The Hard Word

The films title 'The Hard Word' is a reference to the type of Aussie slang (Cant or Cryptolect language) the films main protagonists use when they would communicate with one another in prison or "on the job". This language is known as Retchab Klat (Rech-tub kay-lat) 'Butcher Talk'. Words spelt backwards with digraphs and plurals kept intact. It was developed as a form of communicating between butchers to either ogle or make fun of certain customers and not draw attention. It is an old time butchers language that is still used in some small country Australian towns to this day.

The robbery in Melbourne is based on the "Great Bookie Robbery" of 1976. Six men robbed bookmakers in the Victoria Club, as the bookmakers met to settle up debts after a day's racing. Estimated takings were between $14 and $16 million. The true figure was never known; the bookmakers were reluctant to divulge how much money they had lost, to avoid the interest of the tax office. The six thieves became the targets of other criminals and corrupt police demanding a share. By 1987, all the known thieves were believed dead, either killed by other criminals or police, or had disappeared. The money was never recovered.

Producer Al Clark set about about finding cast by firstly approaching Guy Pearce to take the lead role of the eldest brother Dale. They had first met when Clark produced 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' (1994) about seven years earlier. Both had been waiting for the right project to work together again. Pearce was drawn to the film for a number of reasons. He said: "The idea of working back at home, working with Al again, working with such a funny script and the idea of playing within that little unit of three brothers who have a very strong hold over each other - a sort of devotion to each other - I found quite appealing."

The book on "the joys of modern marriage" Dale recommends to Frank is Confessions of a Crap Artist by Philip K. Dick.

Like the genesis of many a "true" story, the essence of The Hard Word came to writer-director Scott Roberts in a dream. "I am in a safe house with several associates. We have just hijacked a truck full of cash. Everything has gone smoothly, and no one got hurt. We wait for someone else to arrive before we divide the loot. A car pulls up outside. We all tense. I go to the window and crack the curtains. I feel a deep, biochemical sense of relief. It is only the cops." Almost simultaneously, Roberts heard a real life true story about a gang of bank-robbing brothers who once operated from a New South Wales remand prison, and who were run by some bent cops they could not shake off. Once the box was opened, the first draft was written quickly, in March 2000.