'Breaker' Morant (1980)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Bruce Beresford

Writers:

Kenneth G. Ross (play)
Jonathan Hardy (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

3 July 1980 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

When they speak of heroes - of villains - of men who look for action, who choose between honor and revenge - they tell the story of Breaker Morant

Plot:

Three Australian lieutenants are court martialed for executing prisoners as a way of deflecting attention from war crimes committed by their superior officers.

Plot Keywords:

Trial | Shooting | Boer War | Court | Courtroom

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 12 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Edward Woodward	...	Lt. Harry 'Breaker' Morant
Jack Thompson	...	Maj. J.F. Thomas
John Waters	...	Capt. Alfred Taylor
Bryan Brown	...	Lt. Peter Handcock
Charles 'Bud' Tingwell	...	Lt. Col. Denny (as Charles Tingwell)
Terence Donovan	...	Capt. Simon Hunt
Vincent Ball	...	Col. Ian 'Johnny' Hamilton
Ray Meagher	...	Sgt. Maj. Drummond
Chris Haywood	...	Cpl. Sharp
Russell Kiefel	...	Christiaan Botha
Lewis Fitz-Gerald	...	Lt. George Ramsdale Witton
Rod Mullinar	...	Maj. Charles Bolton
Alan Cassell	...	Lord Horatio Kitchener
Rob Steele	...	Capt. Robertson
Chris Smith	...	Sgt. Cameron

Also Known As:

Breaker Morant (USA)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English | Dutch

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Sweden:15 | Australia:M (TV rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1992) | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | New Zealand:PG

Filming Locations:

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Company:

7 Network

Trivia:

The quote from Byron is from the poem "Impromptus", the last two stanzas.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During the Morant trial, a military band is heard playing Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1." The march was premiered in England in October 1901, and it is very unlikely that an arrangement for military band was available less than two months later when the trial took place. It wasn't until later in 1902 that the words "Land of Hope and Glory" became permanently wedded to the tune.

Quotes:

Harry Morant: As a matter of interest, how many courts-martial have you done?
Major Thomas: None.
George Wittow: None?
Peter Handcock: Jesus, they're playing with a double-headed penny, aren't they?
Major Thomas: Would you rather conduct your own defence?
George Wittow: But you have handled a lot of court cases back home, sir?
Major Thomas: No. I was a country-town solicitor. I handled land conveyancing and wills.
Peter Handcock: Wills. Might come in handy.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "On Location with 'Robbery Under Arms'" (1985)

Soundtrack:

Sarie Marais

Powerful war movie

When I watched this finely acted movie, I wasn't really too knowledgeable about the Boer War so I didn't know how historically accurate the film was. However, from reading the posts, it seems more knowledgeable posters then myself agree that the filmmakers were very authentic in their endeavors. Most pertinently, even though the story is about the General Staff scapgoating the three Australian lieutenants to cover their own practice of ordering Boer prisoners shot, in a war obviously long since concluded, its relevance is timeless and universal as soldiers in all times and places are asked to do things that conflict with their consciences. Breaker Morant shows this very powerfully. 9/10.