_**“Maybe the dingo ate your baby”**_

In the late 1870s, a famous sharpshooter from Wyoming (Tom Selleck) travels to Australia for a gig with a land baron in the Outback (Alan Rickman), but things turn sour when he learns what the job really entails. Laura San Giacomo is also on hand as Crazy Cora.

“Quigley Down Under” (1990) is a Western taking place in the desert wilderness of Australia. The title suggests that Quigley was meant to be a Western character in the manner of Indiana Jones with sequels of him visiting other continents, such as “Quigley in Africa,” “Quigley in South America” and so on. Unfortunately, its lack of success at the box office put the kibosh on that.

It’s not as goofy as some of the Indiana Jones yarns and I appreciated the realistic vibe behind the typical hero shenanigans. For instance, we know personal hygiene wasn’t the best in the late 1800s and, especially, in dry areas of the Old West and most of Australia where washing clothes was infrequent; “Quigley Down Under” shows this reality.

Selleck of course makes for a great Western protagonist, likewise Rickman as the odious antagonist. Meanwhile petite Laura San Giacomo is an amusing spitfire. She was 26 during filming.

The film runs 1 hour, 59 minutes, and was shot entirely in Australia (Warrnambool & Apollo Bay, Victoria, etc.).

GRADE: B/B-