A true story of injustice and the horror of war. Full Review | Original Score: A+ Ken Hanke Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) Synopsis In South Africa during the Second Boer War, Australian Army Lieutenants Harry "Breaker" Morant (Edward Woodward), Peter Handcock (Bryan Brown) and George Witton (Lewis Fitz-Gerald) stand accused of the murders of six Boer prisoners and the assassination of … Equally contemptuous of the idea, Bolton privately tells Thomas that, if Kitchener testifies and denies giving the orders, the defendants' lives will be doomed. Handcock smiles and says, "Me". Denny comments that there will be no more talk of orders to shoot prisoners. They celebrate, believing they have escaped the death penalty but Taylor takes Morant aside and tells him that he and Handcock are almost certainly going to be shot. AKA: 'Breaker' Morant. On stand, Morant explains that Heese was under orders to never speak to prisoners while passing through Fort Edward and violated them. On Demand ... Lt Harry `Breaker' Morant Edward Woodward. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing Breaker Morant near you. Without further ado, Denny reads the indictment. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. [15], During his conversation with Handcock and Witton in the prison courtyard, Morant alleges that the British Army has marked them for death "ever since they arrested us at Fort Edward" but their arrests took place elsewhere. The three stand accused of the murder of a Boer prisoner named Denys Visser (Michael Procanin Bernosky) and the subsequent shooting of six other captured Boers whose names are unknown. They obey his order. The next morning, as Witton is led away, Morant tells him "we are the scapegoats of Empire". On cross examination, Bolton damages Taylor by forcing him to admit that he is also awaiting court martial for shooting prisoners. Great film (one of my favorites!). But, they're looking at a [then] twenty-year-old movie. [13][14], After listing numerous murders and attempted murders of unarmed Boer prisoners, local civilians and BVC personnel who disapproved, the letter concluded, "Sir, many of us are Australians who have fought throughout nearly the whole war while others are Africaners who have fought from Colenso till now. One prisoner runs at Witton, who kills him. "Breaker Morant" is an anti-war film that takes no prisoners. The following day, Hamilton takes the stand and denies ever having spoken to Captain Hunt. It opened and closed in America in less than a week. A Corporal Sharp testifies that, shortly before the massacre of the six Boers, Heese had passed through Fort Edward in a buggy. We would ask whether due process was present, after accounting for the exigencies of the battlefield. Whenever I am in Los Angeles, it's always on TV. (1980). Other prosecution witnesses have been thrown out of the Bushveldt Carbineers by the defendants for looting, drunkenness and other offences. Breaker Morant is a 1980 Australian war drama film directed by Bruce Beresford, who co-wrote the screenplay based on Kenneth G. Ross's 1978 play of the same name.[3][4][5]. After the success of Breaker Morant, Beresford was offered dozens of Hollywood scripts including Tender Mercies, which he later directed. Breaker Morant (DVD) : Following the brutal death of a British captain in the Boer War in South Africa in 1901, Lt. Harry Morant leads his unit in pursuit of the Boers, attacks their camp, and has a captive executed. [19], Rotten Tomatoes gave Breaker Morant a 100% approval rating, based on 23 reviews, with an average score of 8.39/10. An outraged Morant stands up and yells that the Colonel is a liar. Shortly after his departure, Handcock had ridden up to Morant, spoken briefly to him and then ridden off, looking "agitated", in the same direction as Heese, with a rifle. The Carbineers were organized and charged with routing Boer Guerrillas who employed embarrassing hit and run tactics against British regulars; English vs German war, basically. The IMDb editors are anxiously awaiting these delayed 2020 movies. This is based, on part, on a real case--though how closely they stick to the original is uncertain.While most of the film takes place during the court martials, through flashbacks you see many of the events that led up to the trials. Use the HTML below. Breaker Morant is a beautiful antiwar statement — a plea for the end of the intrigues and crimes that war entails". There now will be a peace conference and every British and Colonial will be going home. After Morant stands down, Thomas requests and is granted a brief recess to confer with Handcock before putting him on the stand. He offers to have a horse ready and says that many of the Highland Scots guards are sympathetic. It's the pressures that are put to bear on people in war time... Look at all the things that happen in these countries committed by people who appear to be quite normal. This, the excellent writing and acting make for a very good film--one well worth seeing--even if it is a bit stagy (belying its roots as a play). During the Boer War, three Australian lieutenants are on trial for shooting Boer prisoners. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Boardroom and dressing-room intrigues spill on to the field at the Australian Rules football club. After returning to the farm and finding Captain Hunt's body mutilated with knives, Morant gave chase, ambushed Viljoen's men, and forced them to retreat with many losses. To this end, a few soldiers "have to be sacrificed" for the misdeeds of the British Army. As both men are seated for their execution, Morant shouts, "Shoot straight, you bastards! ENTER CITY, STATE OR ZIP CODE GO. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? In this case, the good men are Australian and British Army officers ordered to suppress the guerrilla tactics of Boer freedom fighters during the Second South African War. As Bolton eyes him, Thomas produces signed depositions from the women to confirm Handcock's story. A small town solicitor from New South Wales in civilian life, Major Thomas explains that he has never handled anything except legal documents like wills. But what was interesting about it was that it analysed why men in this situation would behave as they had never behaved before in their lives. A woman trying to find love. Check out what we'll be watching in 2021. I'm a pagan.Sentry: And you?Peter Handcock: What's a pagan?Harry Morant: Well... it's somebody who doesn't believe there's a divine being dispensing justice to mankind.Peter Handcock: I'm a pagan, too.Harry Morant: There is an epitaph I'd like: Matthew 10:36. When the patrol returned to Fort Edward without Captain Hunt, Intelligence Corps Captain Alfred Taylor (John Waters) suggests Morant "avenge Captain Hunt". On 5 April 1901, Morant's friend, Captain Simon Hunt, had led a group of men to a farmhouse at Duiwelskloof intending to capture or kill Boer Commando Field Cornet Barend Viljoen. The following morning, Handcock testifies that, when he left Fort Edward, he had travelled to the homes of two married Afrikaner women to 'entertain' them. ''Scapegoats of the Empire'' is the title of a book by someone who survived the affair on which ''Breaker Morant,'' a new Australian movie with a dependably old-fashioned manner, is based. There are facts intermingled with fiction. Now he is trying to win the hearts and minds of the Afrikaner people and arrange a peace conference. Morant explains that the Bushveldt Carbineers represent a new kind of warfare "for a new century". Written by Unmoved, Morant insists that his commanding officer already knew and suggests that he be recalled from India to testify. Taylor testifies that Captain Hunt had paid a visit to Kitchener's headquarters. Breaker Morant (1980) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Next morning, the defendants are sentenced to death, with Witton's commuted to "life in penal servitude". Breaker Morant is a devastating depiction of the atrocities of war, both during and after the fighting. In private Kitchener tells Hamilton that, when he had issued orders to take no prisoners, he was trying to break the Boer guerrillas by waging total war. Company leadership is enforcing new measures in order to tighten security. Though they acted under orders, they are being used as scapegoats by the General Staff, who hopes to distance themselves from the irregular practices of the war. Questions raised in the House of Commons on 8 April 1902 were answered by an insistence that the War Office, the Foreign Office, or Lord Kitchener had not received "any such communication on this subject" "on behalf of the German government". [1] The movie was the second of two films Beresford intended to make for the South Australian Film Corporation. Despite being attached to the Berlin Missionary Society, Heese had been born in Cape Colony and "was, technically speaking, a British, and not a German citizen". The trial does not progress as smoothly as expected by the General Staff, as the defence puts up a strong fight in the courtroom. Don is a schoolteacher living with his wife Kath and baby son in suburban Melbourne. I always get amazed when people say to me that this is a film about poor Australians who were framed by the Brits.[23]. So deeply do we deplore the opprobrium which must be inseparably attached to these crimes that scarcely a man once his time is up can be prevailed to re-enlist in this corps. Great movie that we saw played out in the American conflict in Afghanistan. A great memorable quote from the 'Breaker' Morant movie on Quotes.net - Sentry: Do you want the padre?Harry Morant: No, thank you. Both the Boers (Dutch South African farmers) and the British committed a lot of nasty atrocities and many of the standards conduct during warfare were violated in the course of this war. A seething Handcock replied that anything could happen on the way there, had ridden after Heese and shot him. Plot– In Transvaal, Boers and British fight each other. We cannot return home with the stigma of these crimes attached to our names. Watch Breaker Morant movie trailer and get the latest cast info, photos, movie review and more on TVGuide.com. He is also described as having been sent to India to prevent him from giving testimony favourable to the defence. Saying, "The gentlemen's war is over", Hunt had had the prisoners all shot while Morant watched. During the Boer War, three Australian lieutenants are on trial for shooting Boer prisoners. Regardless, what is clear is that the court really seems to want nothing more than to make examples of these men.Not surprisingly, "Breaker Morant" struck a chord with many who fought in Vietnam and recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is also told that London and the Australian Government support the verdict and sentences. After the letter Hall summoned all Fort Edward officers and non-commissioned officers to Pietersburg on 21 October 1901. According to the South African historian Charles Leach, the legend that the German Foreign Office protested about the case "cannot be proved through official channels". All were met by a party of mounted infantry five miles outside Pietersburg on the morning of 23 October 1901 and "brought into town like criminals". Does Breaker Morant demonstrate what happens when due process is not observed?[22]. Captain Hunt was wounded, pinned down by enemy fire and left behind when he ordered his men to retreat. The best quotes from 'Breaker' Morant (1980). Also we beg that all witnesses may be kept in camp at Pietersburg till the inquiry is finished. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. He is told that three officers of the Bushveldt Carbineers—lieutenants Harry Morant (Edward Woodward), Peter Handcock (Bryan Brown) and George Witton (Lewis Fitz-Gerald)—have been arrested and charged with the murder of captured Boers and a German missionary. They are accused of killing prisoners of war. And in London, I remember it had four days in the West End. [24][25], A soundtrack was released by Cherry Pie Music (CPF 1046). Morant and Handcock are charged with the murder of the Reverend Daniel Heese. The testimony then turns to the shooting of Visser, which is shown in flashback. Late into the night, Thomas pleads with Handcock to tell him the truth, calling the Heese murder "the most serious charge". After a powerful summing up speech from Thomas, the defendants are acquitted of murdering Heese. It's a film that people talk about to me all the time. Sgt Maj Drummond Ray Meagher. According to the Australian historians Margaret Carnegie and Frank Shields, Morant and Handcock rejected an offer of immunity from prosecution in return for turning king's evidence. Movie Info In South Africa during the Second Boer War, Australian Army Lieutenants Harry "Breaker" Morant (Edward Woodward), Peter Handcock (Bryan Brown) … Trusting for the credit of thinking you will grant the inquiry we seek". Ruairi O’Connor to Play Buddy Holly in ‘Clear Lake’ Biopic (Exclusive), Cult Classics Like ‘Black Christmas,’ ‘Caged Heat,’ and ‘Chopping Mall’ Could Be Headed to a Theater Near You, Bryan Brown honoured with the Longford Lyell Award, Military Courtroom and Investigation films, Top 25 Legal Movies (According to the ABA), Weekend Edition: Episode dated 17 October 2020, Market Square Museum, Market Square, Burra, South Australia, Australia. Morant ordered them disarmed, lined them up, and had them shot. Handcock quips, "Might come in handy". Funding came from the SAFC, the Australian Film Commission, the Seven Network and PACT Productions. Bennett, C., "Breaker Morant: a veldt Vietnam", "Kangaroo Court: On Bruce Beresford's Breaker Morant", "Film Victoria – Australian Films at the Australian Box Office", "Kangaroo Court: On Bruce Beresford's 'Breaker Morant'", Breaker Morant at the National Film and Sound Archive, Breaker Morant at the British Film Institute, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Breaker_Morant_(film)&oldid=999228896, Cultural depictions of Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener, Films based on works by Australian writers, Wikipedia articles with plot summary needing attention from July 2016, All Wikipedia articles with plot summary needing attention, Articles needing additional references from October 2015, All articles needing additional references, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from April 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, William Anderson, Jeanine Chiavlo, Phil Judd and Gary Wilkins, Jonathan Hardy, David Stevens and Bruce Beresford, Lieutenant Henry Picton, a British-born Australian officer of the Bushveldt Carbineers, was charged with Morant, Handcock and Witton with "committing the offense of murder" for delivering a, This page was last edited on 9 January 2021, at 03:19. Breaker Morant is a 1980 Australian war drama film directed by Bruce Beresford, who co-wrote the screenplay based on Kenneth G. Ross's 1978 play of the same name. On Demand . All are portrayed with British accents. He vainly urges Thomas not to insist. The film never pretended for a moment that they weren't guilty. A surviving photograph of Hunt also reveals that he was far younger than the actor who plays him on screen. A man who gave up on love. Australians serving in the British Army during the Second Anglo-Boer War, Morant, Handcock, and Witton stood accused of murdering captured enemy combatants and an unarmed civilian in the Northern Transvaal. Like the Boer War, soldiers had no idea who was and was not the enemy and vague or politically motivated rules of engagement made fighting very difficult. As court martial proceedings begin the following morning, Major Thomas argues, because his clients are Australians, that only the Australian Army can court martial them. It said they were guilty. Bruce Beresford claimed the film is often misunderstood as the story of men railroaded by the British, But that's not what it's about at all. Heese then left the Fort and was later found, shot dead, along the road. Concentration camps, a scorched earth policy and the like were used to subdue the Boers.In this film, three Commonwealth soldiers from Australia are up on charges for war crimes--they are charged with executing prisoners and the like. Though they acted under orders, they are being used as scapegoats by the General Staff, who hopes to distance themselves from the irregular practices of the war. The parallels are many--making this story rather timeless. Beresford said that Breaker Morant was not that successful commercially, Critically, it was important, which is a key factor, and it has kept being shown over the years. Also sign me up for FanMail to get updates on all things movies: tickets, special offers, screenings + more. The court and the prosecution accept the depositions without summoning the women to give evidence. At the time it never had an audience. Like the Clint Eastwood film Unforgiven or Gwyn Griffin's underrated novel "An Operational Necessity", Breaker Morant examines why good men do utterly evil things. In 1923, a local resident of British Colonial Nigeria tries to be equal with the colonial administration. During the Boer War, an English-Australian lieutenant is tried for war crimes after executing captured Boers and a German missionary. Breaker Morant is a dramatic film about three soldiers who undergo a court-martial after being accused of a murder during the Second Boer War in South Africa. The defence counsel, Major James Francis Thomas (Jack Thompson) meets Morant, Handcock and Witton the day before he is to represent them in court. '', breaker morant movie is inaccurately depicted as having been sent to India to testify Australian football! 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