The Real Macaw is a 1998 Australian adventure film written by Bruce Hancock and Matthew Perry and directed by Mario Andreacchio. It was produced and distributed by Becker Entertainment in association with the Australian Film Finance Corporation, The South Australian Film Corporation, The New South Wales Film and Television Office and The Queensland Government through Film Queensland, and filmed on location in Brisbane, Queensland. The film was released in Australia on 24 September 1998 and released on VHS in the United States and Canada on 11 July 2000 by Paramount Home Video. It stars Jamie Croft as Sam Girdis, Deborra-Lee Furness as Beth Girdis, Joe Petruzzi as Rick Girdis, John Waters as Dr. Lance Hagen, and Jason Robards as Grandpa Girdis. The voice of Mac the Parrot was performed by Daniel Murphy in the Australian version and by John Goodman in the North American version.
Plot In the Amazon rainforest, Mac, a young macaw, explores an ancient temple full of treasure. When a group of pirates arrive to steal the treasure, they capture Mac, and return to the ship, where the pirate captain gives Mac a jeweled ring. When Mac escapes, the ship is set on fire and sinks. Mac lands on Coral Island in the South Pacific. The pirate captain escapes there too, along with a treasure chest he salvaged. He buries the treasure and marks the spot with an “X”, as Mac watches on. A century later, Mac, now 149, can now secretly speak as a human and lives in Australia with an old man, whose grandson, Sam (who has a rough relationship with his father Rick) often visits. One day, Rick reveals that he is in debt and has had to sell Grandpa's house. Mac shows his ring to Sam, who believes that selling it could save the house. A museum curator, Dr. Hagen offers Sam $3,000 for the ring, but when they realise it won't be enough, Mac tells Sam about the treasure buried on Coral Island. They decide to sell the ring, to pay for flights to the island, but Sam lets it slip to Dr Hagen about the treasure. In reality, Hagen is a thief who steals museum artifacts and sells them for money. Grandpa realises where Sam is going and the family set off to the airport to follow him. Unbeknownst to them, Dr. Hagen is also in pursuit. At Coral Island, Sam and Mac discover that a resort now exists on the island. The pair try to check in to the hotel, but the desk clerk kicks them out upon seeing Mac. That night, Sam and Mac search for the treasure and see Dr. Hagen. The hotel guard returns, forcing them to hide in an air vent. Sam finds a ladder that leads to a stage at the hotel restaurant, where the pair perform a comedy act. The hotel manager offers them a complimentary suite, with the promise that they perform again the following night. The next morning, the pair discover that Dr. Hagen has dug multiple holes around the area. Hagen kidnaps Sam. Mac finally finds the tree marked with an “X”. Sam escapes and finds a way under the resort. Sam and Mac finally make it to the spot under the tree. Back at the airport, Grandpa berates Rick and tells him that Sam ran away because Rick lost his sense of joy, causing Rick to reflect. While digging for the treasure, Sam begins to lose hope and Mac berates him for giving up. The pair fall out and Mac leaves. After encountering Hagen again, Sam escapes and heads up the ladder and onstage again, where he reunites with Mac and they reconcile. During their second performance, the guard arrives with backup, but Mac heads back to the maintenance room and feigns a fire alarm. Making an escape back to the sewer tunnel, Mac and Sam finally find the treasure. Dr. Hagen arrives, forcing the pair to jump into a river leading to the harbor. Sam is captured by Dr. Hagen, who takes him and the treasure on a boat out to sea. Meanwhile, Sam's family follows them via police helicopter. Dr. Hagen tries to throw Sam overboard, but Sam survives, sneaks the treasure onto a lifeboat and cuts the boat's fuel line. Mac arrives and attacks Hagen, stealing his cigar. He drops the cigar into the gasoline from the damaged fuel line and the boat explodes. Mac is knocked out, and is presumed dead. Rick finds Sam and saves him, and they reconcile. Mac is revealed to still be alive, and is rescued too. Sam reunites with his family and Dr. Hagen is arrested. Rick apologizes to Grandpa and promises to let him keep his home. The treasure is recovered, but Grandpa declines it and says that the treasure belongs to the people. Sam returns the treasure to the Amazon and is hailed a hero. Mac decides to stay in the rainforest, realising it's where he belongs. After bidding farewell, Mac finally reunites with his mother.
Cast Jamie Croft as Sam Girdis Deborra-Lee Furness as Beth Girdis Joe Petruzzi as Rick Girdis John Waters as Dr. Lance Hagen Jason Robards as Grandpa Girdis John Goodman as Mac the Parrot (voice) (North American version) Gerry Connolly as Lou Rickets Robert Coleby as Mr. St. John Petra Yared as Kathy Girdis Nathan Kotzur as Scarlatta Kevin Hides as Business Man on Plane Penny Everingham as Nurse Gimlet Murray Shoring as Dr. Thompson Daniel Murphy as Pet Store Owner/Mac the Parrot (voice) (Australian version) Anna-Maria La Spina as Museum Receptionist
Box office The Real Macaw grossed $741,876 at the box office in Australia.
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