Joanne Griffiths: Distorting the Ned Kelly story just cheapens our history
The new Stan film, True History of the Kelly Gang, claims to be a fiction — but taking kernels of true events and twisting them into cruel lies for entertainment’s sake is hardly a fair go, writes Kelly descendant Joanne Griffiths.
Opinion
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On Australia Day, the Stan streaming service screened the ambiguously titled True History of the Kelly Gang, a fictional film about real people and selected events.
It carried the disclaimer, “Nothing you are about to see is true”. But ambiguity is no stranger to the Kelly story.
I’m a Kelly descendant and yes, I have a gripe to share. But I also have a question to ask. Why? Why make a film (or write a book) that is “true-but-not-true”? Or use real identities and events, cruelly maligned, in a fictional “history”?
But asking “why” poses a much bigger question. Whatever one thinks of the Kelly Gang, the story is a classic of Australian history. Adding embellishment, lies and malice is redundant.
The actual Kelly story has always been controversial and elicits strong opinions on all sides. Its rights and wrongs have been retold and “reimagined”, arguably more than any other story in our history. The helmet alone is immediately identifiable as Australian, here and abroad.
Yet we seem incapable of “owning” this key part of our history without swinging across a spectrum of hero-to-demon, with few stops in between.
It’s acceptable to parody, fairly. But taking kernels of true events and twisting them into cruel lies in the name of “creativity” or “entertainment” is hardly a fair go.
And yes, I am taking it personally. I watched a depiction of my great-great grandmother providing sexual favours to police (as my great-great grandfather stood by) and being accused of selling her child; try sitting through that dispassionately.
Grandchildren of Ned’s sister are still alive and are witness to this affront. Thankfully, they know their history. Including that, post-Kelly Gang, Ned’s mother Ellen had the wisdom and courage to publicly reconcile with police in order to calm the flashpoint of discontent in the region.
That’s the real Ellen.
Cultural heritage is not just about the bricks and mortar of our buildings, but the people and stories who lived the stories we tell, shaped the world we know and helped make us what we are today.
In our PC-driven world, we edit and judge as we please. But this is history, not opinion, and it is our history. Are we brave enough to accept it, good and bad, without apology, excuse, attack, or parody?
Kelly family members seeking fairness is not new. In 1911 Ned’s brother, Jim, lambasted reporters and publishers: “Such men as these should not be allowed to go unchallenged when they rake up the bones of unfortunate men who are under the grave — deeds that sting the hearts of myself and my relations to the core. Such men, in short, I do not hesitate to say, are the worst of cowards.”
More than a century later, we are making a similar plea. To be fair, True History also treats other players badly. Police are corrupt and amoral and bushranger Harry Power and other characters are also pilloried. Commiserations to their descendants.
Maybe this is the price of art today. After all, reputable funders deemed this film worthy of support and the Peter Carey book on which it is based won a major prize.
Yet the real story was a tragedy for those involved. But does that matter? It was a long time ago. The people involved are dead (and unable to defend themselves, of course). The book and the film represent creative licence, right? People go to movies to be entertained, not informed, yes? And the disclaimer clears the creators of any responsibility.
But is it irresponsible to corrupt our cultural heritage? Even for art, a literary reward or box office results?
This was never intended to be a review of the film. But if it is an example of what we Australians accept as entertainment, what do we truly think of our history? And how do we want others to see our heritage? As any marketer guru will tell you, perception is reality.
NED KELLY’S FAMILY HORRIFIED BY ‘NASTY’ MOVIE
ANOTHER SWING-AND-A-MISS BUSHRANGER BIOPIC
NED IN A DRESS IS SKIRTING AROUND KELLY’S BRUTALITY
In another step towards reconciliation of the Kelly story, my family is working to build the Ned Kelly Centre in Glenrowan; a registered charity committed to telling the story fairly and equitably from all sides, to educate and inform about the rich heritage of northeast Victoria.
Maybe it is time to ask why — or if — allowing distortions of our history is acceptable.
We must decide what we tell our children about Australia’s past, as a platform for our present and a springboard for our future.
And we must ask ourselves why and how we embrace the real story of us.
— Joanne Griffiths is a great grand-niece of Ned Kelly and is the founding director of the Ned Kelly Centre in Glenrowan