Gallipoli (1981)

monument to incompetence
I have no idea how historically accurate this film is, but if it's close to right, then thanks go to Peter Weir for telling the story of these brave young men. Their nation wanted to do the right thing, but wasn't prepared. In their idealistic and over-zealous response to a perceived threat, they wasted many lives. Every military officer should have to watch this. In OCS I learned that "soldiers die tired and confused." May we not die due to incompetence, but only by the inherent risks of waging war. Since war will always be the final means of preserving freedom, it is our duty to stay prepared and proficient.

Idealism and youth destroyed by war
Weir is a master when it comes to exploring human behavior and relationships in a confined space or rare situation, and this film is a fine example. Two young men, both runners, become friends who go off to war with the idea of defeating the Germans in WWI, but end up in the trenches fighting the Turks with virtually no way to win or even to stay alive. A horrifying yet necessary reminder of the way we keep sending young people off to die on foreign soil, for whatever cause.

Gallipoli
A brilliant, deeply moving re-staging of the World War I invasion and battle of Gallipoli by Australian-New Zealand troops, a young Mel Gibson stands out in a superb Australian cast, and director Weir expertly evokes time and place, using his camera to send the unspoken message: "Never forget." Unquestionably one of the finest anti-war films ever done, and don't miss that unforgettable finish.