is one Australian road trip worth taking. Recommended. 3 1/2 STARS." The Production Team

Director Writters Producers Original Music Cinematography Film Editor Production Manager Production Designer Art Direction Costume Design

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Dean Murphy Stewart Faichney & Dean Murphy Dean Murphy & David Redman Dale Cornelius Roger Lanser Peter Carrodus Sheila Lind Ralph Moser Patrick Bennett Jeanie Cameron

Run Time 101 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2009 - Paramount Pictures - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2009 All Rights Reserved - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark Laws Apply.