Came a Hot Friday Backdrop Blur
Came a Hot Friday Poster
6.8 1h 41m

Came a Hot Friday

Set in post-war (1949) rural New Zealand, this film traces the efforts of two con men to run a betting scam in a small town (Tainuea) already rife with illegal gambling corruption, and eccentricity.

Top Cast

  • Peter Bland

    Peter Bland

    Wes Pennington

  • Phillip Gordon

    Phillip Gordon

    Cyril Kidman

  • Michael Lawrence

    Michael Lawrence

    Don Jackson

  • Billy T. James

    Billy T. James

    The Tainuia Kid

  • Marshall Napier

    Marshall Napier

    Sel Bishop

  • Don Selwyn

    Don Selwyn

    Norm Cray

  • Marise Wipani

    Marise Wipani

    Esmerelda

Overview

Set in post-war (1949) rural New Zealand, this film traces the efforts of two con men to run a betting scam in a small town (Tainuea) already rife with illegal gambling corruption, and eccentricity.

Rating

6.8 / 10
5 Reviews
0 Popular

1 Reviews

  • SierraKiloBravo
    SierraKiloBravo
    4 Jun 12, 2020

    Click here for a video version of this review: https://youtu.be/U7w_jcSD3iE The early 80s was a time where the New Zealand film industry began to really bud and grow. One of the classics to come out of that time was _Came a Hot Friday_. Much like _Goodbye Pork Pie_ that came before it, this is a screwball comedy full of larger than life characters and general silliness. So what exactly is the story here? _Set in post-war rural New Zealand, this film traces the efforts of two con men as they run a betting scam in a small town already rife with illegal gambling, corruption, and eccentricity._ There really isn't a lot of story here and the movie is a bit of a shambles, but in a way, that's what gives it its charm. Its poorly acted and edited, but you 100% get a real sense of 1980s New Zealand, even though the movie is set in 1949. It's hard to say whether or not I recommend this. From a strictly story and quality point of view, its a bit of a disaster looking at it through modern eyes. As a slice of what we in New Zealand call "Kiwiana" though, its a treasure trove. It was a delight to see the legendary Billy T. James in this as, no less, and Maori Mexican bandito, and along with him, there were a few other familiar, albeit, much younger, faces from the NZ film and television alumni. I came across this in full on YouTube, and apart from that, I'm not sure where on earth you would be able to find a copy these days. It's not a great movie, but does have a ton of nostalgia value.

Trailers & Clips

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