Gift for Detail

Director Beresford seems on the whole to be well in control, and he has a great gift for detail. This shows up particularly well in the Boer attack on the fortress where the trial is taking place. We see the cluster of troop tents in the early morning sunlight, and coming down the hills in the background a line of horsemen, all in absolute silence. We see a couple of shots of individual attackers, one sporting a cigar; later we see the same man lighting bombs with that same cigar.

The plot is clear enough, not running into the problem that most attempts at filming historical events run into, that of having too many characters. But the point that is supposed to be made by it is not so clear. Obviously there is a strong element of Aussie republicanism in it, the historical exactitude of which I doubt, but precedent says it's no sin to put modern attitudes in what purports to be a historical film.

Simply Anti-War

However, the film seems to steer clear of the whole question of South Africa and the Boer war; and ultimately seems to say that regardless of where the war was and why it was fought, the Aussies shouldn't have been in it.

Perhaps however, one should not look too closely at this, for the film has so many other strong points that it is unfair to make more of this problem than is really warranted. It is a good, strong film, with very little of that rather embarrassing stuff that makes you think "this is very good - for Australia". Breaker Morant is good for anywhere, and is recommended.

S.D.