Breaker Morant (1979)

[trekgeezer]

This is one of those films I've heard about for years, but never actually seen. I'm glad now that I caught it on TCM last night.

Although it takes place during the Boer War, this film has a timeless theme which is very relavent especially now with our so-called "war on terror".

If you haven't seen this movie, it is based on fact (although, as with most historical dramas, the facts are often muddled). It tells the story of three Australian lieutenants who are court martialed for murdering Boer prisoners and a German clergyman, even though they claim to have been following orders.

Harry "Breaker" Morant (Edward Woodward), Peter Handcock (Bryan Brown), and George Witton (Lewis Fitz-Gerald) are put through a sham trial to cover up for their superiors misdeeds. They're given a defense attorney (Jack Thompson) whose only experience is real estate deals and writing wills, but who manages to put up more of a defense than the powers that be thought him capable of. The one senior officer who might have cleared them is transfered to India. Eventually Morant and Handcock are sent to the firing squad, while Witton has his sentence commuted to life in prison (from events in the film I could never understand why he was charged along with the other two). Witton only served less than three years when his sentence was overturned by the House of Commons.

The actors all do a great job, especially Woodward as Morant (I never knew he could sing so well). According to Robert Osborne on TCM the movie got a wide release in the US due to the failure of  Heaven's Gate (the movie that bankrupted MGM). The studio needed something to take it's place.

Breaker Morant was one of those larger than life, self-made characters that legends are made of. The movie definitely spurred my interest. There's an extensive article at Wikipedia about him.


Like I said the theme is timeless, junior officers or enlisted men serving as scape goats for their superiors. (think Mi lai or Abu-graib)

[Scott]

This is a great film Trek Geezer. I caught the end of it last night on TCM.

[The Burgomaster]

I saw this 3 or 4 times on HBO or Showtime or one of those channels way back in the early days of cable TV.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, but haven't seen it in many years.  Thanks for reminding me about it.

[Yaddo 42]

I need to see it again, now that I'm older and better able to understand the events and the politics of the story, also the accents would be less trouble for me now than they were then. I remember liking it but feeling a bit out of my depth at the time.

Have you seen "Paths of Glory" with Kirk Douglas from the mid 50s? Another great film about enlisted men and lower ranks being scapegoated to cover the mistakes, cowardice, and stupidity of their leaders, this time set in World War One.

[Ed, Ego and Superego]

I was just thinking about this film while mowing the other day.  I really enjoyed watching it, and have seen it several times.  It was a wonderfully effective film.  And it is scary how timelly the themes are.  

I am quite interested in the end of the 19th century.  Theer were all kinds of wars, and what would be called police actions today, that we just don't hear much about.  The Boer War(s), The Boxer Rebellion, etc  A lot of it was embarassingly Imperealistic, but I'm interested anyway.  
-Ed

[Newt]

Eek - I am feeling like a candidate for geezership here: I saw this film on the big screen when it was first released.  Excellent movie.  Definitely deserves more recognition.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Move over, Newt. I saw it in a theater on its original release as well, but in 1980.

As I understand it, it is based on a play called "'Breaker' Morant" by Kenneth Ross with additional material taken from "The Breaker" by Kit Denton. I haven't seen the play, but I have read "The Breaker," which is fairly close to the film, but goes into more detail.

Maybe because or not, like that other Australian film, which would come out the next year, "Gallipoli," there is an element of anti-Britishism in the film.

As a side note, after just seeing Nic Cage in "The Wicker Man," I realized how much of a better actor Edward Woodward is than Cage. As much as I enjoy watching Cage, basically, all the characters I have seen him play are the same. While Woodward always seems to be a different character. His character here is much different than his character in the original "Wicker Man," which is a much different character than his character in the television show "The Equalizer."

[Alan Smithee]

"So called 'war on terror'"- eh?

[Scott]

Some info about Breaker Morant.