Deeper.
Come on, deeper, deeper.
Come on, deeper. Come on, deeper, deeper.
From here, boy, here!
That's it.
Now, loosen up.
Come on, loosen up.
Come on, boy, loosen 'em up.
That's it. Now, on the spot. One, two! One, two! One, two!
- What are your legs? - Springs. Steel springs.
- What are they going to do? - Hurl me down the track.
- How fast can you run? - As fast as a leopard.
- How fast will you run? - As fast as a leopard.
Then let's see you do it.
Are you ready, leopard?
On your mark!
Get set!
Come on, boy.
- How'd it feel? - All right.
Nine and five-eighths.
Whoa!
(Shouting)
(Man) Rusty, you useless mutt!
Get after him, Perce. Where did you learn to ride? On a rocking horse?
Les! Go and open the gate.
- Black can do that. - I want you to do it.
- When I'm ready. - Now!
Les, don't split 'em!
Bastard.
Billy, Zac, bring up the tail!
Get 'em up, get 'em up!
Whoo!
Ha! Hey! A wash, lovely, lovely.
Come on! Leave me alone, will ya?
Hey, Archy, him wash.
Prefer the company of blacks, hey, Archy?
- Zac's my mate. - We run together.
You fancy yourself as a runner, eh?
He's more than a runner. He's top bloody athlete.
Girls run.
Men box.
Lay off him, Les.
He can run faster than you can ride!
(Laughs incredulously) Jeez! Is that a fact?
I'll beat you to the home gate.
Me on horseback, you on foot?!
I'll go cross-country, you take the track.
That's a fair bet. That track's five miles further.
Yeah, have a go, Les.
Ha! Ha, OK! You're on!
Barefoot.
You're on.
Ha, ha, ha! Make your bets, boys. Whoo!
Steady. Whoo-hoo!
Bareback. Barefoot-bareback!
Les is gonna ride bareback. That's a joke.
- You wanna lay money? - Five bob on Les.
- You cover that, Archy? - He just said he'd cover it.
- Two to one, right? - I'm in for five bob.
(Zac whispers) Don't go on the rocks.
Don't go to the rocks, go to the mountain.
My money's on Les.
- There's my dough. - Got a good bet there.
Let's go, boys. You right, Archy?
Line 'em up.
Don't go on the rocks.
On your marks... get set.
Go!
(Shouting and whistling)
Go, mare!
Ho! Pick it up! Ha!
Come on!
(Les laughing)
(Les whooping and laughing)
You lose, sonny boy! Enjoy the walk!
Yee-hee! Get up! Ha!
(Barking)
Whoa, Abbie. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Whoa, boy.
Ha ha! Archy! You win! Archy!
Hooray, Archy! Les fell down!
(Wheezes)
(Zac laughs)
Archy, Archy, Les...
Zac! What happened?
Les fell down! Les fell down! Archy, my brother, you win!
- I can't understand you. - Sorry, Uncle Jack.
You've got the God-given ability to be amongst our greatest.
You could be up there with Lasalles.
- Uncle Jack... - Greater than him.
And three days before your first big race, you do this.
- I'll still win. - Yeah?
Running's not all there is to life.
Come on, kids, scram. Come on.
Peter Trevelyan joined up last week.
No more of that. You're underage.
- You ran away when you were younger. - Not to a war.
Been all round the world by the time you were 18.
- Barbary Coast... Spice Islands. - I made those stories up.
You didn't. Dad said you were nearly killed several times.
I judged the risks and took my chances. War's different.
- How's it... - It's just different.
There's no hope your parents would let you go,
so what's the point in talking about it?
I thought you might help me.
(Woman) Careful with the plate, darling.
When's this race?
(Jack) Saturday.
- How long are you going to be gone? - Just over the weekend.
Fine time to go off in town-right in the middle of the bloody muster.
Don't swear in front of the girls, Wallace.
Put in your fair share of work before you go.
Yes, Dad.
(Jack) "The fire was burning furiously at the end of the branch.
"Mowgli struck right and left and the wolves ran howling
"with the sparks burning their fur.
"At last there were only Akela, Bagheera,
"and perhaps ten wolves that had taken Mowgli's part.
"Then something began to hurt Mowgli inside him
"as he'd never been hurt in his life before.
"And he caught his breath and sobbed.
"And the tears ran down his face.
"'What is it? What is it? ' he said.
"'I do not wish to leave the jungle, and I do not know what this is.
"'Am I dying, Bagheera? '
"'No, little brother,' said Bagheera.
"'Those are only tears, such as men use.
"'Now, I know thou art a man and a man's cub no longer.
"'Let them fall, Mowgli.
"'They are only tears.'
"So Mowgli sat and cried as though his heart would break,
"and he'd never cried in all his life before.
"'Now... ', he said.
"'I will go to men."'
(Children) Go on. One more chapter.
(Mother) Children, come on, inside.
Come on, kids. Don't get Uncle into trouble.
Bedtime. Come on, inside, out of the wind.
(Uncle) In to bed.
Hey! Stop that!
(Metal rattling)
"London, 29th April, the War Office announces...
"'Despite continual opposition,
"'our troops have established themselves across... Galliple..."'
Gallipoli.
Listen to this.
"The Turkish defences included wire entanglements on land and sea,
"and deep pits with spiked bottoms."
Bastards!
That's it.
I'm gonna join up.
Me, too.
What about you, Barney?
No.
Oh, be in it. The girls go wild over a uniform.
Yeah?
In your case, I don't think anything'd help. But you could try.
Hey, we could all join up together.
Count me in. Come on, Frank, you gotta be in it.
(Sighs) No thanks, if you blokes all want to go get yourselves shot,
go ahead.
Well, I'm not scared to die for my country, Frank.
Good for you, Snowy, sign yourself on.
- Nothing's worse than this. - Can't argue with that.
- Comin' to join, then? - No. But I won't stay here either.
(Whistle)
Dunne, Lewis, Wilkes! Where the hell are you?!
Ah! There she is!
What are you doin'? Where are you goin'?
Don't worry, boss.
You young bastards!
I'll have you shot! Do you hear me?
You'll never work for the railways again!
(Archy) It's on top of the cupboard.
Come on, lad.
Coming.
(Jack) Come on.
- Give us those shoes, little man. - Bye, Arch.
- Good luck! - Thanks.
- Goodbye, Mum. - Hey! It's only two days.
Come on, we've got a race to run.
Children!
Good luck, Son.
(Boy) Bye, Archy. Come back with a medal.
(Child) Goodbye, Archy.
(Jack) Bye, kids. (Children) Bye!
You better win!
(Zac shouts)
(Shouts of encouragement from crowd)
(Woman) It's so beautiful!
Here we go!
(# Band plays "It's A Long Way To Tipperary")
- Get out of my car. - Just having a look, boss.
- Go on, get out. - Yeah, right-o, right-o.
(Man)... these bottled preserves of the Ladies' Auxiliary.
All proceeds to the Belgian Relief Fund.
# It's a long way to Tipperary
# It's a long way to go
# It's a long way to Tipperary
# To the sweetest girl I know... #
(Whistle)
(Crowd roars)
(Man)... very exciting one-mile race.
- What about the handicap? - I can't talk about that now.
- This where you enter for the Gift? - Entries closed a week ago.
I've been outback.
- What's your name? - Dunne.
- You registered? - In Perth.
- When did you run your last race? - Fremantle, about... six months ago.
I know you, the stand-up start.
- We got a scratch sheet? - Give him a go.
- What's the prize money? - Ten guineas... and the medal.
- Anyone take bets? - No, it's against the law.
- How much was you wanting to lay? - Twenty quid.
You're pretty confident.
Where's your twenty?
- Archy Hamilton's running. - Who's he?
Fastest kid in West Australia, if not the country.
- What's he run? - Under ten.
Wouldn't want to take your money without fair warning.
What's my mark?
Same as the local kid.
All right. You're on.
You can still pull out, lad.
Lasalles pulled out of the Barlow Cup and nobody thought the worse of him.
Come on.
(Jack) Push!
Now the big event, the one you've all been waiting for! The Kimberley Gift!
There you go, boss.
Announcing a late entry.
F.C. Dunne of Perth, starting off three yards,
the same mark as our own champion, Archy Hamilton.
Right, start your breathing.
(Girl) Come on, Archy, boy!
Come on! Deeper, from here!
Now, what are these?
- Come on! - Steel springs.
- Again! - Steel springs.
- What will they do? - Hurl me down the track.
- How fast can you run? - Fast as a leopard.
- How fast ARE you going to run? - As fast as a leopard!
Right! Then let's see you do it.
(Man) This is the big one, Simmo!
(Shouts of encouragement)
(Boy) Beat all those other people! You can do it!
Runners! Dig in!
Set!
(Crowd shouts)
- Come on, champion! - Go on!
(Drum beat)
Lads for the Light Horse, over here.
Come on, don't let your mates over there do all the fighting.
(Man) Bring your beer.
If you're fit and you can ride, get over here and find out how to join.
The Empire needs you. Your country needs you and your mates need you.
So come and find out how to get into the greatest game of all.
(Trumpet sounds)
- That was bad luck, mate. - Let's just forget it, eh?
Nine and five-sixteenths, you've equalled the great Harry Lasalles.
- Nothing's going to stop you... - Jack!
I'm not coming home.
No, I didn't think you were, lad.
Your bag weighed a ton.
- What have you got in it? - Books, mostly.
What if they don't take you? You don't look 21.
They won't ask questions when they see me ride.
We've been through a lot of scrapes together. Take care of it.
(Men) Let's get down there before those other blokes drink the piss!
Come on, Arch!
(Archy) I'll write.
God bless you, boy.
- Twenty-one? - Yes, sir.
You don't look it. Got a birth certificate?
I didn't know we were supposed to bring one, sir.
Go on, mount up.
(Les) Excuse me, sir.
I know this lad and he's only eighteen.
His father would skin him if he knew he was here.
We can turn a blind eye if it's just six months, but not at 18. Come on.
Come back here! Come back! Don't be such a bloody fool!
Hey, hey, pull him off!
- You show 'em, mate! - You little beauty!
- Go, young Archy! - Good on you, Arch!
(Clears throat) Morning.
Three and six?
- "After months of hard training..." - "Training"(!)
"...Australia's fighting..."
- G'day. - G'day.
"...Australia's fighting force faced it's baptism of fire
"on the rocky slopes of... Gallipoli, and proved themselves heroes."
Sorry about yesterday, mate. You run a great race. Frank Dunne.
Archy Hamilton.
It gave me a hell of a shock to be beaten out here.
I won everything there was to win in Perth.
I was just lucky.
Anyone who runs under nine and a half with crook feet isn't just lucky.
- You joinin' up? - No, I missed out. I'm underage.
(Waitress) You want something to eat?
You mean, would I like to order.
- Are you from the city? - As a matter of fact, I am.
Well, we don't put on the dog here.
- What do you want? - If that's your attitude, nothing.
- Suit yourself. - He's not finished. Are you, mate?
Thank you.
- You better have something. - I'm not hungry.
- Don't you want it? - No.
Well, I can't see good food wasted.
Gonna try again?
I can't. They know I'm underage.
Not here, in Perth.
(Train whistle)
(Frank) Now!
You bastard!
Come on! Come on!
Whoo!
- Nearly lost me, mate. - You sure it's headed for Perth?
Course it bloody is. Nowhere else for it to go.
(Whistle)
Hey! Come on, mate, we're here.
(Archy) Perth?
Er... No, mate, not quite.
Morning.
We seem to have... lost our train.
- Two weeks. - Two weeks! Bugger it!
Unless you're game enough to cross the lake.
Hey, Arch, two weeks, that's not too long...
- Hey, Arch, hang on! - Better take this.
Hey, Archy, will ya... Arch!
Archy, we'll fry like eggs out there. Let's give this a little thought, eh?
You'll never make it!
- Archy, wait! - There's fifty mile o' that!
Oi!
If the snakes don't get you, the black fellas will!
Wait!
You're mad. We should have waited.
It's quicker this way.
That's what Burke and Wills thought!
How do you know we're not going in circles?
The sun.
- What if we run out of water? - We find it.
- How do you find it? - Cockatoos.
Sunset, they lead you straight to it.
Oh, that's lovely! We put our lives in the hands of a mob of parrots.
(Wind whistles)
What's all this watch business?
When you point twelve o'clock to the sun,
north is halfway between the hour hand and twelve.
- Can you ride, Frank? - Yeah, why?
Just wondered why you didn't try for the Light Horse.
Didn't want to.
- What then, infantry? - I'm not joining anything.
- But you gotta be in it! - Not if you don't want to.
You gotta be.
No, I don't. It's a free country, or haven't you heard?
I'd be ashamed if I didn't fight.
That only proves one thing - that you and I are different.
Let's drop it, eh?
You of all people should be going.
Why me of all people?
Cos you're an athlete.
(Laughs) What's that got to do with it?
I've mates who'd be lucky to run the hundred in twelve
and they're going, so why shouldn't you?
Because it's not our bloody war!
What do you mean, not our war?
It's an English war, it's nothing to do with us.
You know what you are, you're a bloody coward.
There's only one reason I haven't knocked you down, mate.
What?
Cos I don't feel like carrying you.
Now shut up and don't open your yap about the war again!
Where's your sun now?
Frank!
(Archy) Stop!
Hey!
Stop!
(Camel driver) This would have to be your lucky day.
We were told there's a property due south.
Old Dan's place. You got about ten more miles.
He'd give you a ride to Wallaby.
- Where you headed? - Perth.
I nearly went there once. Thought I should see one big city before I die.
You looking for work?
- No, I'm off to the war. - What war?
The war against Germany.
I knew a German once.
- How did it start? - Don't start him.
Don't know exactly, but it was the Germans' fault.
- The Australians fighting already? - Yeah, in Turkey.
Turkey?! Why's that?
- Ask him. - Cos Turkey's a German ally.
Ah, well, you learn something every day.
Still, can't see what it's got to do with us.
We don't stop them there, they could end up here.
And they're welcome to it.
(Both whoop and laugh)
We made it, you bastard!
Whoo!
(Barking)
- G'day. - (Woman) G'day.
(Whistles happily)
Don't wear out the leather on them boots, will ya?
(Frank) The truth is there was no choice.
(Woman) Mary.
(Woman) You're very brave to set off without a compass.
Not really. With a watch and the sun you can find your way anywhere.
Why are you boys going to Perth?
- I'm going to join the Light Horse. - Good.
You too, Frank?
Ah... no, business interests to attend to.
While the Germans are crucifying kittens on church doors in Belgium.
(Man) Yes, yes... (Woman) I love their uniforms.
Most of the boys around here joined.
(Man) If I'd had a son, he'd have joined too.
Let's drink a toast to our brave young friend. The Light Horse.
The Light Horse.
(Woman) The Light Horse. (Second woman) The Light Horse.
What did you mean about business interests?
Business interests, you know, finance.
- You told me you were broke. - Hell, I am, thanks to you.
What would you have done with the money if you'd won?
I was gonna start a bike shop.
They only take toffs and farmers' sons in the Light Horse?
You thinking of joining?
Well, there's no way you'd get me near the infantry.
But the Light Horse, now that's got a bit of class.
Whoo-hoo! We could join together.
There's only one problem, mate.
What?
You know I told you I could ride...
Come here.
Foot in the stirrup, knee in his shoulder, up.
Knee in his shoulder.
No, no. Foot in the stirrup first. Swing up.
Bloody thing won't stand still.
(Laughing) Get on him!
What name?
What do you mean?
What do you want to call yourself? Can't use your own name.
Lasalles.
Archibald... Lasalles.
By the time I'm finished with you, you'll look the other side of 40.
Where Mother Nature fails... Frank Dunne succeeds.
Oh, no!
- Hang on. - No, Frank.
It looks good.
- Oh, no... look... - Hang on.
- A little glue, some hair. - Oh, no.
- I've done it before, pal. - Bugger off, Frank.
(Frank) Have another drink.
- Whisky doesn't make you look old. - Doesn't it? Have you seen my dad?
I know he looks like a wreck, but he's really only 35.
(Sighs) Jesus.
How's he look, Dad?
Fine. But what the hell do you want to join up for?
The English killed your grandfather. Hung him with his own belt...
(Both)... five miles from Dublin.
I'm not going to fight for the British Empire.
I'm gonna keep my head down.
Learn a trick or two, and... come back an officer.
Maybe.
I don't want to be pushed around forever.
Right.
(Banter and laughter)
Lasalles!
Lasalles?
Any relation to Harry Lasalles, the famous runner?
No, sir.
All right, Lasalles, up to the dock.
Thank you, sir.
- Dunne. - Sir.
Any military experience?
Five years in the Melbourne Horse Cadets.
Never heard of them.
They never received as much recognition as they deserved.
Thank you, sir.
(Lnstructor) Come on, move it along.
Present arms!
OK, Lasalles, you're in. Report to that group.
Dunne, mount up.
Foot in the stirrup, knee in his shoulder and relax.
Thanks, mate.
(Whispers) Foot in the stirrup, knee in the shoulder...
Thank you.
G'day, pal. I'm your uncle Frank. Tough but fair, so no nonsense, eh?
Hurry up, Dunne, or the war will be over.
Ha!
Kick him!
(Laughter and jeering)
Kick him!
Give him a rocking horse!
All right, Dunne. Thank you very much.
(Booing)
(Applause and whistles)
All right, pick up your bags, fellas.
Right turn! Quick march!
Right! All you blokes from the Tenth Reinforcements
know you're not supposed to be in here-out now!
That means you too, Lasalles.
- See you when I see you. - Yeah.
Not if I see you first.
- See you later, mate. - All the best, Bill.
(Cheering)
(Man) I wish I was goin' with you.
(Man) Look after yourself!
Four pairs of socks, plenty of singlets and Eno's for your stomach.
And this...
to drink on our anniversary.
Please come home.
(Ship's horn)
# I'll remember you, wherever you may be
# Keep your eyes on victory
# And keep your thoughts on duty
# And our cross to bear
# Should old acquaintance be forgot
# No! No! No, no, no!
# Australia will be there, Australia will be there #
(Cheering, whistling and shouting)
(Ship's horn)
I'm making you a damn good price for those chickens!
Now, come on, Jim, you're not stupid!
That was three years ago! We're in the middle of a drought!
That's my whole point, you stupid galah!
(Argument continues)
- What are you blokes doing here? - It's our last night.
If you're not going to fight, at least buy us a beer.
Make it four, Perce!
I've got me horse outside, mate.
Next!
Arms up.
- Hat off! - Sorry.
Come on, another quarter of an inch. Come on, come on.
Teeth aren't all that good.
You're supposed to shoot the enemy, not bite him.
We don't take anyone with bad teeth.
If you don't pass him, you've lost all four of us.
Over there.
Next.
Open.
(# "Waltzing Matilda" on harmonica)
Atten-tion!
(Cheering)
Something's gotta be done about that lofty bastard.
- Crikey, they're big. - Yeah, so's that bloody Victorian.
Hello, Australia, welcome. Antiques...
No, no, no.
I reckon it took 100,000 blokes 20 years to build that.
Must've been a lot of blokes around with crook backs.
- It's not just a monument, you know. - It's a bloody great pile of rubble.
The Pharaoh, mate...
his wife and everything they had were buried in there.
Yeah... That's man's first attempt to beat death.
Thanks, professor, can you get your mind back on the game?
Let's think about the West Australians' first attempt
to beat the bloody Vics.
Something's gotta be done about that long, thin streak of pelican shit.
(Man) Yeah, get him, Bill. Sort the bastard right out.
(Angry shouting)
(Whistle)
All right, men. You are shortly to be let loose on the local inhabitants...
who, you will be surprised to find, don't look at all like you.
A fact of which they are, no doubt, eternally grateful.
First up, beware of the local eggs,
which can be distinguished only by their antiquity,
the local liquor, which is poisonous,
and for those of you contemplating some horizontal refreshment...
(Cheers)
Just be warned.
Because those proverbial few moments of pleasure...
are very likely to leave you with a legacy which is horribly painful...
difficult to cure and may get you sent home
to face embarrassing questions from girlfriend and or... wife.
However, I know nothing I say is going to discourage some of you,
so I'm going to hand you over to Doc Morgan
who has had it all and cured it all.
(Laughter)
He will show you how to minimise the risk, so pay attention.
Company... atten-tion!
(Laughter)
Quiet!
(Flute)
Hey! Hey, come back here, gippo! Come back here!
Hey, how much for one mule? How much?
(All haggle)
- Hang on, how much is he charging? - Five, that's what he wants.
- Nah. - Four, four.
- Nah, the official price is two. - No, no, five piasters.
- Two. - Give him a bit more.
There is a correct price-we pay more, we encourage dishonesty.
(English accent) Yah, or we could join Dickie and the chaps at seven.
(Mule brays)
Do you mind shifting those animals out of the way?
Sorry, sir.
Hey, those four there. Ten piasters. OK.
- The correct price is two piasters. - It'll be worth it, Snow!
Are you going to the Governor General's ball?
I say, Carruthers, there's Dickie and the chaps up there.
I say, good morning, chaps! How are we?
Tally-ho! After the fox.
You Australians are crude and the most ill-mannered soldiers ever.
Wait till you see the New Zealanders!
Rabble!
# England needs a hand, well, here it is
# If England wants a hand, well, here it is
# England needs a hand, well, here it is
# If England needs a hand, well, here it is
# We'll show the enemy we're as hard as nails
# The boys from Victoria and New South Wales
# South Australia and the West, my lad
# Queensland and Tassie know their bizz
# So, buy the beer, old fellow, we will always lend a hand
# If England needs a hand, well, here it is #
No, no, no. Clear off.
Now, how can they do that, Frank?
Life is cheap here, Snow, and the women have no respect for themselves.
It's the same in most foreign places.
Barney!
(Children haggling)
Insolent!
(Children laugh)
Have a look at this, fellas.
Over a thousand years old.
- How much did you pay for it? - I beat him down to two quid.
Bastard! How much did you pay?
Five bob.
See, what did I tell you? These gippoes are a pack of thieves.
Me take picture.
That one, I think.
Ready?
Let's go.
(Shopkeeper mutters nervously)
Oi!
(Speaks Arabic)
- Shalom, shalom. - What can I do for you, gentlemen?
We Australians come to your country as guests.
You are an old civilisation, we are a new...
Bill, don't give him the geography lesson, tell him to cough up.
Listen, we are not just soldiers, we are diplomats for our country.
Give my mate his money or I'll flatten you.
- No. - But Frank, they're bloody thieves.
They've got a different way of seeing things.
You see, our problem is I bought this from another shop
and paid five shillings for it.
Whereas my friend, Mr Wilson, bought this, ah... from you -
which you can see is exactly the same-and ah... paid two pound,
which in my country would seem to be pretty unfair.
Too right.
So, we were wondering if you wouldn't mind taking it back
and giving us the two pound.
No, no, no, this is not mine. This is yours.
If you tried that where we come from,
you'd last about as long as a snowflake in summer, now cough up.
- This is not mine! - I'm gonna get really angry here.
Snow! Now listen, mate.
I know how you feel.
But while a sale is a sale...
- Now, what I was saying... - Careful, Frank!
OK, OK, OK!
Take your money and go!
(Snowy) You're dealing with Australians here.
Hey, fellas...
That wasn't the shop. This is it, here.
Hey, fellas, it was the wrong shop. Hey!
Hey, fellas, this way!
We clean, no dirty, we very clean.
(Woman) Come on, come on.
Hello, honey bunny, you want to come with me?
Nah.
I don't believe it. Frank, Frank.
I don't believe...
Sink your bo peepers on that.
I, ah...
I wonder if it'd be too much trouble to ask, er... how much?
Twenty piasters.
- Cripes, that's only four bob! - Barney, cut it out!
Snow, this is wartime and... in a month we might be dead.
Billy, they're common, they're cheap.
- Relatively. - Beats antiques, I'm game.
Wait here, Snow, we'll be back in a few minutes.
(Frank) Don't give 'em a penny till it's all over.
You know what? I'm disgusted.
What are you going to say to your wives on your wedding night?
(Frank) Calm down, you don't win a medal for finishing third.
Hello, my friend. Welcome, Australia.
Bugger off.
(Girls laughing)
(Child) Hello, Australia! Hello, hello! Hello, Australia.
Welcome to my country.
You buy from me, my name is Yosef.
(Sergeant) Company! Halt!
Rest easy.
(All sigh)
Put that canteen away, that man!
You buy?
All right, let's have some quiet.
As you all know...
this morning's exercise involves a frontal assault on an enemy trench,
the enemy being some gentlemen from the Light Horse.
Now, these gentlemen,
presumably because their arses are higher from the ground than ours...
tend to assume airs of superiority.
(Jeering)
But they won't have their horses with them today.
(Cheering)
So I want you to go out there this morning,
and short of actually killing them...
show them the stuff the infantry is made of!
(All shout)
Load!
Keep calm and keep steady.
(Lnfantry cheering)
Aim high!
Fire at will!
Fire!
Yosef! Me, Yosef!
Hello! Hello!
(Soldiers shout and scream)
(Whistle)
- How are you, Frank? - You bugger!
- What do you men think you're doing? - We're mates, sir.
- This is supposed to be warfare. - Break this up over here.
Jolly enthusiastic.
Someone's taken my bloody oranges!
Right, survivors, dress the wounded and carry them back to the A-post.
(All groan)
Lie down, Arch, come on.
Well, you can't all be bloody wounded!
Those of you not designated to be dead, on your feet now!
Beat it, mate, we're dead. We're dead, mate, piss off!
- Three! - Five piasters.
See you there. Tuesday at seven. Don't forget!
(Woman) Bye, boys.
Bye!
Hey, you know what your problem is?
- What? - The way you start.
You're wrong, Arch.
No, crouching makes all the difference. Lasalles proved that.
You're wrong. If you crouch down, you've got further to go to get up.
Try it.
First to the pyramids.
OK, you're on.
Ready?
Set.
Go!
We... We're both...
We're both mad!
(Priest sings Muslim prayers)
(Scraping)
Whoo-ee!
(Echoes)
No.
Maybe if you were brothers.
- But, sir, we, er... - I said no.
(Music stops)
Sir, we're not taking our horses, so he wouldn't have to ride at all.
Now, look. Your own blokes are going across very soon.
Why do you want a transfer, Dunne?
We're mates, sir.
- That's not good enough. - We train together, sir.
- You runners? - Yes, sir.
- Sprinters? - Yes, sir.
- What's your best time for the 100? - We both run under ten.
That's a coincidence. Young Lasalles runs under ten.
Well, a fast pair of legs is never a drawback in any troop.
- I'll do what I can. - Thank you, sir.
Buy antique.
Antique?
- Antique? - No, no.
(Whistling)
Billy.
Morning, ladies.
Ha, ha!
What do you think?
It's all right.
- What's the matter with you blokes? - Nothing.
Look, I always wanted to join the Light Horse.
Infantry not good enough for you... mate?
Well, if that's how you're gonna be, I'll see you when I see you.
Morning, ladies.
Come off the boil, Snow. You know Frank.
Sell his grandmother for tuppence - still talk his way to heaven.
Aw, it's just bad luck for mates to split up.
(# Strauss: "Tales From the Vienna Woods")
Monsieur Picard. Telegram, Monsieur Picard.
Oui, par ici!
- Monsieur Picard? - Oui. Merci.
Message for Major Barton.
(Man) Thank you, sir.
(Music ends, applause)
Message for Major Barton.
Can you see him? Thank you, sir.
He's just over there.
- Where? - Just over there.
Run over and give it to him yourself. Good evening, sir.
Message for Major Hamilton. I see him.
Hey, you... Evening, sir.
Would you mind telling Dunne that this is a dance for officers only?
Lasalles.
Have one or two drinks before you go.
Sir.
Cheers.
(Crowd gasps and cheers)
(# Albinoni: "Adagio in G Minor For Strings and Organ")
(Explosions)
Over there!
(Radio) '... north of bay 700. Douse it.'
All right, douse it!
Douse it.
(Shouting)
(Shouting and explosions continue)
(Shell whistles overhead)
Come on, mate, you'll be all right.
(Explosions and gunfire)
(Talking quietly)
No smoking, no talking, pass it on.
(Man whistles)
G'day.
The thing I can't stand about you, mate,
is you're always so bloody cheerful.
(Man) Hey, have you got any firewood?
(Frank) Don't they ever let up?
(Man)... O'Reilly and Duggan, get over here!
What's for breakfast?
Brown biscuit porridge and fried bully beef.
If you'd got the bacon like you promised.
I can't work miracles.
You were saying there's bacon around.
There is. You just gotta give me time to learn the ropes.
Winner take all.
- What do you mean? - Insurance.
Covers everything except sharks.
- Here she comes, look out! - Down, boys!
(Shells whistle overhead)
(Muffled cry)
My arm! I'm hit.
(All cheer)
- Payment in full. - Good on you.
Now you're flush, you couldn't lend me five bob?
- Thanks, mate. - Thanks, mate.
(Chatter)
You got a match?
Eleven o'clock. Go!
Did you get him?
Have a look for yourself.
Hello, Australia! Good good. Come closer.
New blokes, are you?
- Here you go. - No, thanks.
We were all right when we landed,
but the Turks have had us pinned down here ever since.
You blokes have been brought over for a big push.
Good, I haven't seen a Turk yet.
I'm in no hurry.
Dead set, mate, I tell you.
Water bottles! Water bottles! Bottles!
Give us a smile.
Morning, Abdul!
Bottles.
Hey, mate, hey! Got a smoke?
Yeah.
Keep your head down!
Here, have two. Got any bacon?
Yeah, but we're a bit short on champagne.
Good on you, mate.
(Flies buzz)
Pleased to meet you.
- Yeah, it is shorter. - Yeah.
Hey, where do you think you're going?
It's a short cut to the beach, isn't it?
Short cut to the bloody cemetery.
(Laughs)
There you go. What do you reckon?
- Thanks, mate. - Yeah, right-o, pal.
Keep down.
Righty-ho, all the way.
We need some more supplies over here.
(Explosions and gunfire continue)
Come on, don't dawdle!
(Hammering and knocking)
You gotta be joking.
You two mongrels!
Strewth!
Sneddy, give us a hand with this, mate?
He doesn't look too fierce to me.
He's the midget of the family.
(Frank) Get an eyeful of that.
Crikey!
- Here, take 'em. - Sorry, mate, no sale.
- I'll throw that in. - Sorry, no deal.
- What's it worth to you, mate? - The bacon and the flask.
- Bit rough. - Take it or leave it, I've gotta go.
Yeah, I suppose.
...that means you, Private Wilson!
(Man) Straight out of the boats!
Hey, Barn!
Bill? Snowy!
We're bound to lose for sure now!
(All laugh)
You pack of bastards!
- Good to see you, mate! - We're all together again!
Hey, Arch! Come here, mate, I've got some blokes for you to meet!
How's your donger, you bugger? You look like a bloody pirate!
Fellas, I'd like you to meet a mate of mine. This is Archy.
This here's Barney.
- Billy. - How's it going?
- This little bloke here is Snowy. - G'day. Ah, where are you from?
Out in the bush.
(Archy) Nice to meet you all.
- Has he been talking about us? - You know Frank.
He likes the sound of his own voice.
I know more about you than your mothers.
I should hope so!
What you're telling me, sir, correct me if I'm wrong,
is the infantry attack and our attack on the Nek are just diversions.
Not just diversions, Major, vitally important diversions.
Tonight, 25,000 British troops will land here at Suvla Bay.
Our attacks are to draw the Turks on us so the British can get ashore.
Sorry I didn't tell you this before, secrecy is vital.
But, sir, the Nek is a fortress,
with five machine guns at point blank range.
We've considered that.
We'll hit them with the heaviest barrage of the campaign
just before your men go over the top.
By the time we've finished, there won't be a Turk within miles.
The Turks can keep us pinned down at Anzac forever.
This new British landing is our only hope.
We must do what we can to make it succeed.
Because if it does succeed, we'll have Constantinople in a week...
and knock Turkey out of the war.
- So, everything's ready? - All the guns are in position.
We start the bombardment at dawn and stop at 0430, sharp.
That's... just over twelve hours from now.
(Frank) "Your name has been selected at random by the Ladies' Auxiliary."
Da-da-da..."We hope this parcel does its bit to keep up morale."
Look at this.
Crikey, they chose the measurements at random, too.
Some soap, ointment, lavender water...
talcum powder, Eno's...
The old ducks have sent half a chemists'.
A cook book?! What do they think it is, a picnic?
- It's the thought that counts. - It'd count more if they'd think.
Oh! That does it.
The bloke who fixed my bike 18 months ago sent me a bill for seven and six!
How's the time?
Half past four.
- When are you going over? - (Both) Half past five.
- You going for the ridge? - No. What's it called?
Lone Pine.
- What are you blokes doing? - We're going for the Nek tomorrow.
The Nek? Turks got machine guns everywhere up there.
Ships' guns gonna knock 'em out before we go over.
Like a drink?
Go on, Snow. The Lord won't mind, he turns a blind eye before a battle.
He's right.
(Barney) Hey, you beauty, Snowy.
(Frank whistles)
(Archy) When are they going?
Right about now.
(Huge explosion)
(Whistle)
(Yelling and machine-gun fire)
Serious cases to the tent.
Slightly wounded over here.
Put him aside. Down to the tent with that one.
Morphine! We need some more morphine over here!
All right, mate.
You'll be all right, mate - be back in Adelaide in no time.
(Frank) Anyone seen Billy Lewis? Barney Wilson? Snow?
(Harmonica)
Hey, mate, you seen Billy Lewis?
Bill? You... you all right?
Barney's dead.
He was runnin' alongside of me and...
I thought he just tripped.
You know how clumsy he is.
Snow?
They won't give me any food or anything to drink.
- Why do you reckon that is? - They know what they're doing, Snow.
We got there, but, Frank. We took their bloody trenches.
Yeah, Billy said you were a real hero.
(Exhales)
Just give me diary to Mum and Dad, will ya?
I just want them to know what I did.
(# Albinoni: "Adagio in G minor")
Another bleeder for ya.
Hey.
Oi!
Come on, no Turk in his right mind's gonna waste a bullet on you.
- Get some sleep, mate. - Yeah.
(Laughs) That's you, mate.
Here's one. You hungry?
Sharp enough for you, sir?
Nine and five sixteenths, eh?
Kimberley Gift. You're Archy Hamilton, aren't you?
Excuse me, sir.
Don't worry, I'm not going to turn you in. I'm proud to have you.
Thank you, sir.
Matter of fact, I want you as a runner tomorrow.
But, sir... l'd rather fight.
A few extra yards of speed could save the lives of hundreds of men.
I've come a long way, I can't miss out.
I need a runner. Communications won't last once the shelling starts.
You could use Frank. He's just as fast and I got him into this.
He wanted to start a bike shop.
- Is he scared? - No, sir.
Well, just a bit.
Who isn't, son?
(Opera)
(Barton hums)
(Music continues, drowning out explosions)
(Metal scraping)
(Chatter and laughter)
Do you mind?
- Dunne, report to Major Barton. - What the hell for?
You're off the hook. He needs a runner. Go on, hop to it.
Can I have your luck? Malish, fate.
Well... see you when I see you.
Not if I see you first.
Fix bayonets.
Fix bayonets, first wave.
First wave, fix bayonets.
Fix your bayonets.
Dunne.
(Soldier) Keep your heads down!
Fire!
(Archy) "I know you haven't forgiven me for running off,
"but I'm sure in my own mind I was right. So would you if you were here.
"We're getting ready for an all-out assault on Johnny Turk,
"and we know we're going to give a good account of our country.
"Everyone is terribly excited.
"There's a feeling we're all in an adventure that's larger than life."
Cease-fire!
(Second soldier) Cease-fire!
Jesus!
Shouldn't have stopped yet, sir. There's still seven minutes.
Maybe they're luring the Turks back.
Dunne, get on to headquarters, find out what's happening.
- What's happened? - Damned if I know.
If the Turks get back in the trenches we'll be cut to pieces.
- They'll make another final burst. - They're going back in the trenches.
Colonel Robinson.
- Barton, sir. - I don't care what your watches say.
They should have gone three minutes ago.
- Sir, they're back in the trenches. - I know. I still say you must go.
(White) Look to your front, boys.
Yes, sir.
(Soldiers) It's too late now.
We go ahead, as planned.
Come on, lads. Unload your rifles. We're going in with the bayonets.
No bullets. Nothing up the spout. We're going in with the bayonets.
(Laughs nervously)
Steady, lads. Wait for it!
(Whistle)
Come on, lads!
(White) Get ready, second wave! Leave the wounded and get up to the wall!
Les?
(Soldier) Stick with me, mate.
(White) Second wave, get ready.
- Keep moving! Get up to the wall. - Close to the wall, men!
Come on, boys, face to the wall!
(White) OK, lads, look to your front.
(Whistle)
(White) Third wave, take positions.
I'm not sending any more men out into that.
(White) Come on, boys. Third wave, get up to the wall.
What's happening, Lieutenant?
It's all pretty confusing, sir.
- Has it been a success, or not? - Well, it's hard to say, sir.
One of our marker flags was seen in the enemy trench.
(Cuts out)
- Hello? - Hello? Hello, sir?
Hello? Hello!
Damn! Dunne.
(White) Third wave, take up your positions.
Stretcher-bearers, get me some stretcher-bearers.
- Line cut? - Yes, sir.
Take that to the Colonel.
I've said it once before, now face the wall!
Gangway! Urgent message for Colonel Robinson.
(White) Two more men here, quickly.
(Distant voices)
Third wave, fix your bayonets!
No bullets! Bayonets only.
Tell Major Barton the attack must proceed.
Sir, I don't think you got the picture.
They're being cut down within five yards.
Bloody line. Our marker flags have been seen in the Turkish trenches.
The attack must continue at all costs.
I repeat, the attack must proceed.
(Chatter and laughter)
(White) Steady, lads.
Who told him there were marker flags?
I heard someone say they'd seen one, sir.
- Who? Who?! - I'm not sure, sir.
Gray, you bloody idiot. Nobody got further than ten yards.
Why don't you go above Robinson's head, sir?
General Gardner. Go like the wind.
Message for GHQ! Message for GHQ! Urgent message! Urgent message!
Jesus!
(Machine-gun fire)
It does sound pointless. On the other hand...
(Soldier) Sir, the British are at Suvla.
- Are they meeting heavy opposition? - None, sir.
Apparently the officers are sitting on the beach drinking cups of tea.
Tell Major Barton the attack is...
Just tell him I'm reconsidering the situation.
Yes, sir.
(Cries and gunshots)
(# Albinoni: "Adagio in G minor")
(Phone)
They're not going to make us go, are they?
No, there's no point.
They should have gone, Barton. Flags have been seen.
Not by me, sir. I've asked for confirmation-from General Gardner.
Your orders are to attack.
The British must be allowed ashore. Is that clear?
- You are to push on. - It's cold-blooded murder.
I said push on.
Right, sir.
Can't ask the men to do what I wouldn't do myself.
All right, men...
We're going.
I want you all to remember who you are.
You're the Tenth Light Horse! Men from Western Australia.
Don't forget it.
Good luck.
- Good luck, sir. - You too.
(Stopwatch ticks)
...though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil, for God art with me.
Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
My cup runneth...
What are your legs? Springs. Steel springs.
What are they going to do? They're going to hurl me down the track.
How fast can you run?
As fast as a leopard.
How fast ARE you going to run?
As fast as a leopard!
Then let's see you do it!
(Screaming) Gangway! Gangway! Gangway! Urgent message!
(Whistle)