Product Description: Personal revenge or act of war? Crazed soldiers or political scapegoats? Winner of 10 Australian Film Institute Awards this powerful film directed by the Oscar®-nominated Bruce Beresford (Tender Mercies Driving Miss Daisy) continues to stir audiences with its timeless themes of wartime morality and military hypocrisy.Based on a true story Edward Woodward (TV's The Equalizer) unforgettably stars as the controversial folk hero and Renaissance man Lt. Harry "Breaker" Morant. As South Africa's controversial Boer War draws to a close Morant and two fellow Australian soldiers (Bryan Brown Lewis Fitzgerald) are court-martialed for murder. Their only hope lies in a small-town lawyer who fights passionately for their lives.System Requirements:Running Time; 107 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/CRIME & CRIMINALS Rating: PG UPC: 014381473520 Manufacturer No: ID4735CQDVD
Scapegoats of the British Empire This is a strong picture. Beresford is one of these quiet talents who turns out one brilliant film after the other without much fanfare. "Driving Miss Daisy" happens to be one of my favorites. This film has always been thought to be a kind of commentary on the Vietnam War, because it addresses the issue of modern war and morality. For Americans, no doubt, this would have to be true. One can't help thinking of the terrible things done in that war by our soldiers who were in most instances just trying to do their duty and obey their orders. This film is very well directed and packs an emotional punch. One immediately identifies with the soldiers charged by what seems a terribly prejudiced, evil set of British officers, who were happy to exploit the Australians while at the same time having contempt for them. One comes away feeling sympathy for the Australians and a kind of loathing for the corrupt, sickeningly smug British.
First Rate Story First Rate Acting Great story based on fact, about the conduct and subsequent court-martial of three Australian soldiers during the Boer war. Terrific acting from Edward Woodward as the cynical professional soldier in Queen Victoria's Army on the Veld in South Africa. Great acting also from Brian Brown, as Woodward's tough sidekick. As with many great movies, the music is great. It's worth it to get the video just to hear Edward Woodward singing that old Victorian marching song, "We Are Soldiers of the Queen', Beautifully clear, against the complete cynicism felt by the main protagonists. Doug
Top of the Line This is an excellent film. It is top of the line in everything there is about a movie.
While Historical in nature, still contemporary Better than the original, this version comes with subtitles which makes for better viewing for those of us with aged hearing, and a less than stellar grasp of accents.
If you've never seen this film, it's a good anti-war film as well as pro war film, in so far as you have an understanding of how certain acts or those who commit them, are sacrificed for the greater good of their country, be it with or without the actors' agreement.
Edward Woodward, one of my personal favorite actors, plays Harry "Breaker" Morant. The nick name "Breaker" comes from Harry's job as a breaker of wild horses.
While the story itself is about the Second Boer War in South Africa, it can in fact be the story of any war, including America's current war with Iraq.
Just as the top brass is alleged to have ordered Morant's unit not to take any prisoners, (in other words, kill all of the enemy) so as to allow the unit to be able to function as an almost guerrilla quick response team to the Boers, the orders themselves, just as with the soldiers and guards in Abu Garib Prison, who were instructed to use advanced or enhanced interrogation techniques on prisoners, were not in writing, and therefore easily deniable by the upper brass.
What this film shows during the trial of Morant, is that military justice is as accurate a term as Bush's war time intelligence. Yes, I'm interjecting politics here, for the film itself is about the politics of a war coming to an end. The pictures of the prisoners at Abu Garib, forced my country's government to admit there were abuses despite months of previous denial when the soldiers in the photos were identified. Each soldier believed they were doing right by following the orders of their superiors. Wither or not such orders existed became irrelevant as nobody came forward at these soldiers' trials.
Such is the scenario with Breaker and company. When a court marital proceeds, Morant's attorney attempts of bring the commanding officer to testify, however, as we learn, there is an oddity of the Military Code that allows for someone to decline to appear. Whether this is based upon a particular rank, I do not know. I just observed that in the trials of both the Morant company and the Abu Garib defendants, the subpoena power of the defendant was less than absolute. And those identified as having given the commands were not forced to come and testify under oath and be subjected to cross examination. Much like Chenay in the spy gate affair. Another problem with not having a witness appear, is you cannot prove the existence of documents or policies, and therefore, it makes it much easier for the prosecution to refuse to provide any documents as the defendants' requests are "nothing more than a fishing expedition".
The movie itself is interesting is so far as it is the typical under dog putting up a surprising fight, and has turned what was a kangaroo court into a fighting chance. But keep in mind, this is not a Hollywood movie but an Aussie, and of course is based upon true events.
WARNING!!!! WARNING !!!!!
SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!
Despite their attorney's heroic effort, Harry and the officer, are convicted, and ultimately put to death. For awhile, the shame of those who issued the orders to kill all Boers is hidden, or buried, just as are the bodies of Harry and company.
Just as the true history of Abu Garib has been locked away with the soldiers convicted in the US., the controversy isn't over, just delayed until others come into power and question the "history" we've all been told is the truth. And, just like in Breaker Morant, when contradictory facts come out, we'll never really know the truth of what occurred due to mankind's ability to obscure. Power rarely allows for their disclosure of those acts they deemed necessary but the public finds abhorrent, to be fully acknowledged. For this is war after all, and war is about outcome, not rules.
Slice of the Anglo-Boer War When I first saw this movie, I thought it was an allegory of the Vietnam War. On visiting Austrlia, I bought a book by the same title and found that this story is frightening correct.
The Boer War is winding down and, to fight the Afrikaner commandos, the English have formed commandos of their own. Their control is loose and they virtually live off the land. They travel fast and light--a necessity for guerilla warfare--and they are ordered to shoot encumbering prisoners. They do.
But now the Empire is anxious for peace and wants to throw the Boer population a bone. They will try, and hopefully execute, their own fighters for war crimes. Our boys, including their leader, Breaker Morant, are at first perplexed and then frightened. They procure an army attorney who does a yeomen's job at getting them acquitted. His main witnesses--the ones who actually issued the execution orders--have conveniently left the country.
The Bushvelt Caribiniers are convicted and Morant and one other man are shot to death. Morant observes, just before his death, "This is what comes from making Empire."
This important story puts a microscope on the nature of war crime and atrocity. Morant and all the others, were probably "just taking orders" but does that excuse them? It didn't at Nuremburg. Nevertheless, Morant and most of the others are depicted as sympathetic people. Who knows? Maybe they were.
Ron Braithwaite author of novels on the Mexican Conquest, "Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"
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