The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)

A young Australian reporter tries to navigate the political turmoil of Indonesia during the rule of President Sukarno with the help of a diminutive photographer.

Director:

Peter Weir

Writers:

David Williamson (screenplay), Peter Weir (screenplay)

Stars:

Mel Gibson, Sigourney Weaver, Linda Hunt

Won 1 Oscar. Another 7 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Linda Hunt	...	Billy Kwan
Mel Gibson	...	Guy Hamilton
Bembol Roco	...	Kumar
Doming Landicho	...	Hortono (as Domingo Landicho)
Hermino De Guzman	...	Immigration Officer
Michael Murphy	...	Pete Curtis
Noel Ferrier	...	Wally O'Sullivan
Paul Sonkkila	...	Kevin Condon
Ali Nur	...	Ali
Dominador Robridillo	...	Betjak Man
Joel Agona	...	Palace Guard
Mike Emperio	...	Sukarno
Bernardo Nacilla	...	Dwarf
Bill Kerr	...	Colonel Henderson
Sigourney Weaver	...	Jill Bryant

Storyline

Guy Hamilton is a journalist on his first job as a foreign correspondent. His apparently humdrum assignment to Indonesia soon turns hot as President Sukarno electrifies the populace and frightens foreign powers. Guy soon is the hottest reporter on the story with the help of his photographer, half- Chinese dwarf Billy Kwan, who has gone native. Guy's affair with diplomat Jill Bryant also helps. Eventually Guy must face some major moral choices and the relationship between Billy and him reaches a crisis at the same time the politics of Indonesia does.

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Plot Keywords:

foreign correspondent | journalist | embassy | diplomat | 1960s | 

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Taglines:

Risking it all was just part of the job.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Mel Gibson has said of the threats to the film: "It wasn't really that bad. We got a lot of death threats to be sure, but I just assumed that when there are so many, it must mean nothing is really going to happen. I mean, if they meant to kill us, why send a note?"

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Goofs

Billy Kwan should have the same type of dwarfism as his father, and yet his limbs and body are perfectly normal despite his small size.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Billy Kwan: June 25th, 1965. Dossier H-10. Hamilton, Guy. Born 1936 under the sign of Capricorn. Occupation: Journalist with the Australian Broadcasting Service. Jakarta: first assignment as foreign correspondent.

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Connections

Referenced in Entourage: Welcome to the Jungle (2007)

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Soundtracks

Excerpts of L'enfant
from "Opera Sauvage"
by Vangelis
by arrangement with Spheric B.V./Warner Bros.

User Reviews

Pretty much a flawless movie

I watched TYLD after a prof recommended it in grad school. I had to rent it from an obscure-movies rental place in Alexandria, Virginia and I now own the picture.

There are three elements, mixed together, that make TYLD superb, rich cinema. First, it captures the feel of westerners living abroad, the cluster of expat personalities that you find were you to live or work abroad.

Second, it is one of the best love stories ever crafted, with a "fleeting end of summer feel" between Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver. They are both young; Weaver is stunningly gorgeous. Their romance ends almost as abruptly as it begins. We've all been there.

The movie also captures an awesome historical moment and is fascinating Cold War history. The movie is flawless.

Details

Country:

Australia USA

Language:

English Tagalog Filipino Indonesian

Release Date:

18 February 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Year of Living Dangerously

Filming Locations:

Artransa Park Film Studios, Mobbs Lane, Epping, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$35,000, 23 January 1983

Gross USA:

$10,278,575

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$10,278,575

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Freddie Fields Productions, McElroy & McElroy

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1