Rhiannon Elizabeth Irons
“What are your legs?”
“Springs. Steel springs.”
“What are they going to do?”
“Hurl me down the track.”
“How fast can you run?”
“As fast as a leopard.”
“How fast are you going to run?”
“As fast as a leopard!”
“Then let’s see you do it!”
Right now, an entire generation of Australians have become misty eyed as they remember the final pep talk Archy Hamilton gave himself before he leapt out of the trenches and ran towards the Turks in the battle at Gallipoli.
I’m getting ahead of myself. G’Day, folks. And welcome to a new Retrospective piece, this time looking at one of the more influential war time films to come out of Australia. With ANZAC Day just around the corner on April 25th, it’s time to reflect on those who have fought proudly for the Australian way of life.
This is your only warning, there will be spoilers ahead.
Released in 1981, Gallipoli starred Mark Lee as Archy Hamilton, a top-notch sprinter from outback Western Australia, and Mel Gibson as Frank Dunne, a sprinter from the city. Frank rocks up to the track meet quite late, stating that he had been in the outback and wasn’t able to register for the race. He sweet talks his way in, even placing a bet on himself, before sidling up next to Archy. Being a local, Archy has the entire town supporting him, so when he crosses the line first, running the 100m under 10 seconds, he not only wins admiration from those who came to see the race, but also from Frank.
Despite their differences, Archy and Frank develop a close friendship. This friendship sees them take a journey to Perth. Archy, despite his young age, wants to sign up to the war, while Frank isn’t interested in joining. Despite his reluctance, Archy convinces Frank to sign up for the lighthorsemen. Frank doesn’t know how to ride so Archy gives him a crash course. In exchange for the horse riding lessons, Frank doctors Archy’s birth certificate, giving him a new identity so he’s old enough to be drafted.
When it comes time to prove their worth and sign up, Archy manages to sneak through, but Frank is unable to get the horse to move. Due to this, he fails to qualify for duty and Archy forges on without him.
Catching up in a bar with a few other friends, Frank finds a way to be drafted alongside them, eventually making his way over to Egypt. Cairo is bustling with soldiers from Britain, New Zealand, and Australia. True to form of how the world views Australians, our boys are brash and unrefined.
During this time, Frank and Archy are reunited, and find a way to join the same division so they can try their hardest to return home safely.
Seeing the destruction of shores of Gallipoli from the constant shelling is heartbreaking. The Turks and their allies managed to secure the cliffsides overlooking Suvla Bay, making their assault more destructive.
Following Archy and Frank as they navigate the trenches and the decaying bodies of their comrades in arms, the audience is given a harsh look at the realities of what soldiers face.
When Frank’s other friends are sent over the trenches in an assault attempt on the Turks, one of them is killed, while the other two are wounded. One is wounded so badly that his fate is ambiguous. A powerful reminder of the hells of war.
In the later stages of the film, Archy’s identity is uncovered. He’s asked to be a runner for messages from the British high commanders back to the trenches. He volunteers Frank to go in his place as he wants to stay and fight. Insisting that Frank is just fast as him, Archy convinces the captain to let him stay. Frank is sent on errands, racing through the trenches to deliver important messages.
The final scene is the most heartbreaking. As the men wait for the word, Archy is convinced they won’t be forced over the wall and onto the battlefield. As Frank is racing back, with word that they are not to go, the phone in the trenches rings and the British commanding officer, who has been in charge of the calls so far, gives the order to charge.
Archy gives himself his final pep talk, something he and his uncle use to do before every race.
Frank ploughs through the trenches just as the whistle blows. He’s too late.
Archy and his fellow ANZACs climb the walls and charge, being gunned down by the Turks heavy fire. The last image, a freeze frame of Archy being shot, pays homage to the famous photograph taken by Robert Capa during the Spanish Civil War.
Powerful. Traumatizing. Unforgettable.
Gallipoli is one of those films that you only ever need to see once as its imagery stays with you. It was shown to me in school when I was just ten years old. To this day, I have seen the film less than ten times, but if you ask me to recite Archy’s final words, I can do it in a heartbeat.
At the time of writing this Retrospective, 42 years have passed since this film was made. But that’s nothing in comparison to the 108 years that have passed since the events of the film took place.
At a cost of $2.8 million, this was the most expensive film produced at the time. It took three years for filmmakers to secure funding. The Australian government’s film agency refused to fund it, saying it was “not commercial.”
One of the producers was media mogul, Rupert Murdoch. His father Keith, had been a journalist in World War I. He visited Gallipoli briefly in September 1915, and became an influential agitator against how the British top brass conducted themselves during the battle. The Brits saw us as expendable, and this film emphasizes that in the final twenty minutes.
For a great deal of the cast and crew, ANZAC Day - the day in which Australia commemorates those who failed to come home - meant little more than a day off school. Working on this film made them realise its true significance. For audiences, the results were the same. Many saw ANZAC Day as simply a day off work, but after the release of Gallipoli, the fighting spirit of the ANZACs was brought to light. This spirit continues to thrive each April 25th as we gather in remembrance.
The film may have produced fictional characters, but it’s the power of those characters that has led to something greater. It led to respect for those who have faced the horrors of war. It led to respect for those who had fallen. It led to respect for those who still fight to this day.
They shall grow not old,
As we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them,
Nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun
And in the morning
We will remember them.
Lest we forget.