In 1968, four talented young Australian Aboriginal girls learn about love, friendship, and war when their all-girl group The Sapphires entertains the US troops in Vietnam.In 1968, four talented young Australian Aboriginal girls learn about love, friendship, and war when their all-girl group The Sapphires entertains the US troops in Vietnam.In 1968, four talented young Australian Aboriginal girls learn about love, friendship, and war when their all-girl group The Sapphires entertains the US troops in Vietnam.
- Awards
- 27 wins & 26 nominations total
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThere really was an Australian girl group in the 1960s called The Sapphires, but they had only three members, not four. When they were invited to tour for the troops in Vietnam, two of the group declined due to their anti-war stance, so the remaining Sapphire drafted her sister to help her out.
- GoofsNo U.S. Soldier "in country" would have been in possession of U.S. currency; only "scrip" (a form of pseudo money) was used. Scrip could be exchanged for U.S. money only upon leaving the country. Possession of U.S. currency was an offense subject to court martial.
- Quotes
Dave: Before we go then, girls, when I met you you were doing all country and western thing and that's fine, we all make mistakes. But here is what we learn from that mistake. Country and western music is about loss. Soul music is also about loss. But the difference is in country and western music, they've lost, they've given up, and they are just all whining about it. In soul music they are struggling to get it back, they haven't given up. Every note the passes through your lips should have the tone of a woman who's grasping and fighting and desperate to retrieve what's been taken from her.
- Crazy creditsPreceding the end credits is this tribute:
The women who inspired this story are sisters Laurel Robinson and Lois Peeler and their cousins Beverley Briggs and Naomi Mayers.
For over 40 years they have been active community leaders, working tirelessly to improve health and education for Aboriginal people.
Between them, they have 7 children, 10 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren ... and they sing to them every day.
- Alternate versionsThe Australian version is slightly different (roughly 3 minutes longer) than the one shown in International Markets. It does not have a title card in the beginning of the movie explaining about the Aborigine people and that the film is based on a real story. On the other hand. several scenes are cut shorter by a few seconds in the International version, and the end title card is also different. While it describes in details what became of each character in real life, showing pictures of each of them individually, the Australian one briefly sums up their achievements as a whole. There's a final picture of the ladies as they look-like nowadays (shown in black and white in the International version and in color on the Australian one).
- ConnectionsFeatured in At the Movies: Cannes Film Festival 2012 (2012)
- SoundtracksRun Through the Jungle
Written by John Fogerty
Administered by Hebbes Music Group Ply, Ltd.
Performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Under license from Concord Music Group, Inc./
Universal Music Group International (United Kingdom)
Licensed Courtesy of Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Wow, can I just say, "super cute" and leave it at that? It's a total feel good story about four Aborigine Aussies who can sing! And they sing their way (via Motown and R&B) to Vietnam in front of American troops, who love it.
And so you have to love it. The music soars, the tragedy of the war is held out of view but is implied in different ways, and the abilities of these young women make it all heartwarming. And impressive. Against the odds kind of material.
The one additional actor who is key is Chris O'Dowd, playing a down on his luck musician. He sees, barely, the talent of these women and decides to "manage" them, which he really does pretty well, helping them apply to a contest. And so on, to the "top" of the short ladder they are climbing. There are no gold records here, just good music. O'Dowd is comic relief, but also at ease and stabilizing to the movie, adding a necessary second layer. A good fit.
That's the long and the short of it. The Sapphires were real (and at the end of the movie you see a tiny bit of the real women). They were a cover band, you might say, but a really sweet and talented cover band. And they chose music that had soul, that mattered to the times, the late 1960s. Good stuff. Just enjoy it.
- secondtake
- Oct 12, 2014
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- Những Viên Ngọc Bích
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $10,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,450,867
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $38,372
- Mar 24, 2013
- Gross worldwide
- $20,423,628
- Runtime1 hour 43 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1