Frenchman with a knife


What was the Australian reference (alluded to in one of the reviews) of the Frenchman with a big knife on the beach? Not the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior, surely, that was a Kiwi problem.

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The Frenchman with the knife is a reference to a real life incident that happened at Bondi Beach in Sydney just prior to the film being made. A French man living in Sydney with psychiatric problems was roaming the beach with a large kitchen knife, apparently threatening passersby. He was surrounded by three or four Policemen who tried to disarm him, but when they thought he was lunging for him they shot him. This was in full view of many people at the beach, and was captured on more than one camera. Therefore it was front page news, with photos taken as it happened. There was a lot of contraversy of how the police handled the incident.

By the way, give yourself a pat on the back for enjoying what is a very funny and very underrated movie.

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Oh thankyou! Some one else who believes this movie is "very funny and very underrated" =D You rock!

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[deleted]

The Frenchman was Ronny Levy and the Italian-Australian policeman who shot him was, by his own admission, a cocaine user who had snorted the night before the incident. There are reasons to believe that there may have been more to this event than was in the official police report. And, of course, accusing the victim (who was obviously terrified of the police who attacked him as he backed into the surf) who cannot answer for himself is a very convenient way out.

It is pretty amazing that a confessed cocaine user can get away with this sort of thing and continue in the police force, having promised to quit using.

The 'street' myth of this incident was nicely woven into this film and gives it an extra edge.

The pretty extreme violence of the murders in this film warrants an R rating. There's a gross scene of a bloke jerking off, too, that potential viewers should be warned of. Otherwise, the bumbling local cops are a fun watch and the battle between the hero and the city slicker from the homicide squad for the affections of the local bimbo (snores and all) is a classic.

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