DramaHistoryWar

Breaker Morant

- A powerful true story of bitter revenge...

During the Boer War, three Australian lieutenants are on trial for shooting Boer prisoners. 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 trial does not progress as smoothly as expected by the General Staff, as the defence puts up a strong fight in the courtroom.

Release Date : 1980-06-11

Language :AfrikaansEnglish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : South Australian Film Corporation

Production Country : Australia

Alternative Titles : Breaker Morant: Masterworks Edition

Cast

Character Name : Harry 'Breaker' Morant

Original Name : Edward Woodward

Gender : Male

Character Name : Major J.F. Thomas

Original Name : Jack Thompson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cpt. Alfred Taylor

Original Name : John Waters

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lt. Peter Handcock

Original Name : Bryan Brown

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lt. Col. Denny

Original Name : Charles Tingwell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cpt. Simon Hunt

Original Name : Terence Donovan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Col. Ian (Johnny) Hamilton

Original Name : Vincent Ball

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sar. Maj. Drummond

Original Name : Ray Meagher

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cpl. Sharp

Original Name : Chris Haywood

Gender : Male

Character Name : Christiaan Botha

Original Name : Russell Kiefel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lt. George Witton

Original Name : Lewis Fitz-Gerald

Gender : Male

Character Name : Major Charles Bolton

Original Name : Rod Mullinar

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lord Kitchener

Original Name : Alan Cassell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cpt. Robertson

Original Name : Rob Steele

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cameron Sargeant

Original Name : Chris Smith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reverend Hesse

Original Name : Bruno Knez

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boer Leader

Original Name : John Pfitzner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Johnson

Original Name : Frank Wilson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Visser

Original Name : Michael Procanin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Court Reporter

Original Name : Ray Ball

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lt. Reed

Original Name : Wayne Bell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Black Guide

Original Name : Halifa Cisse

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boer Singer

Original Name : Norman Currer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hunt's Sister

Original Name : Bridget Cornish

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Shiels

Original Name : Judy Dick

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs. Vanderberg

Original Name : Barbara West

Gender : Female

Character Name : Boer Girl

Original Name : Ria Erskine

Gender : Male

Character Name : B/M Thomas

Original Name : Ian Gray

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boer Pianist

Original Name : Sylvia Horseman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cpt. Nicholson

Original Name : Dick Henderson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Scots Sentry

Original Name : Alan Lovett

Gender : Male

Character Name : B/M Little

Original Name : Trevor Mann

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lt. Baxter

Original Name : Jon Nicholls

Gender : Male

Character Name : Minister

Original Name : Peter Osborn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Feist

Original Name : Ron Peterson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Witton's Father

Original Name : Don Quin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boer Girl

Original Name : Maria Reed

Gender : Male

Character Name : English Orderly

Original Name : Ron Rodger

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boer Girl

Original Name : Nellie Seidel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Judge Advocate

Original Name : Laurie Walton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Large Boer

Original Name : Hank Bernard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Handcock's Wife

Original Name : Elspeth Radford

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-06-07

Told by way of a court retrospective, this film depicts the brutalities of the Boer War between the British Colonial authorities and the immigrant Dutch farmers who just wanted to be left to govern themselves. Though largely suppressed by the overwhelming military force, the Boers did have success with guerrilla tactics that resulted in the pretty brutal skirmishes described here. A court martial has been constituted to investigate the activities of three Australian solders and to basically scapegoat them. Only the legal skills of the inexperienced lawyer "Maj. Thomas" (Jack Thompson) can hope to prevent the three from going to the gallows. What soon becomes clear is that the soldiers lead by "Morant" (Edward Woodward) were certainly no saints, and that the ghastliness of this war is writ pretty largely, but what it also identifies is the complicity of their otherwise "civilised" officers. It's got a solid cast, the dialogue is gritty and plausible, the cinematography presents us with the grand scale of the South African countryside and of the often rather subsistence existence of farmers and soldiers alike, and as the momentum builds, Australian director Bruce Beresford manages to sustain a fair degree of interest in the future of the accused and take quite a swipe at the colonial mentalities that prevailed at the time (and not just the British ones) too. Well worth a watch.