Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

Absent Without Leave

  • 19921992
  • 1h 35m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
66
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Absent Without Leave (1992)
  • Drama
  • Romance
  • War
In the early days of the war against Japan, Ed marries his pregnant girlfriend Daisy just before joining up with the New Zealand army. Unfortunately for the young couple, Daisy suffers a mis... Read allIn the early days of the war against Japan, Ed marries his pregnant girlfriend Daisy just before joining up with the New Zealand army. Unfortunately for the young couple, Daisy suffers a miscarriage soon afterward. Ed, fearing for his wife's health, decides he must take her back ... Read allIn the early days of the war against Japan, Ed marries his pregnant girlfriend Daisy just before joining up with the New Zealand army. Unfortunately for the young couple, Daisy suffers a miscarriage soon afterward. Ed, fearing for his wife's health, decides he must take her back to her home, even though it means going off base without leave.
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
66
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • John Laing
  • Writers
    • James Edwards(screenplay)
    • Graeme Tetley(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Craig McLachlan
    • Katrina Hobbs
    • Judie Douglass
Top credits
  • Director
    • John Laing
  • Writers
    • James Edwards(screenplay)
    • Graeme Tetley(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Craig McLachlan
    • Katrina Hobbs
    • Judie Douglass
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 5User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination

    Photos

    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Craig McLachlan
    Craig McLachlan
    • James Edwardsas James Edwards
    Katrina Hobbs
    Katrina Hobbs
    • Daisy Edwardsas Daisy Edwards
    Judie Douglass
    • Ellaas Ella
    Tony Barry
    Tony Barry
    • Peteras Peter
    Ken Blackburn
    • C.O.as C.O.
    Tony Burton
    • Constableas Constable
    Francis Bell
    • Paddyas Paddy
    Robyn Malcolm
    Robyn Malcolm
    • Bettyas Betty
    David Copeland
    • Claudeas Claude
    Desmond Kelly
    • Daisy's Fatheras Daisy's Father
    Tina Cleary
    • Daisy's Sisteras Daisy's Sister
    Rebecca Hobbs
    • Daisy's Sisteras Daisy's Sister
    Joan Foster
    • Daisy's Stepmotheras Daisy's Stepmother
    Helen Moulder
    • Ed's Auntas Ed's Aunt
    Stephen Lovatt
    Stephen Lovatt
    • Wedding Soldieras Wedding Soldier
    Margaret Blay
    Margaret Blay
    • Mrs. Edwardsas Mrs. Edwards
    Danny Mulheron
    Danny Mulheron
    • Photographeras Photographer
    Robert Bennett
    • Ministeras Minister
    • Director
      • John Laing
    • Writers
      • James Edwards(screenplay)
      • Graeme Tetley(screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    More like this

    The Last Tattoo
    5.8
    The Last Tattoo

    Storyline

    Edit
    In the early days of the war against Japan, Ed marries his pregnant girlfriend Daisy just before joining up with the New Zealand army. Unfortunately for the young couple, Daisy suffers a miscarriage soon afterward. Ed, fearing for his wife's health, decides he must take her back to her home, even though it means going off base without leave. —Jean-Marc Rocher <rocher@fiberbit.net>
    • new zealand
    • miscarriage
    • absent without leave
    • world war two
    • soldier
    • 7 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Romance
      • War
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Rebecca Hobbs's debut.

    User reviews5

    Review
    Top review
    5/10
    The title says it all
    The total lack of originality in the title was an omen of what the film was like. The movie was uninspired, unoriginal and full of every World War II cliche. My thoughts as I watched the film was that this looked like a made-for-TV historical drama, but maybe I am being unfair on TV movies.

    The story was set in NZ in 1942 and was effective in its portrayal of Kiwis and NZ society at that time. But it was the cliches that was too much for me. I will give just two examples of this.

    The soldier goes absent without leave so that he could escort his wife from Wellington to Auckland. Why she couldn't get on a train and go on her own was unclear. At the train station he drops his suitcase and it bursts open, revealing his military uniform. This of course happens all the time, you are always seeing people in train stations and airports all over the world dropping their suitcases and having them burst open. After the soldier gathers everything together, a voice calls out 'Hey you, stop' and somehow I just knew that the soldier had dropped something and it was being returned, which was the case.

    Later the couple were working on a farm, helping with the harvest. As one does when one is urgently trying to get to Auckland so that the soldier can return to the army. Then a warplane flew overhead. There appears to be a law of nature that when a warplane is flying over friendly territory and there is a camera below, the engine will fail and the plane will crash. And of course that is what happened here.

    The film truly was 'absent without leave', but what was absent was an originality.
    helpful•3
    2
    • nhoney1
    • Oct 24, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • 1992 (New Zealand)
    • Countries of origin
      • New Zealand
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Awol
    • Filming locations
      • Wellington, New Zealand
    • Production companies
      • Meridian Films
      • New Zealand Film Commission
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 35 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    The 27th Singapore International Film Festival Comes to a Close
    Dec 4AsianMoviePulse
    Singapore Film Festival winners revealed
    Singapore Film Festival winners revealed
    Dec 4ScreenDaily

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Absent Without Leave (1992)
    Top Gap
    What is the English language plot outline for Absent Without Leave (1992)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The 10 Most Anticipated Marvel and DC Movies
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    2022 TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.