The Year of Living Dangerously

19821982
PGPG
1h 55m

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.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.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.

7.1/10

21K

Director
- Peter Weir
Writers
- David Williamson(screenplay)
- Peter Weir(screenplay)
- C.J. Koch(screenplay)
Stars

Top credits

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Won 1 Oscar
- 8 wins & 16 nominations total

Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver in The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)

Sigourney Weaver in The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)

Mel Gibson and Peter Weir in The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)

Mel Gibson and Linda Hunt in The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)

Mel Gibson in The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)

Mel Gibson and Michael Murphy in The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)

Mel Gibson, Linda Hunt, and Michael Murphy in The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)

Linda Hunt in The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)

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. —Reid Gagle

foreign correspondent journalist embassy diplomat 1960s 138 more

Taglines
- A Love Caught In The Fire Of Revolution
Genres
Certificate
- PG
Parents guide

Trivia
Director Peter Weir cast Linda Hunt in the role of Billy Kwan after failing to find an actor who could play the part the way he wanted.

Goofs
The song by Richard Strauss is incorrectly listed in the end credits. It's "Beim Schlafengehen" ("Going to Sleep"), not "September". "September" is another of the "Four Last Songs" from which this one is taken; lyrics to both are by Herman Hesse.

Quotes
Billy Kwan: What then must we do? We must give with love to whoever God has placed in our path.

Connections
Featured in Peter Weir Industry Seminar 1989 (1989)

Soundtracks
Beim Schlafengehen
from "Four Last Songs"
by Richard Strauss
Performed by Kiri Te Kanawa and London Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Andrew Davis
Courtesy of CBS Masterworks
Published by Boosey-Hawkes

Top review

10/10

Favorite film of all time; seen it five times

The Year of Living Dangerously, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways . . . you're the complete package, looks, smarts and sass. Favorite scene is with the Indonesian shadow puppets, when "All is clouded by desire." Second favorite scene, if it's possible or fair to have to pick them from one's favorite film, would probably be when "Billy" and "Guy" are walking around the village at night and Billy tells Guy to "Add your light to the sum of light" (which I interpret as the remedy for "all being clouded by desire"). The film sends little offshoots of brilliant wisdom without being preachy. Who could not be riveted by Linda Hunt's performance as "Billy?" Who could not be charmed and chided by Sigourney Weaver's sexy-yet-pragmatic character "Jill?" And who better than a devilishly handsome rogue like Mel Gibson to portray "Guy," a self-centered journalist whose nearly loses an eye because he can't really "see" the way Billy tries to get him to. What is it about this guy that, in every film he transforms beautifully? (Which leads me to my fourth favorite scene, which I can't mention because it might spoil it for you.) If only real-life men did that. Sigh! Love the haunting musical score, esp. when Jill wanders around in the rain, coming to realize she's hook, line and sinker for Guy.

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