Breaker Morant [Blu-ray] DVD

Breaker Morant
Breaker Morant is one of the most acclaimed Australian films, telling a powerful tale of wartime betrayal and injustice. Henry "Breaker" Morant (Edward Woodward) is an Englishman living in Australia at the end of the 19th century. When war breaks out in 1899 between Britain and the Boers (descendants of Dutch colonists), Morant and a number of Australians volunteer for duty and are absorbed into the non-regular units of the British army. Acting under orders from his commanders, Morant oversees the execution of several Boer prisoners; it turns out that one of them was German, and in order to keep the peace with Germany, Britain agrees to courtmartial Morant and two other soldiers, sentencing two to death and one to life imprisonment. Based on a play by Kenneth Ross, Bruce Beresford's film is powerfully filmed and acted and has become a classic anti-war movie since its 1980 release; the script (co-written by Beresford) was nominated for an Academy Award. The final execution scene is nearly overpowering in its sense of tragedy and futility. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide

Cast Edward Woodward as Lt. Harry Morant Bryan Brown as Lt. Peter Hancock Lewis Fitz-Gerald as Lt. George Witton Jack Thompson as Major J.F. Thomas John Waters as Capt. Alfred Taylor Rod Mullinar as Major Charles Bolton Charles "Bud" Tingwell as Lieutenant Colonel Denny Terence Donovan as Capt. Simon Hurst Vincent Ball as Lt. Ian Hamilton Frank Wilson as Dr.Johnson Alan Cassell as Lord Kitchener Russell Kiefel as Christian Botha Judy Dick as Mrs. Shields

Crew David Copping - Art Director Anna Senior - Costume Designer Bruce Beresford - Director William M. Anderson - Editor Phil Cunneen - Composer (Music Score) Judy Lovell - Makeup Donald M. McAlpine - Cinematographer Pamela Vanneck - Production Manager Matt Carroll - Producer Chris Murray - Special Effects Mont Fieguth - Special Effects Gary Wilkins - Sound/Sound Designer Heath Harris - Stunts Tony Smart - Stunts Greg Smith - Stunts John Hardy - Screenwriter David Stevens - Screenwriter Bruce Beresford - Screenwriter Jonathan Hardy - Screenwriter Kenneth Ross - Play Author

Breaker Morant
The film that gave director Bruce Beresford international recognition, Breaker Morant is one of the most acclaimed films ever to come out of Australia. A blunt, unsentimental account of one of the occasions on which Britain used and abused its Australian soldiers, it brilliantly depicts the betrayal, rage, and hypocrisy that characterized both the soldiers' trial and the nature of Australian-British military relations. To that end, Breaker works as a kind of belated expose; like Gallipoli a year later, it brought decades-old wrongdoings to light for the benefit of a modern audience. Thanks to Beresford's excellent direction, however, the film avoids the trap of self-righteous moralizing that often accompanies such biased storytelling. In fact, as rooted as it is in the tradition of military drama, Breaker Morant is as much a compelling character study. What really grabs the viewer is not so much the injustice at hand -- that's a given -- as the ways it is dealt with by the men upon whom it is inflicted. As the titular Morant, Edward Woodward displays both dignity and soft-spoken rage, while Bryan Brown communicates hot-tempered defiance as Handcock and Lewis Fitz-Gerald is terrifically naive as Witten, the youngest of the three court-martialed men. Jack Thompson is also memorable as the country lawyer who defends the men. These actors' performances are what make the film so affecting, giving the story both humanity and terrible sadness. Unlike the injustice portrayed in Breaker Morant, the sympathy we feel for its victims is not a given; instead, it is earned. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
 

Bruce Beresford: Academy, Best Adapted Screenplay (nominated) David Stevens: Academy, Best Adapted Screenplay (nominated) Jack Thompson: Cannes Film Festival, Best Supporting Actor (winner) Jonathan Hardy: Academy, Best Adapted Screenplay (nominated)

Australian Film Institute Awards, Best Film (winner) Golden Globe, Best Foreign Film (nominated) National Board of Review, Best Picture (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English Subtitle Options: Spanish Sound Processing: DDM2.0: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (Recorded in mono, but split to give the illusion of a stereo mix on home theater systems). Additional Features: New high definition transfer Documentary: The Boer War Original 30-second radio spot DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1: Alternate Wide Screen MPAA Rating: PG DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: Content Length: 107 min