Australia (2008)

Set in northern Australia before World War II, an English aristocrat who inherits a sprawling ranch reluctantly pacts with a stock-man in order to protect her new property from a takeover plot. As the pair drive 2,000 head of cattle over unforgiving landscape, they experience the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by Japanese forces firsthand.

Director:

Baz Luhrmann

Writers:

Stuart Beattie (screenplay), Baz Luhrmann (screenplay),

Stars:

Shea Adams, Eddie Baroo, Hugh Jackman

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 7 wins & 24 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Shea Adams	...	Carney Boy #3
Eddie Baroo	...	Bull
Ray Barrett	...	Ramsden
Tony Barry	...	Sergeant Callahan
Jamal Bednarz-Metallah	...	Mission Boy
Damian Bradford	...	Constable #1
Bryan Brown	...	King Carney
Nathin Butler	...	Carney Boy #1
Tara Carpenter	...	Essential Services Woman
Rebecca Chatfield	...	Magarri's Niece
Lillian Crombie	...	Bandy Legs
Max Cullen	...	Old Drunk
Essie Davis	...	Cath Carney
Arthur Dignam	...	Father Benedict
Michelle Dyzla	...	Hairdresser

Storyline

In northern Australia at the beginning of World War II, an English aristocrat inherits a cattle station the size of Maryland. When English cattle barons plot to take her land, she reluctantly joins forces with a rough-hewn stock-man to drive 2,000 head of cattle across hundreds of miles of the country's most unforgiving land, only to still face the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by the Japanese forces that had attacked Pearl Harbor only months earlier.

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Plot Keywords:

cattle | australia | drover | bombing | japanese | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History | Romance | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some violence, a scene of sensuality, and brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

20th Century Fox [fr] 20th Century Fox [us]

Country:

Australia USA UK

Language:

English Aboriginal Chinese Japanese

Release Date:

26 November 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Austrália

Filming Locations:

Bowen, Queensland, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

$130,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,294,414 (UK) (26 December 2008)

Gross:

$49,551,662 (USA) (20 March 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Bazmark Films, ScreenWest

Technical Specs

Runtime:

165 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The final scene features "Nimrod" from Edward Elgar's "Enigma" variations. This was also used in Elizabeth, for which David Hirschfelder composed the music, too.

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Goofs

Maitland is shown being murdered in a so-called "billabong". A billabong is a small lake of stagnant water when cutoff from the river. The scene and subsequent map show this one to be a pool attached to the river.

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Quotes

Drover: Now where the *hell* are all the bloody stockmen, eh?
Lady Sarah Ashley: That's what I need to speak to you about.
Drover: Where's Fletcher?
Lady Sarah Ashley: We disagreed, and I dismissed him.
Drover: [Dumbfounded] ... *Dismissed?*
Lady Sarah Ashley: Yes.
Drover: Wait, wait a minute, hold on. What about the cattle?
Lady Sarah Ashley: Well, as he was leaving, he *deliberately* let the cows out of the, uh... I don't know, whatever you call it, and they *ran off.*
Drover: [Storms off] Damn! Do you realize, woman, what you've done?
Lady Sarah Ashley: Mr. Drover, do not take that tone with me *thank you, very much!*
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Top Gear Australia: Bowls of Thunder (2008)

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Soundtracks

"By the Boab Tree"
Music by Felix Meagher, Baz Luhrmann & Angela Little
Lyrics by Baz Luhrmann, Felix Meagher, Anton Monsted, Angela Little & Schuyler Weiss
Performed by Angela Little
Produced by Baz Luhrmann (as BLAM), Anton Monsted (as BLAM), Felix Meagher & Angela Little

User Reviews

A true epic

Baz Luhrmann has done a great job with 'Australia'. While cliché's and political agenda runs rife, this is set nicely into an historic, epic story in three distinct acts.

Great casting - Hugh Jackman was what the role needed, and he played the role very well. Nicole Kidman, while being rubbished by several critics, appeared somewhat typecast in her role, but that style was exactly what the role needed, and I think she did a great job at pulling it off. However, I think that the standout performances actually came from Brandon Walters (in his first film), Jack Thompson (in a minor role) and David Wenham who brought 'aussie sleaze' to a new level. Unfortunately, I had trouble believing in Ben Mendelsohn's character of Captain Dutton, but seemed to finish on a high, pulling the 'British stiff upper lip' thing fairly well.

Luhrman's epic was long, and had the full gamut of Luhrmanesque style, which we've come to love through his films. Stylised backgrounds, unique, visual approaches, and a sense of humour that is truly Luhrman, flood the film bringing a rich Australian environment.

'Australia' presents to the world, perhaps a very different Australia to what a lot of people think. While the fictional characters and some of the style is very reminiscent of "Gone with the Wind", the historical Darwin during the 'Stolen Generation' era and the impact of World War Two on Australia's doorstep may be a new insite to many.

I enjoyed 'Australia' a lot. While it wasn't the best film I've ever seen, I definitely think it's worth looking at - even if it's just to see what Baz Luhrman has done.