Gallipoli

Two young Australian sprinters enlist when war breaks out and quickly find themselves swept from the track into the trenches of the Gallipoli campaign. Frank Dunne and Archy Hamilton, played with natural ease by Mel Gibson and Mark Lee, travel to the Ottoman front with dreams of glory and a simple sense of adventure. The film follows their bond as the realities of World War I intrude on their plans, turning races and camaraderie into a test of nerve, endurance, and loyalty. They face crowded trenches, rough commands, and the constant threat of death, while their country waits for news from a campaign that seems endlessly at risk of collapse. The tone stays intimate, observational, and unsentimental. The film also contrasts the soft speed of athletic life with the sudden rush of combat.

Directed by Peter Weir with a screenplay by David Williamson, Gallipoli arrived in 1981 as a landmark Australian war drama. It stars Mel Gibson and Mark Lee and was produced on a budget of about 2.6 million dollars.

It earned roughly 17.4 million dollars worldwide against a 2.6 million budget, marking a strong commercial performance for an Australian war film that found audiences both at home and abroad. Its popularity helped cement future Australian productions in international markets.

Gallipoli is widely credited as a milestone in cinema, shaping later war films and contributing to the national memory of the Anzac legend. It helped launch Mel Gibson into international prominence and remains a touchstone for authentic, human scale portrayals of conflict. Its documentary style inspired a generation of filmmakers.

Critics praised its restrained storytelling, natural performances, and Weir's unflashy direction. The film probes friendship under pressure, the loss of youth, and the brutalities of war without glamor or sensationalism, inviting viewers to reckon with how ordinary lives can be upended by history. The tone remains focused as events intensify.