Commentary Crocodile Dundee is an amusing Australian film about a rugged man from the Outback. Paul Hogan delives a terrific performance, as does Linda Kozlowski. The film is full of fun, adventure, humor, and romance.
Plot Summary
Australia: Paul Hogan plays Michael (Mick) J. "Crocodile" Dundee, a rugged Outback Australian so nicknamed because he battled a crocodile and lived to tell about it. Sue Charlton (Kozlowski) is a New York Journalist who decides to interview him while vacationing in Australia with her boss/boyfriend, who gives her the okay to do so. She rides a helicopter to the Outback and meets Mick in a bar along with her agent Walter Reilly. The three venture into a bush in an old jalopy where they encounter a water buffalo. Dundee is able to make the buffalo fall asleep by performing a "mind over matter" horse whispering trick. Walter leaves them until Wednesday and Sue and Dundee have some more interesting adventures together, including saving a kangaroo from hunters and Mick saving Sue from a crocodile by cutting it open. Sue invites Mick to come back to America with her, which he interprets as a pass.
New York: Once in the Big Apple, Mick has a hard time adjusting to city life in America. Sue puts him up in a fancy hotel. On the street, Mick encounters various characters, including a couple of hookers and a pimp and ends up punching out the pimp for "using bad language". He goes to a bar where he encouters a transvestite, whom he checks out by grabbing his cock. Sue introduces Mick to her editor/boyfriend Richard and the three go out for dinner. Richard treats Mick very badly, whence Mick punches him out. Mick stops a mugger on the street by throwing a can of food at him from a distance. Mick also ends up protecting Sue from a hoodlum who pulls a knife on them by pulling out his much larger knife.
Epilogue: Sue's father invites Mick and her to a fancy dinner at his mansion. At the dinner, Richard proposes to her. Feeling crushed, Mick leaves, checks out of his hotel, and decides to walk around the city. Eventually he makes his way for the Grand Central Station. Sue leaves the party to look for him. She passes by his hotel, where the valet tells her that he's headed to Grand Central Station. Sue sheds her shoes to run to catch up with him. She finds him at the station but can't make it past the crowd. She ends up relaying a message to him that she decided not to marry Richard because she loves him. Once Mick learns of her love, he makes his way over to her by climbing on top of the crowd, ending up in her arms.
Cultural Significance Crocodile Dundee was one of the first of many Australian films which became popular in the United States. Some later ones include Strictly Ballroom (1993) and Muriel's Wedding (1994). Crocodile Dundee also spawned two sequels, Crocodile DundeeII (1988) and Crocodile Dundeein Los Angeles (2001).
Paul Hogan and Linda Kozlowski were married in 1990 and they remain married, with a son named Chance.
Movie Clips
Here's the scene in which Dundee scares off some hoodlums with his much bigger knife.
Home
Title: Crocodile Dundee 
