The 1952 film "Kangaroo" is set around 1900 in Australia, first in Sydney and then in the rural Outback or "bush". Two men, Richard Connor and John Gamble, meet at a Sydney gambling house, rob and kill the owner, and flee to a cattle station (ranch). The ranch is located in an area which is experiencing a severe drought which threatens to close the ranch. Early scenes show a rooming house desk with coins on a table, then a coin on the ground, then in a gambling house men play the "Two-up" game with large pennies. The coins are British as Australia did not mint it's own coins until 1910.

At a remote cattle ranch Dell McGuire opens a door and sees two of the title animals.

Dell's father Michael McGuire has gone to Sydney to borrow money from a bank. Richard Connor, an American in Australia, checks into a rooming house for sailors.

The sign advertises "6 d a Night Clean Beds". The room costs sixpence a night as 'd' is an abbreviation for a British penny. Richard leaves his bags with the manager, hands him some change, and leaves.

The manager counts his change which lies on the table. Michael McGuire is staying there also. He drinks and while drunk brags about his ranch and mentions that his son disappeared a long time ago. Michael comes to believe that Richard is his long lost son. Richard enters a gambling house and loses a lot of money there. Another man, John Gamble, attempts to rob him.

The two men fight and a coin falls to the ground.

The coin appears to be a silver sixpence coin. The two men decide to become friends.

They visit a gambling hall and Gamble enters a crowded room where a Two-up game is going on.

A man pulls out a British penny and shows it.

The coin reverse shows the helmeted figure of Britannia which appeared on British pennies then.

A British Penny of Queen Victoria:

Bronze, 30.8 mm, 9.45 gm

Obverse: Queen Victoria facing left
Reverse: Britannia seated with shield and holding spear, date below

Two large pennies are flipped and the customers bet on whether the coins show "heads" or "tails".

Gamble and the men watch the coins in the air. Some men put paper money on the ground.

The unusual imitation or prop notes appear to have been manufactured for this film.

The coin shows the obverse of a British penny with Queen Victoria on it.

The coin shows the reverse of a British penny with Britannia on it.

The bets are paid to the winners. Richard and John go to the gambling house office and attempt to rob the owner of the money in his safe. The owner pulls a gun and John shoots him. The men take the money and flee. Richard mentions McGuire's ranch and the two men decide to hide out there. They arrive at the Flinders Range mountains where the drought is in progress.

At the station John and Richard meet Michael's daughter Dell who actually runs the ranch.

The ranchers form a cattle drive to move a herd of cows close to a well and windmill which has water. A local policeman and would-be boyfriend of Dell, Trooper Leonard, joins the group, causing the fugitives Richard and John some anxiety.

The snake bites John and Richard treats the injury. The men continue to herd the cattle.

The drovers (cowboys) rest in the evening.

They arrive at the wells and windmills where there is a water trough.

Some Australian natives (Aborigines) live on the land and a few work for the ranch.

The ranchers watch the natives do a dance.

Michael McGuire mentions that he knows little about them but that their rain dances produce rain.

The windmill breaks it's cable and Richard volunteers to fix it.

Richard and Dell become lovers after he convinces her that he is not her lost brother. He and John become enemies and engage in a fight with bull whips.
The policeman follows them and Richard prevents John from shooting him.

The policeman shoots John ending the fight. The rains appear.

Dell nurses Richard who stays in bed recovering.

Richard confesses to the murder and the policeman promises to stand up for him at any trial.

Maureen O'Hara as Dell McGuire
Peter Lawford as Richard Connor
Richard Boone as John W. Gamble
Finlay Currie as Michael McGuire
Chips Rafferty as Trooper Leonard
Director: Lewis Milestone
Writers: Harry Kleiner, Martin Berkeley (story)