Crocodile Dundee may be one of the most interesting romantic comedies ever made. Because that’s exactly what it is. A romantic comedy. It can be hard to see this behind the charm of Paul Hogan and his knack for stealing the spotlight. It certainly served other purposes upon its release in 1986. It made Australia and ‘Australians’ a big part of pop culture, and as a result their behavior and demeanor was the source of great speculation. Through it all the movie was a rom-com in disguise, a love story that blossomed in spite of the cultural points of interest.
Created and co-written by Hogan, Crocodile Dundee is about a reporter from New York who catches wind of a potential story down in Australia. Rumor has it that a man in the Outback survived a near fatal encounter when attacked by a crocodile, living to tell the tale. Desperate to exploit his experience, reporter Sue Charlton makes her way down to the bush to meet with the man now said to be a local legend, Mick ‘Crocodile’ Dundee. As the two spend time together, sparks fly and his story becomes the least of Sue’s focus as the two begin to connect closer with one another. The two being polar opposites from completely different worlds (literally and figuratively) make for a fun and touching movie that has since become a classic.
Crocodile Dundee may be one of the most interesting romantic comedies ever made. Because that’s exactly what it is. A romantic comedy
Plenty of the film was shot in Australia, part of what gives the movie its appeal. U.S. audiences in particular were not yet used to the scenic qualities of the land down under, Crocodile Dundee being one of the first mainstream films to show the world. Ken Shadle and John Cornell assisted Paul Hogan in the writing department, adding the necessary touches to ensure there’s a lot to be laughed at even in the present day. The film did lean into some of the more outlandish stereotypes about Australian culture, but it does so in a way that’s more about celebrating it and less so about causing offense. Hogan of course became a Hollywood idol following his charming performance. His innocent isolationistic character has forever become a part of cinematic history, even granting him the opportunity to return to the role in later sequels. His co-star Linda Kozlowski was the perfect person to stand opposite him, convincingly falling for the Australian native more and more with each scene that passed. Their shared romance on screen would ironically even lead the two to a long marriage in real life following the release of the movie.
In just a few years, this movie will be forty years old. It’s aged like wine however, only getting better with time and always feeling as fresh as the day it debuted. Few romantic comedies are as intriguing as this one, cleverly layered with an abundance of nuance and excitement, all added to the slow brewing romance that was so well constructed over the hour and a half runtime. As of this moment, it’s free on YouTube.
