Gallipoli

A young Mel Gibson and Mark Lee give enormous heart to Peter Weir's disarmingly humanistic, antiwar film.

Two competitive sprinters – one a promising young stockman and the other an unemployed labourer – meet on the racetrack and forge an almost immediate bond. Archy (Mark Lee) is determined to enlist in World War I, against his family's wishes. Frank (Mel Gibson) definitely does not want to enlist, but with Archy's mind unwavering, Frank finds himself unable to part ways with his new friend.

Curator's note

Celebrated for many decades as one of the greatest Australia films of all time, Peter Weir's masterpiece (although not his only one) is a film that rewards on its first view, and demands to be returned to again and again.

To place Gallipoli within the sphere of the war film genre is perhaps too simplistic – very little of the film is actually set on the frontline and it's equally apt to describe Gallipoli as a film about competitive sprinting. In fairness though, neither description truly captures the compassionate heart of the film which is the relationship between the two men.

As a film name, "Gallipoli" carries an enormous amount to baggage for an Australian audience: concepts of national identity and militaristic adoration come to mind. However, the film's name is its greatest trojan horse trick – luring a war film audience, before unleashing the film's immense emotional power to break the hearts of viewers en masse with a narrative that verges on unspoken romantic tragedy.

– Reece Goodwin, Curator (Film & TV)