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Goodbye Pork Pie (1980) movie poster

Timeline

Goodbye Pork Pie (1980) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1980 · 105 mins · English
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Directed by
Geoff Murphy
Starring
Marshall Napier, Tony Barry, John Bach, Kelly Johnson, Claire Oberman, Bruno Lawrence

Gerry hires a car in Kaitaia with a stolen licence and travels to Invercargill with John, whose wife has just left him. The ultimate New Zealand road trip adventure.

Comedy Adventure Cast, crew & box office
On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Goodbye Pork Pie
  6. 6 Every angle
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12 events in order · contains spoilers

Goodbye Pork Pie Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Goodbye Pork Pie (1980) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Gerry steals a wallet and rents a yellow Mini

    In Kaitaia, spring 1978, Gerry Austin, nicknamed Blondini, steals a wallet and uses the cash and a driver’s license to rent a bright yellow Mini. With no plan beyond wandering, he heads south toward Auckland. The car becomes the catalyst for a cross-country spree.

    When
    Spring 1978
    Where
    Kaitaia

  2. John and Sue's unresolved relationship

    In Auckland, John tries to persuade his girlfriend Sue to stay with him, but fails to win her over. His attempt to salvage the relationship sets the stage for a broader escape to Invercargill. The tension between personal life and a roadbound plan weighs on both men.

    When
    Spring 1978
    Where
    Auckland

  3. John saves Gerry from a seat belt ticket

    While searching for transport, John intervenes when Gerry nearly gets fined for not wearing a seat belt. Grateful, Gerry offers John a ride for part of the way. The two men form an uneasy alliance that kicks off their shared journey.

    When
    Spring 1978
    Where
    Auckland area

  4. Unpaid petrol and a growing police tail

    The pair stop for petrol in northern Waikato but drive off without paying, drawing police attention. They scramble to stay ahead as the heat tightens around them. This petty theft marks the start of a pattern that defines their reckless road trip.

    When
    Spring 1978
    Where
    Northern Waikato

  5. Shirl joins, Gerry bets on changing her status

    Gerry and John pick up Shirl, a virgin traveling to Wanganui, and Gerry bets he can alter her status before they reach the city. They keep stealing petrol in the central North Island, triggering a motorcycle pursuit. They avoid arrest by driving into a car wrecker, continuing their odyssey.

    When
    Spring 1978
    Where
    Central North Island/Wanganui

  6. Mulvaney funds the trip; reunion with Shirl

    Arriving in Wellington, Mulvaney, an old associate of John, funds them with money and drugs in exchange for parts of the car. Gerry reunites with Shirl at Mulvaney's garage, cementing their makeshift crew. The trio prepares for the Interislander crossing.

    When
    Next morning
    Where
    Mulvaney's garage, Wellington

  7. Escape onto the Interislander ferry

    As dawn breaks, Gerry runs a red light and they are chased by police through central Wellington. They evade capture by driving through Wellington railway station and stowing the Mini in an empty boxcar being shunted toward the ferry. The escape marks a turning point as they cross to the South Island.

    When
    Morning
    Where
    Wellington

  8. Boxcar journey to Christchurch; a wild night

    In Picton, the boxcar is attached to a train bound for Christchurch, and the trio turns the ride into a moving party, decorating the interior with Blondini branding. After a night of revelry, Gerry wins his bet with Shirl and feels the journey might end soon. They discover the wagon won't leave until that night, so they press on to Christchurch.

    When
    Picton–Christchurch, night
    Where
    Picton to Christchurch

  9. Shirl's arrest and the Lake Hawea pursuit

    Stopping at a tearoom along the coast, they learn Shirl has been arrested for shoplifting and that a national manhunt is underway for the Blondini Gang. The Mini is pursued along the Lake Hawea corridor, and a policeman nearly catches them before a combine harvester blocks the road. Gerry stops to help the officer and mocks the radio chatter about the chase.

    When
    South Island leg
    Where
    Lake Hawea, Otago

  10. Cromwell and Dunedin: Snout and the flags

    At Cromwell and later Dunedin, they meet Snout, a volatile character who buys Gerry’s flags and helps them dodge roadblocks. Gerry initially resists the superstition of the flags, but relents under John's urging to stay safe. Snout then tips off the police that they are heading for Invercargill.

    When
    South Island leg
    Where
    Cromwell to Dunedin

  11. McNab confrontation and the PIT

    In McNab, John is spotted by the police and drives off in the Mini, unaware that Gerry is hidden underneath. Gerry is eventually arrested, but escapes from the police car and leaps onto the fleeing Mini. The pursuit ends with a PIT maneuver that hurls him off the car, leaving John to press on toward Invercargill.

    When
    Late Journey
    Where
    McNab, Southland

  12. Invercargill finale: explosion and surrender

    John arrives in Invercargill to a cheering crowd as the Blondini legend grows. Armed Offenders Squad shoot a hole in his petrol can, forcing a desperate sprint through a cemetery. The leaking petrol ignites and destroys the Mini as John reunites with Sue; police surround the scene and John surrenders, joking for the onlookers as he is taken away.

    When
    Ending
    Where
    Invercargill

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:59

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Timeline questions answered

Goodbye Pork Pie Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Goodbye Pork Pie (1980): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does John travel to Invercargill?

John travels to Invercargill to win back his girlfriend Sue, who has just left him after six years together. After a night of drinking in Auckland, he decides to make the long journey south to her sister's house as a desperate attempt to salvage their relationship.

  • john
  • invercargill
  • sue
  • relationship
  • road trip
Q2

How did John and Gerry first meet?

John and Gerry met in Auckland when John saved Gerry from receiving a ticket for not wearing a seat belt. Grateful for the intervention, Gerry offered John a lift for part of the journey, forming an uneasy alliance between the middle-aged man and the young drifter.

  • john
  • gerry
  • meeting
  • seat belt
  • auckland
Q3

What was the 'Blondini Gang'?

The 'Blondini Gang' was the media nickname given to Gerry, John, and later Shirl during their cross-country road trip. The name came from Gerry's nickname 'Blondini' (a reference to the famous escape artist), which he wrote inside the boxcar during their train journey. The name stuck as a national manhunt was launched for the trio.

  • blondini gang
  • media nickname
  • manhunt
  • gerry
Q4

Why did Shirl get arrested?

Shirl was arrested for shoplifting while the trio was in Christchurch. This arrest triggered the national manhunt for the 'Blondini Gang' and forced Gerry and John to continue without her.

  • shirl
  • arrest
  • shoplifting
  • christchurch
Q5

What was the bet Gerry made about Shirl?

When Gerry and John picked up Shirl in Wanganui, Gerry quietly bet that he would change her virgin status before they reached their destination. He later won this bet during the journey, though the exact timing is implied through a brief scene after their night of partying in the boxcar.

  • gerry
  • shirl
  • bet
  • virgin
  • wanganui
Q6

How did they escape police in Wellington?

In Wellington, Gerry ran a red light and triggered a police chase through the city center. They evaded capture by driving through Wellington railway station and stowing the Mini in an empty boxcar that was being shunted onto the Interislander ferry, allowing them to cross to the South Island undetected.

  • wellington
  • ferry
  • escape
  • boxcar
  • police chase
Q7

What happened to Gerry at McNab?

At McNab, police spotted John and he drove off in the Mini without knowing Gerry was underneath the car. Gerry was arrested but escaped from the police car and climbed onto the fleeing Mini. A PIT maneuver flung Gerry from the vehicle, and he was struck by a pursuing police car, leaving his fate uncertain.

  • gerry
  • mcnab
  • pit maneuver
  • injured
  • arrest
Q8

What happened to Gerry at the end of the movie?

Gerry's ultimate fate remains ambiguous. After being struck by the police car during the PIT maneuver at McNab, he is shown injured on the ground. A trucker at the scene refuses to move aside for the police out of respect for Gerry, but the film never confirms whether he survives his injuries. The final shot focuses on John's reunion with Sue, leaving Gerry's fate unresolved.

  • gerry
  • fate
  • ending
  • injured
  • ambiguous
Q9

Why did the Mini explode in Invercargill?

The Armed Offenders Squad shot a hole in John's petrol can during the Invercargill finale. As John drove through a cemetery toward Sue's house, the leaking petrol ignited, triggering an explosion that destroyed the Mini moments after John escaped the vehicle.

  • mini
  • explosion
  • petrol
  • invercargill
  • aos
Q10

Why did Snout tip off the police?

Snout, whom they met in Dunedin, helped them dodge a police roadblock and bought Gerry's flags for the Mini's antenna. However, after they left, Snout tipped off the police about their route toward Invercargill, leading to the ambush at McNab. The betrayal appears motivated by either greed for reward money or a desire to end the chase.

  • snout
  • betrayal
  • police
  • tip off
  • dunedin
Q11

Why did the trucker block police at McNab?

When Gerry was left injured on the road after the PIT maneuver, a trucker who had been following the chase refused to move his vehicle aside to let police pass. This act of solidarity delayed the police response, allowing John to continue toward Invercargill. The trucker's respect for Gerry's reckless spirit prevented immediate capture.

  • trucker
  • police
  • help
  • mcnab
  • respect
Q12

Why did police pursue them nationally?

The police chase escalated from a simple unpaid petrol bill in Waikato into a national manhunt after a pattern of crimes: stealing petrol, failing to pay at petrol stations, and the involvement of Mulvaney (who supplied drugs). When Shirl was arrested for shoplifting in Christchurch, media coverage labelled them the 'Blondini Gang' and police committed significant resources to catching what they perceived as an organized group.

Foreshadowing: The unpaid petrol in Waikato was the first incident that drew police attention to the yellow Mini.

  • police
  • manhunt
  • escalation
  • crimes
  • national

Movie threads

More Movies Like Goodbye Pork Pie, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Goodbye Pork Pie tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Rebellious Road Trip Movies like Goodbye Pork Pie

Outlaw companions race across the country, fueled by freedom and chaos. If you enjoyed the chaotic cross-country chase in Goodbye Pork Pie, you'll love these movies. This thread gathers films about defiant outlaw journeys, where the destination is less important than the anarchic adventure and the camaraderie forged on the run. Find more movies with energetic road trips, police pursuits, and a spirit of youthful rebellion.

  • rebellious
  • carefree
  • energetic
  • road trip
  • chaotic
  • defiant
  • Tone: light, rebellious
  • Pacing: fast, chaotic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These stories follow a linear quest, often to reach a person or a place, but the journey itself becomes the main event. The narrative is propelled by a series of escalating mishaps and confrontations with authority, testing the resolve and friendship of the main characters. The structure is straightforward but packed with continuous forward momentum and action.

Why they belong together: They share a specific mix of a fast pace, light tone, and medium intensity created by constant pursuit. The emotional core is the bonding between characters thrown together by circumstance, all set against the backdrop of a memorable journey. The focus is on the experience of freedom and rebellion, not deep drama.

Road Trip movie poster

Road Trip

2000
The Great Smokey Roadblock movie poster

The Great Smokey Roadblock

1977
Coast to Coast movie poster

Coast to Coast

1980
Goodbye Pork Pie movie poster

Goodbye Pork Pie

1980
Every Which Way But Loose movie poster

Every Which Way But Loose

1978
Top Gear: The Perfect Road Trip 2 movie poster

Top Gear: The Perfect Road Trip 2

2014
Things Are Tough All Over movie poster

Things Are Tough All Over

1982
Coast to Coast movie poster

Coast to Coast

1987

Buddy Adventure Comedies with Bittersweet Endings like Goodbye Pork Pie

A pair of mismatched friends find purpose and friendship on a chaotic quest. For viewers who liked the combination of humor and heartfelt moments in Goodbye Pork Pie, this thread features similar buddy comedies. These films pair mismatched duos on a quest, blending energetic adventure with a light emotional weight, and often ending on a note that is both successful and slightly melancholic. Discover movies like Goodbye Pork Pie that balance comedy with a touch of realism.

  • buddy comedy
  • quest
  • bittersweet
  • male friendship
  • carefree
  • nostalgic
  • Tone: light, bittersweet
  • Pacing: fast, adventurous
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot is driven by a personal goal—often reuniting with a loved one or achieving a dream—that serves as the excuse for the adventure. The central conflict is external (the pursuit, the journey's obstacles) but the character arc is about the protagonists learning to rely on each other. The ending acknowledges that the wild journey changed them, but also that such freedom is often fleeting.

Why they belong together: They are grouped by their specific tonal balance: primarily light and humorous, but underpinned by a genuine character connection that leads to a bittersweet conclusion. The pacing is fast and adventure-filled, yet the emotional weight remains light, making the poignant ending feel earned but not devastating.

Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure movie poster

Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure

1981
The Road to El Dorado movie poster

The Road to El Dorado

2000
The Odd Couple movie poster

The Odd Couple

2007
Goodbye Pork Pie movie poster

Goodbye Pork Pie

1980
The Likely Lads movie poster

The Likely Lads

1976
The Bounty Hunter movie poster

The Bounty Hunter

2010
Coast to Coast movie poster

Coast to Coast

1987
Tough Guys movie poster

Tough Guys

1986

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Every angle

Goodbye Pork Pie (1980) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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