A FEW minutes into Two Hands, we’re outside a strip club on Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross, when two menacing Aussie legends fill up the frame: actor Bryan Brown in the passenger seat of a purple XA GT hardtop. It’s an arresting, iconic image.
Brown plays Pando, the local crime boss, and the GT is the prized possession of his merciless enforcer, Acko (Field). A few scenes later, Pando prevails upon Acko to lend the coupe to the gang’s new recruit, 19-year-old Jimmy (Ledger):
Pando: “Give him your fucking keys.”
Acko: “You’re not taking my fucking car!”
Pando: “It’s only going to take 20 minutes; he needs a car, so give him your fucking keys.”
Acko: “I just got the gearbox done.
Pando: “Good, that means it fucking works. Now give…