Gallipoli
by
Ardil
Gallipoli (1981) is a movie directed by Peter Weir, starring Mel Gibson and Mark Lee.[1] It attempts to demonstrate the Australian view of the Gallipoli Campaign. This movie showed problems in the upper command of the Gallipoli Campaign through the plot. It also depicts the role of propaganda in encouraging men to enlist, and uses cinematographic techniques to contrast the attitudes of those at home with the realities of war. The skillful acting and exceptional cinematography earned Gallipoli numerous awards from various institutions, such as the Australian Film Institute’s Best Cinematography, Best Achievement in Sound, and Best Screenplay awards.[2] The overall message of the film on the horrors and deceptiveness of war is still relevant, nearly forty years later.
In the movie, the Australians are sent to their death by Col. Robinson, a commander who seems not to care about the number of Australian lives lost. Later on, the men are forced to sacrifice themselves to the Turkish machine guns, in order to allow the British Navy to attack. The film depicts numerous errors by the upper command, including the failure to synchronize their watches, which allows the Turks to re-assume defensive positions before the men attack. In the movie, the men are ordered to continue the attack, even though Turkish machine gunners await the troops’ emergence. In a later scene, every one of the soldiers knows that he will not return home. One soldier writes a letter to his wife saying that “When you get this you will know that I have died in the service of my country.” A runner sent to the General races back with the message that the attack is being reconsidered, but he arrives just as the last wave attacks on its suicidal mission. This hopelessness shows the failure of leadership for the Gallipoli campaign.
This movie also highlights the rôle of British propaganda in the Australians’ initiative to enlist. Despite the miserable conditions and outcomes, newspapers praise Australian troops on their “Splendid Gallantry” and “Magnificent Achievement.” The newspaper presented in the film is fake, which can be discovered by the date listed, which is “Monday, April 30, 1915.” April 30, 1915 fell on a Friday. However, it is representative of the newspaper propaganda articles that were commonplace, such as one example in the 15 May 1915 issue of the Riverine Herald, an excerpt of which can be found in Appendix A, along with its transcription.[3] This propagandistic journalism had mixed effects on the feelings of Australians.
The mixed feelings of Australian citizens toward the war are emphasized in a scene in which Frank and Archy, the main characters debate whether or not Frank should enlist. Archy urges him in, claiming that he’s “got to be in it,” whereas Frank points out that it is a “free country,” and he should do as he believes best.[4] When asked by another traveler how the war started, Archy replies that “I don’t know exactly, but it was the Germans’ fault.” This tries to depict the effectiveness of the selective journalism practiced by the British newspapers on their Australian audience. The traveler then asks “What it’s got to do with us,” to which Archy responds that “If we can’t stop them there, they could end up here!” The traveller replies, “And they’re welcome to it.”[5] Later, they stay at a house at the desert’s edge, where a toast is drunk to the Australian Light Horse (i.e. cavalry). When Frank admits that he is not joining up, he is scolded by an elderly woman, and shunned by a beautiful girl.[6] Later that night, he decides to enlist.[7] Through this scene, the directors help the audience feel the immense pressure to enlist that able-bodied men faced. However, another factor that plays into whether someone volunteers for the armed services is the attitudes of their loved ones.
The movie highlights the difference in patriotism between those who had close relatives in the armed forces or considering joining and those who did not. Archy’s relatives mostly do not wish him to enlist. Archy’s Uncle Jack opposes Archy’s wish to go to war, saying at one point “You know there’s no hope your father and mother will let you go, so what’s the point in talking about it?”[8] He attempts, on several occasions, to dissuade him. However, he does not stop Archy when he actually goes to enlist. The head of the house across the desert, on the other hand, has no family members in the armed forces. He says that if he had a son, he would have joined too.[9] This is a cheap self-righteousness, since he does not have a son, and therefore does not have much to lose.[10] Another example of those who risked their lives is the railroad workers. They decided to enlist, partly because they felt it their patriotic duty, but also because “nothing could be worse than this here,”[11] and because “the ladies go wild over a uniform.”[12] In the film, mostly, those with pro-war patriotic feelings either felt it their duty, or had nothing to lose by having those feelings. The increased appeal to the fairer sex was not lost on the young would-be heroes. However, more important than the characters’ feelings are the viewers’ feelings, and how they are manipulated.
One way the movie director, Peter Weir, manipulates the viewers is the lighting. During the first time that Jack tried to dissuade Archy from going to war, the scene is dark. However, when the railroad workers decide to enlist, the scene is bright. Mostly, the scenes are light when pro-war, and dark when anti-war. However, that reverses when the troops actually reach the war front. Suddenly, the mood changes, and the enlistees realize how terrible the war truly is. This is emphasized by both dark lighting and sad music.
Another contrast between the movie’s representations of the home front and the war is the music. For the home scenes in Australia, much of the music played is very upbeat, just as the the lighting is bright. In contrast, the battlefield scenes have a mournful tune. Abruptly, during the landing at Alexandria, the primary score switches to Tomaso Albinoni’s Adagio in G minor, a sad and brooding piece of music. At the same time, the lighting dims to darkness. The use of lighting and music contrasts the horrifying reality the troops encounter at the front with all of the positive feelings that were directed toward the war at the beginning of the movie.
The film alluded to a Greek myth: the Light Horse’s wooden horse that was rolled onto the field for recruitment purposes finds classical inspiration in Virgil’s Trojan Horse.[13] This allusion may be communicating that the war itself was a Trojan Horse: it was taken in (that is, enlisted in) with rejoicing, yet it spelled out certain death. However, there was one part of the film that should have meant death for the soldiers, yet did not.
One surprising aspect of the movie is a scene that violates the laws of physics. The soldiers are swimming, and shells enter the water and explode above them as they dive. They are very close to the explosions, close enough to have a solder be hit by shrapnel traveling through the water at speeds fast enough to cut him. Considering water’s high viscosity, they must also therefore be very close to the pressure wave generated by the explosion. On land, the shrapnel is more dangerous than the pressure, as air has low viscosity and is also highly compressible, meaning that the blast wave will disperse relatively quickly and lose force rapidly with distance. However, water is not anywhere close to as compressible as air, and so the pressure wave underwater would compress a person’s air-filled cavities, such as lungs, in such a way that the person would certainly die.[14],[15]
Despite this small error, this was an excellent film, well-deserving of its numerous awards, such as the Australian Film Institute’s Best Film and Best Actor in a Lead Role.[16] It is highly commended by experts and amateurs alike.[17] This is no doubt due to the excellent acting, and the truly exceptional manipulation of emotions. This movie showed a very interesting viewpoint of Gallipoli, and it had an unforgettable ending. Gallipoli is truly a beautiful work of art.
Appendix A
Newspaper image can be seen below:
[Image pending permission for use]
Transcription:
Australians' Baptism of Fire.
The blood is stirred, the heart it swells,
Emotions-words can ne'r cornvey;
Australians near the Dardanelles
Are heroes of the present day.
A mingling sense of pride and grief
Pervades our inmost soul
Grief through noble lives beng brief,
Proud of their honor role.
A withering blast, a hail of fire,
Caused many a man to fall,
But grit displayed by the British sire
Was shown by one and all.
No hail of fire, no wall of steel,
Their courage could subdue;
The Turks like drunken men did reel,
Like beaten men withdrew.
And soon they reached commanding heights,
Renewed attacks to meet;
Though pressed by day with sleepless nights,
They'll never know defeat.
Onr Empire's honor they'll maintain,
Whate'er their fortunes be;
To live or die they'll not complain
God grant them victory.
-I. MARTIN.
12515. __________
The line above probably is the date 12/5/15, or May 12, 1915 because they were using the European style of writing dates. Also, the newspaper issue that this was published in was the May 15, 1915 issue, so it would not be possible for a poem in it to be written on Dec 5, 1915.
Sources
Footnotes
[1] “Gallipoli (1981),” IMDB, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082432/?ref_=tttr_tr_tt, (accessed March 29, 2018).
[2] “Gallipoli Awards,” IMDB, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082432/awards?ref_=tt_ql_op_1, (accessed March 31, 2018).
[3] I. Martin, “Australians’ Baptism of Fire,”Riverine Herald, May 15, 1915, Page 4. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/89756803?searchTerm=
[4] Gallipoli (0:32:25)
[5] Gallipoli (0:37:15)
[6] Gallipoli (0:39:24)
[7] Gallipoli (0:40:08)
[8] Gallipoli (0:10:50)
[9] Gallipoli (0:39:15)
[10] Other male family members are possible too, though not explicitly mentioned.
[11] Gallipoli (0:15:10)
[12] Gallipoli (0:15:36)
[13] Gallipoli, 0h:22m:51s
[14] “How to Survive a Grenade Blast,” Youtube, Mark Rober, April 6, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4DnuQOtA8E, (accessed March 30, 2018).
[15] “Underwater Blast Injuries,” Scubadoc’s Diving Medicine Online, October 6, 2010, http://www.scuba-doc.com/uwblast.html, (accessed March 31, 2018).
[16] “Gallipoli Awards,” IMDB, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082432/awards?ref_=tt_ql_op_1, (accessed March 31, 2018).
[17] “Gallipoli User Reviews,” IMDB, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082432/reviews?ref_=tt_ql_3, (accessed March 31, 2018)
In the movie, the Australians are sent to their death by Col. Robinson, a commander who seems not to care about the number of Australian lives lost. Later on, the men are forced to sacrifice themselves to the Turkish machine guns, in order to allow the British Navy to attack. The film depicts numerous errors by the upper command, including the failure to synchronize their watches, which allows the Turks to re-assume defensive positions before the men attack. In the movie, the men are ordered to continue the attack, even though Turkish machine gunners await the troops’ emergence. In a later scene, every one of the soldiers knows that he will not return home. One soldier writes a letter to his wife saying that “When you get this you will know that I have died in the service of my country.” A runner sent to the General races back with the message that the attack is being reconsidered, but he arrives just as the last wave attacks on its suicidal mission. This hopelessness shows the failure of leadership for the Gallipoli campaign.
This movie also highlights the rôle of British propaganda in the Australians’ initiative to enlist. Despite the miserable conditions and outcomes, newspapers praise Australian troops on their “Splendid Gallantry” and “Magnificent Achievement.” The newspaper presented in the film is fake, which can be discovered by the date listed, which is “Monday, April 30, 1915.” April 30, 1915 fell on a Friday. However, it is representative of the newspaper propaganda articles that were commonplace, such as one example in the 15 May 1915 issue of the Riverine Herald, an excerpt of which can be found in Appendix A, along with its transcription.[3] This propagandistic journalism had mixed effects on the feelings of Australians.
The mixed feelings of Australian citizens toward the war are emphasized in a scene in which Frank and Archy, the main characters debate whether or not Frank should enlist. Archy urges him in, claiming that he’s “got to be in it,” whereas Frank points out that it is a “free country,” and he should do as he believes best.[4] When asked by another traveler how the war started, Archy replies that “I don’t know exactly, but it was the Germans’ fault.” This tries to depict the effectiveness of the selective journalism practiced by the British newspapers on their Australian audience. The traveler then asks “What it’s got to do with us,” to which Archy responds that “If we can’t stop them there, they could end up here!” The traveller replies, “And they’re welcome to it.”[5] Later, they stay at a house at the desert’s edge, where a toast is drunk to the Australian Light Horse (i.e. cavalry). When Frank admits that he is not joining up, he is scolded by an elderly woman, and shunned by a beautiful girl.[6] Later that night, he decides to enlist.[7] Through this scene, the directors help the audience feel the immense pressure to enlist that able-bodied men faced. However, another factor that plays into whether someone volunteers for the armed services is the attitudes of their loved ones.
The movie highlights the difference in patriotism between those who had close relatives in the armed forces or considering joining and those who did not. Archy’s relatives mostly do not wish him to enlist. Archy’s Uncle Jack opposes Archy’s wish to go to war, saying at one point “You know there’s no hope your father and mother will let you go, so what’s the point in talking about it?”[8] He attempts, on several occasions, to dissuade him. However, he does not stop Archy when he actually goes to enlist. The head of the house across the desert, on the other hand, has no family members in the armed forces. He says that if he had a son, he would have joined too.[9] This is a cheap self-righteousness, since he does not have a son, and therefore does not have much to lose.[10] Another example of those who risked their lives is the railroad workers. They decided to enlist, partly because they felt it their patriotic duty, but also because “nothing could be worse than this here,”[11] and because “the ladies go wild over a uniform.”[12] In the film, mostly, those with pro-war patriotic feelings either felt it their duty, or had nothing to lose by having those feelings. The increased appeal to the fairer sex was not lost on the young would-be heroes. However, more important than the characters’ feelings are the viewers’ feelings, and how they are manipulated.
One way the movie director, Peter Weir, manipulates the viewers is the lighting. During the first time that Jack tried to dissuade Archy from going to war, the scene is dark. However, when the railroad workers decide to enlist, the scene is bright. Mostly, the scenes are light when pro-war, and dark when anti-war. However, that reverses when the troops actually reach the war front. Suddenly, the mood changes, and the enlistees realize how terrible the war truly is. This is emphasized by both dark lighting and sad music.
Another contrast between the movie’s representations of the home front and the war is the music. For the home scenes in Australia, much of the music played is very upbeat, just as the the lighting is bright. In contrast, the battlefield scenes have a mournful tune. Abruptly, during the landing at Alexandria, the primary score switches to Tomaso Albinoni’s Adagio in G minor, a sad and brooding piece of music. At the same time, the lighting dims to darkness. The use of lighting and music contrasts the horrifying reality the troops encounter at the front with all of the positive feelings that were directed toward the war at the beginning of the movie.
The film alluded to a Greek myth: the Light Horse’s wooden horse that was rolled onto the field for recruitment purposes finds classical inspiration in Virgil’s Trojan Horse.[13] This allusion may be communicating that the war itself was a Trojan Horse: it was taken in (that is, enlisted in) with rejoicing, yet it spelled out certain death. However, there was one part of the film that should have meant death for the soldiers, yet did not.
One surprising aspect of the movie is a scene that violates the laws of physics. The soldiers are swimming, and shells enter the water and explode above them as they dive. They are very close to the explosions, close enough to have a solder be hit by shrapnel traveling through the water at speeds fast enough to cut him. Considering water’s high viscosity, they must also therefore be very close to the pressure wave generated by the explosion. On land, the shrapnel is more dangerous than the pressure, as air has low viscosity and is also highly compressible, meaning that the blast wave will disperse relatively quickly and lose force rapidly with distance. However, water is not anywhere close to as compressible as air, and so the pressure wave underwater would compress a person’s air-filled cavities, such as lungs, in such a way that the person would certainly die.[14],[15]
Despite this small error, this was an excellent film, well-deserving of its numerous awards, such as the Australian Film Institute’s Best Film and Best Actor in a Lead Role.[16] It is highly commended by experts and amateurs alike.[17] This is no doubt due to the excellent acting, and the truly exceptional manipulation of emotions. This movie showed a very interesting viewpoint of Gallipoli, and it had an unforgettable ending. Gallipoli is truly a beautiful work of art.
Appendix A
Newspaper image can be seen below:
[Image pending permission for use]
Transcription:
Australians' Baptism of Fire.
The blood is stirred, the heart it swells,
Emotions-words can ne'r cornvey;
Australians near the Dardanelles
Are heroes of the present day.
A mingling sense of pride and grief
Pervades our inmost soul
Grief through noble lives beng brief,
Proud of their honor role.
A withering blast, a hail of fire,
Caused many a man to fall,
But grit displayed by the British sire
Was shown by one and all.
No hail of fire, no wall of steel,
Their courage could subdue;
The Turks like drunken men did reel,
Like beaten men withdrew.
And soon they reached commanding heights,
Renewed attacks to meet;
Though pressed by day with sleepless nights,
They'll never know defeat.
Onr Empire's honor they'll maintain,
Whate'er their fortunes be;
To live or die they'll not complain
God grant them victory.
-I. MARTIN.
12515. __________
The line above probably is the date 12/5/15, or May 12, 1915 because they were using the European style of writing dates. Also, the newspaper issue that this was published in was the May 15, 1915 issue, so it would not be possible for a poem in it to be written on Dec 5, 1915.
Sources
- “Gallipoli (1981).” IMDB. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082432/?ref_=tttr_tr_tt (accessed March 29, 2018).
- “How to Survive a Grenade Blast.” Youtube, Mark Rober, April 6, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4DnuQOtA8E (accessed March 30, 2018).
- Martin, I. “Australians’ Baptism of Fire.” Riverine Herald, May 15, 1915, Page 4. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/89756803?searchTerm=
- “Underwater Blast Injuries.” Scubadoc’s Diving Medicine Online. October 6, 2010. http://www.scuba-doc.com/uwblast.html (accessed March 31, 2018).
Footnotes
[1] “Gallipoli (1981),” IMDB, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082432/?ref_=tttr_tr_tt, (accessed March 29, 2018).
[2] “Gallipoli Awards,” IMDB, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082432/awards?ref_=tt_ql_op_1, (accessed March 31, 2018).
[3] I. Martin, “Australians’ Baptism of Fire,”Riverine Herald, May 15, 1915, Page 4. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/89756803?searchTerm=
[4] Gallipoli (0:32:25)
[5] Gallipoli (0:37:15)
[6] Gallipoli (0:39:24)
[7] Gallipoli (0:40:08)
[8] Gallipoli (0:10:50)
[9] Gallipoli (0:39:15)
[10] Other male family members are possible too, though not explicitly mentioned.
[11] Gallipoli (0:15:10)
[12] Gallipoli (0:15:36)
[13] Gallipoli, 0h:22m:51s
[14] “How to Survive a Grenade Blast,” Youtube, Mark Rober, April 6, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4DnuQOtA8E, (accessed March 30, 2018).
[15] “Underwater Blast Injuries,” Scubadoc’s Diving Medicine Online, October 6, 2010, http://www.scuba-doc.com/uwblast.html, (accessed March 31, 2018).
[16] “Gallipoli Awards,” IMDB, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082432/awards?ref_=tt_ql_op_1, (accessed March 31, 2018).
[17] “Gallipoli User Reviews,” IMDB, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082432/reviews?ref_=tt_ql_3, (accessed March 31, 2018)