Gallipoli (1981 Film) - Plot

Plot

Western Australia, May 1915. Archy Hamilton (Mark Lee), an 19-year old stockman and prize-winning sprinter, longs to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force. He is trained by his Uncle Jack (Bill Kerr) and idolises Harry Lascelles, the world champion over 100 yards.

During a cattle roundup, Archy gets into an argument with local bully Les McCann (Harold Hopkins). They race against each other, under the condition that Archy will run bare-foot and Les will ride his horse bareback. Archy wins, but his feet are horribly mangled, only a few days before an athletics carnival.

Later, Archy listens as uncle reads The Jungle Book to the younger children of the family. The passage wherein Mowgli reaches manhood and must leave the wolves that raised him moves him deeply. Archy's political beliefs are influenced as well, as he hears several conversations taking place that convince him of the need to join the military. Eventually, Archy and Uncle Jack journey to the athletics carnival.

Meanwhile, Frank Dunne (Mel Gibson) is an unemployed railway labourer who has run out of money. He's a fast runner, though, and hopes to win the prize money at the athletics carnival. However, he is deeply impressed when Archy defeats him. As a result, Frank approaches Archy, who has been turned away from the enlistment board for being under age. Ultimately, he and Frank decide to travel to Perth to enlist. Before leaving, Archy gives all the prize money he won at the race and tells Jack that he will not be coming home for he had decided to enlist. Jack reluctantly lets Archy go on his way.

As Archy and Frank are flat broke, they secretly hop on a freight train only to awaken at an isolated station. They walk across the desert while debating politics. After receiving directions from a camel rider, Archy and Frank stop for the night at a nearby cattle station. Upon arriving in Perth, they arrange to stay with Frank's father, an Irish immigrant.

Due to his Irish heritage and general cynicism, Frank has little desire to fight for the British Empire. However, loyalty to Archy persuades him to try to enlist in the Light Horse. Unable to ride a horse, Frank enlists in the infantry with three co-workers from the railway: Bill (Robert Grubb), Barney (Tim McKenzie), and Snowy (David Argue). Many of the motivations for enlistment are revealed: wartime ultra-nationalism, anti-German propaganda, a sense of adventure, and the attraction of the uniform.

After enlisting, all soldiers embark on a transport ship bound for Cairo. Frank and Archy are separated and embark on different troopships.

In Egypt for training some months later, Frank and his fellow soldiers train near the Pyramids and spend their free time in Cairo, drinking and visiting brothels. During a training exercise, Frank and Archy meet once again; and Frank is able to transfer to the Light Horse, as they are now being sent to the Gallipoli peninsula as infantrymen.

Frank and Archy arrive at Anzac Cove in the dead of night and, over the next several days, endure the hardships and boredom of trench warfare. Frank's infantry friends fight in the Battle of Lone Pine on the evening of 6 August. Afterwards, a traumatized Billy tells Frank what happened to the others: Barney was shot and killed, and Snowy is in a hospital, but in such bad condition that he is denied food and water. His last request to Frank is that his diary be sent to his parents. The following morning, Archy and Frank are ordered to take part in the charge at the Nek, which is to act as a diversion in support of the British landing at Suvla Bay (note, this is not the historical reasoning for actual attack; see the Battle of the Nek).

Archy is ordered by their commander, Major Barton (Bill Hunter), to be the message runner. He declines the offer and recommends Frank for the role.

The 8th and 10th Light Horse attack in three waves across a narrow stretch of exposed ground defended by Turkish machine gunners. The first wave is timed to go at 4:30 AM, the end of an artillery bombardment. Unfortunately, the commanders' watches are unsynchronized and the bombardment ends several minutes before the planned time of the attack. Nevertheless, the brigade's commander, Colonel Robinson, insists the attack proceed; the first wave goes over the top and is mercilessly cut down within seconds. Right before the second wave goes over, Archy recognizes his old rival Les and realizes he is about to go over with the second wave. The second wave goes over, and Les is one of the first to die. Major Barton wants to halt the attack to end the carnage, but Colonel Robinson says that somebody told him ANZAC marker flags were seen in the Turkish trenches, indicating that the attack was at least partially successful. Moments later, the phone line goes dead. Barton gives Frank a message to carry to Robinson at brigade HQ; but, when he arrives, the Colonel insists the attack continue.

Frank returns to Barton and suggests going over the Colonel's head to the Division Commander, General Gardner. Lieutenant Gray (Peter Ford), Barton's aide and second-in-command, admits to Barton that he was the soldier who said that he saw marker flags. However, Gray only heard there were marker flags in the trenches but does not know who said it. Frank hurries to Gardner's headquarters down on the beach. The General is informed that, at Suvla, the British landing party is brewing tea on the beach. He tells Frank that he is reconsidering the attack. As Frank frantically sprints back to convey this news, the phone lines are repaired and the Colonel orders Barton to push on. Barton joins his men in the attack by climbing out of the trench, pistol in hand, and signaling his men to charge. After being given time to pray, write letters, and save their possessions to be sent to their families, Archy joins the last wave and goes over the top. Frank arrives seconds too late and lets out a scream of anguish and despair. As all his companions are cut down by machine gun fire, Archy drops his rifle and runs as hard as he can. The final frame freezes on Archy being riddled with bullets and falling to the ground, in an image which evokes Robert Capa's The Falling Soldier.