Mad Dog Morgan is a 1976 Australian Western based on the life of historical bushranger Dan Morgan. Dennis Hopper plays the title role, and Philip Mora directs.
More info on IMDb
and on Horrorphile.
Tropes:
- Chinese Laborer: Morgan is framed for the murder of a Chinese work detail.
- Depraved Homosexual: On the prison ship, Morgan is raped by a gang of gay convicts.
- Dirty Cop: Sergeant Smith runs several protection rackets.
- Downer Ending: Morgan is fatally wounded at his last stand, and the Big Bad orders his corpse mutilated.
- The Gunslinger: Morgan outdraws and kills Smith.
- Guns Akimbo: Morgan, with a pair of shotguns.
- Hate Sink: Superintendant Cobham, a Corrupt Politician who is introduced commending a judge for deliberately imposing harsh sentences to exploit their labour, strangles a guy who knew nothing of Morgan's whereabouts, and orders Morgan's corpse mutilated at the end of the film.
- Hellhole Prison: The convicts are transported to Australia in a cramped, sweltering prison hulk.
- The Hero Dies: Morgan is killed by gunshot during his last stand.
- Karma Houdini: Cobham is never punished for his corruption.
- Kick the Dog:
- Judge Barry flat admitting that he gives out undeservingly harsh sentences to people so the Crown can exploit their labour.
- The warden of the Success letting Morgan be raped, only telling the rapists to not kill him.
- Superintendant Cobham strangling an Aboriginal prisoner for not knowing where Morgan was, and later ordering his corpse mutilated.
- Mad Scientist: The doctor collects and measures the skulls of executed criminals.
- Off with His Head!: Cobham orders the doctor to decapitate Morgan's corpse.
- Protagonist Title: Mad Dog Morgan,
- Prison Rape: Happens to Morgan while on the prison ship, and is his true Start of Darkness.
- Tattoo as Character Type: Sergeant Smith has a teardrop tattooed below his eye, hinting that he is an ex-convict or army deserter.
- The Western: The Highwayman Morgan is a desperado Anti-Hero in the mould of Jesse James, Cobham is a combination of villainous U.S. Marshal and Hanging Judge, Mainwaring is an ethical sheriff's deputy, the Aborigines represent the Indians, and the coppers are the US Cavalry.
