The Earthling

For other uses, see Earthling (disambiguation).

The Earthling
Film Poster
Directed by	Peter Collinson
Written by	Lanny Cotler
Produced by	Samuel Z. Arkoff Elliot Schick John Strong
Starring	William Holden Ricky Schroder
Cinematography	Donald McAlpine
Edited by	Nicholas Beauman
Music by	Dick DeBenedictis Bruce Smeaton
Distributed by	Filmways Pictures
Release date	24 July 1980 (1980-07-24)
Running time	97 minutes
Countries	United States Australia
Language	English
Budget	$4.5 million [1]
Box office	A$72,000 (Australia)

The Earthling is a 1980 American-Australian adventure film directed by Peter Collinson, and starring William Holden and Ricky Schroder. It was filmed in Australia in 1979, and was the last to be directed by Collinson before his death the following year.

Cast

• William Holden as Patrick Foley
• Ricky Schroder as Shawn Daley
• Olivia Hamnett as Bettina Daley
• Jack Thompson as Ross Daley
• Walter Pym as Uncle
• Alwyn Kurts as Christian Neilson
• Willie Fennell as R. C.
• Tony Barry as Red
• Danny Adcock as Bus Driver

Plot

Patrick Foley is a jaded loner who has been a drifter for much of his life. Discovering he has terminal cancer, he decides to return to the Australian outback where he grew up to die in solitude. His plans are interrupted however when ten year old Shawn Dailey's parents die in a horrific accident leaving the boy alone and helpless. Reluctantly, Foley teaches the boy survival and they form a bond before Foley dies and Shawn begins his trek back to civilisation.

Production

The film was shot from September to October 1979 in the Blue Mountains, Barrington Forest and Warrumbungle National Park. It was reported that Holden and Schroder got along while filming. Schroder named one of his children Holden in honour of his co-star. ^[2]

It was one of several films Jack Thompson made around this time where he supported an American star. ^[3]

Reception

The film drew greatly mixed reviews, with some critics reviling it, while others praised it.^{[ citation needed ]} It played to little notice in theatres, but later became something of a daytime staple on HBO and other cable-movie channels in the 1980s. It grossed $72,000 for box office in Australia. ^[4]

See also

• Cinema of Australia

References

1. AN AUSSIE WELCOME FOR 'EARTHLING'. Johnson, Patricia. Los Angeles Times. 20 January 1980: n24.
2. Scott Murray, "The Earthling", Australian Film 1978-1992, Oxford Uni Press 1993 p 56
3. Vagg, Stephen (2 July 2025). "Jack Thompson's brilliant career: How it began and why he turned his back on movie stardom". In Daily. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
4. Film Victoria – Australian Films at the Australian Box Office

External links

• The Earthling at IMDb
• The Earthling at Rotten Tomatoes
• The Earthling at Oz Movies
• The Earthling at the National Film and Sound Archive