Anzacs
Encyclopedia
Anzacs was a 1985 5-part Australian mini series set in World War I
. The series follows the lives of a group of young Australian men who enlist in the 8th Battalion (Australia) of the First Australian Imperial Force
in 1914, fighting first at Gallipoli
in 1915, and then on the Western Front
for the remainder of the war.
It follows in the wake of Australian New Wave
war films such as Breaker Morant
(1980), Gallipoli (1981), and precedes The Lighthorsemen
(1987). Recurring themes of these films include the Australian identity, such as mateship
and larrikinism
, the loss of innocence in war, and also the continued coming of age of the Australian nation and its soldiers (the ANZAC spirit
).
, of "Crocodile" Dundee fame as Lance Corporal Pat Cleary, Jon Blake ('The Lighthorsemen
') as Captain Flanagan, Andrew Clarke
(TV's 'The Man from Snowy River
') as Captain Martin Barrington, and Megan Williams (TV's 'The Sullivans
') as Nurse Kate Baker.
Other actors of note included:
: Landing/stalemate/withdrawal.
.
… Bullecourt
… Blighty Leave… Third Battle of Ypres begins (July 1917)… Menin Road… Broodseinde Ridge
appointed Commander of the 5 Australian Divisions… Battle of Hamel
… The "Jack ups" Monash's Big Push (8 August 1918)… Armistice
(11 November 1918)… Back Home.
composed the original music for the series which also popularised many old marching songs of the period for example:
(Tune: John Brown's Body
)
One staff officer jumped right over another staff officer's back.
And another staff officer jumped right over that other staff officer's back,
A third staff officer jumped right over two other staff officers' backs,
And a fourth staff officer jumped right over all the other staff officers' backs.
They were only playing leapfrog,
They were only playing leapfrog,
They were only playing leapfrog,
When one staff officer jumped right over another staff officer's back.
Several songs from the satirizing musical 'Oh, it's a lovely war' were used; including the title song, 'I wore a tunic', 'The bells of Hell' and other period numbers, like 'If you were the only girl' and 'keep the home fires burning'- which were performed by various actors.
According to the review by James Anthony: "The battle scenes are terrific and the muddy trenches of the Western Front look acceptably cold and horrible. [Then again] Some of the acting goes a bit astray and there is sometimes a bit too much play on larrikinism and ockerness, but overall it sits well as a quality drama with good characters."
In the 2003 book German Anzacs and the First World War by John F. Williams, even more contextual detail is provided: "'Anzacs' is essentially a very long buddy movie in the form of television soap. While much care, research and funding obviously went into making the battle scenes and historical ambience as realistic as possible, the characters are two dimensional and cliched. Even so, on occasion 'Anzacs' does offer insights that are unexpected and subtle..."
The DVD also includes a featurette - Making Of: History in the Making - The Making of Anzacs.
The complete series was released on VHS in the late 1990s in Australia. A condensed movie-length version, cut down to two hours from the original eight, was released on VHS in the United States. The series has yet to be released on DVD in other regions.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The series follows the lives of a group of young Australian men who enlist in the 8th Battalion (Australia) of the First Australian Imperial Force
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
in 1914, fighting first at Gallipoli
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
in 1915, and then on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
for the remainder of the war.
It follows in the wake of Australian New Wave
Australian New Wave
The Australian New Wave was an era of resurgence in worldwide popularity of Australian cinema...
war films such as Breaker Morant
Breaker Morant (film)
Breaker Morant is a 1980 Australian film about the court martial of Breaker Morant, directed by Bruce Beresford and starring British actor Edward Woodward as Harry "Breaker" Morant...
(1980), Gallipoli (1981), and precedes The Lighthorsemen
The Lighthorsemen (film)
The Lighthorsemen is a 1987 Australian feature film about the men of a World War I light horse unit involved in the 1917 Battle of Beersheeba...
(1987). Recurring themes of these films include the Australian identity, such as mateship
Mateship
Mateship is an Australian cultural idiom that embodies equality, loyalty and friendship. There are two types of mateship, the inclusive and the exclusive; the inclusive is in relation to a shared situation , whereas the exclusive type is toward a third party...
and larrikinism
Larrikinism
Larrikinism is the name given to the Australian folk tradition of irreverence, mockery of authority and disregard for rigid norms of propriety. Larrikinism can also be associated with self-deprecating humour.- Etymology :...
, the loss of innocence in war, and also the continued coming of age of the Australian nation and its soldiers (the ANZAC spirit
ANZAC spirit
The Anzac spirit or Anzac legend is a concept which suggests that Australian and New Zealand soldiers possess shared characteristics, specifically the qualities those soldiers are believed to have shown on the battlefield in World War I. These qualities cluster around several ideas, including...
).
Cast
The mini-series included Paul HoganPaul Hogan
Paul Hogan, AM is an Australian actor best known for his role as Michael "Crocodile" Dundee from the Crocodile Dundee film series, for which he won a Golden Globe award.-Early life and career:...
, of "Crocodile" Dundee fame as Lance Corporal Pat Cleary, Jon Blake ('The Lighthorsemen
The Lighthorsemen (film)
The Lighthorsemen is a 1987 Australian feature film about the men of a World War I light horse unit involved in the 1917 Battle of Beersheeba...
') as Captain Flanagan, Andrew Clarke
Andrew Clarke (actor)
Andrew Clarke in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, is an Australian actor most known for his television work. Andrew Clarke was one of the most popular Australian actors in the 1980s and 1990s. He is also a two-time Logie winner.-Career:...
(TV's 'The Man from Snowy River
The Man From Snowy River (TV series)
The Man from Snowy River is an Australian television series based on Banjo Paterson's poem "The Man from Snowy River". Released in Australia as Banjo Paterson's The Man from Snowy River, the series was subsequently released in the United States as Snowy River: The McGregor Saga.The television...
') as Captain Martin Barrington, and Megan Williams (TV's 'The Sullivans
The Sullivans
The Sullivans is an Australian drama television series produced by Crawford Productions which ran from 1976 until 1983. The series told the story of an average middle-classMelbourne family and the effect World War II had on their lives...
') as Nurse Kate Baker.
Other actors of note included:
- David Bradshaw as Keith MurdochKeith MurdochSir Keith Arthur Murdoch was an Australian journalist and the father of Rupert Murdoch, the CEO and Chairman of News Corp.-Life and career:Murdoch was born in Melbourne in 1885, the son of Annie and the Rev...
- Bill KerrBill KerrWilliam 'Bill' Kerr is an Australian film and television actor. He was born into a performing arts family in Cape Town, South Africa, but grew up in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia....
as John MonashJohn MonashGeneral Sir John Monash GCMG, KCB, VD was a civil engineer who became the Australian military commander in the First World War. He commanded the 13th Infantry Brigade before the War and then became commander of the 4th Brigade in Egypt shortly after the outbreak of the War with whom he took part... - Tony BonnerTony BonnerTony Bonner is an Australian television, film and stage actor and singer. Bonner became famous in the 1960s children's television series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, later moving on to lead roles in the dramas Cop Shop and Skyways.-Early life:Bonner was born in Manly, a northern beach suburb of Sydney...
as Captain. Harold Armstrong - Shane BriantShane BriantShane Briant is an actor and novelist. Briant studied Law at Trinity College Dublin but became a professional actor playing the name role in Hamlet at the Eblana theatre...
as Sergeant Wilhelm "Kaiser" Schmidt - Christopher Cummins as Private Roly Collins
- Peter Finlay as Lance Corporal "Bluey"
- Mark Hembrow as Private Dick Baker
- Jim HoltJim Holt (actor)Jim Holt, is a British-born actor who has appeared in many Australian television shows and films.Holt is also a magician, and has had the opportunity to incorporate this talent into some of his television appearances. Well known productions in which he has appeared include "Crocodile" Dundee II, A...
as Private "Dingo" Gordon - Jonathan SweetJonathan SweetJonathan Sweet is an Australian actor best known as a character actor and for his supporting roles.- Career :Sweet's early career break was in a 1969 episode of the Australian cult TV classic Skippy the Bush Kangaroo....
as Company Sergeant Major Bill Harris - Patrick WardPatrick WardPatrick Ward is an Australian actor noted for several performances on Australian television.-Career:Ward played a guest television role in police procedural Matlock Police in 1973...
as Sergeant Tom McArthur - Alec Wilson as Private "Pudden" Parsons
- Edmund PeggeEdmund PeggeEdmund Pegge is an Australian actor, who has worked in both Australia and the United Kingdom.His television credits include: Division 4, Matlock Police, Moonbase 3, Doctor Who , Secret Army, Return of the Saint, Codename Icarus, Bird of Prey, Tenko, The Day of the Triffids, One by One, Howards' Way,...
as Captain Young - David Lynch as Lieutenant Max Earnshaw
- Wayne JarrattWayne JarrattWayne Jarratt was an Australian stage and television actor of the 1980s, probably best remembered for his role of friendly prison officer Steve Faulkner in the soap opera Prisoner...
as Private Upton - Karl Hansen as Private Erik Johanson
- Tony Cornwill as Private Karl Johanson
- Peter Browne as Private Carter
- Vincent BallVincent BallVincent Ball is an Australian actor who has worked both in Australia and in the United Kingdom....
as Sir Rupert Barrington - Ilona Rogers as Lady Thea Barrington
- Robert ColebyRobert ColebyRobert Coleby is a British actor who has spent most of his career in Australia. Active since the 1970s, he has over 70 film and television credits to his name. Coleby has acted on stage in numerous productions for Queensland Theatre Company based in Brisbane, Australia.Robert's real name is Robert...
as Reverend Lonsdale - Sheila Kennedy as Mrs Baker
- Howard Bell as Cyril Earnshaw
- Diana Greentree as Mrs Collins
- Noel Trevarthen as Field Marshal Douglas HaigDouglas HaigDouglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig was a British soldier and senior commander during World War I.Douglas Haig may also refer to:* Club Atlético Douglas Haig, a football club from Argentina* Douglas Haig , American actor...
- Rhys McConnochie as Prime-Minister Lloyd-GeorgeDavid Lloyd GeorgeDavid Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
- Malcolm Robertson as General Bridges
- Sean Myers as Lt-General WalkerHarold WalkerHarold Walker, Baron Walker of Doncaster, PC, DL was an English Labour politician.Born in Audenshaw, Walker was educated at Manchester College of Technology and became a toolmaker...
- Reg EvansReg EvansReginald "Reg" Evans was a British-born actor active in Australian television, theatre, and cinema from the 1960s....
as General BirdwoodWilliam Birdwood, 1st Baron BirdwoodField Marshal William Riddell Birdwood, 1st Baron Birdwood, GCB, GCSI, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, CIE, DSO was a First World War British general who is best known as the commander of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915.- Youth and early career :Birdwood was born... - Chris Waters as General WhiteBrudenell WhiteGeneral Sir Cyril Brudenell Bingham White KCB, KCMG, KCVO, DSO was a senior officer in the Australian Army, who served as Chief of the General Staff from 1920 to 1923 and again from March to August 1940, when he was killed in the Canberra air disaster.-Early Life and career:White was born in St...
Production
Details:- Produced by Geoff Burrowes.
- Episodes directed by: Pino Amenta, John Dixon, or George Miller (Of Man From Snowy River fame).
- Produced for Channel Nine Australia
- Original TV screening aspect ratio 1.33:1.
Episode 1
[96:43] The Great Adventure - Australia in 1914… Outbreak of war… Recruitment… Training… GallipoliGallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
: Landing/stalemate/withdrawal.
Episode 2
[96:36] The Big Push - Arrival in France (1916)… Nursery Sector… The Battle of the Somme… PozieresPozières
Pozières is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:The commune is situated on the D929 road, some northeast of Amiens between Albert and Bapaume, on the Pozières ridge.-Population:-History:...
.
Episode 3
[97:08] The Devils Arithmetic - The Somme Winter (1916–17)… The Hindenburg LineHindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
… Bullecourt
Bullecourt
Bullecourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in France.-Geography:Bullecourt lies on the Upper Cretaceous plain of Artois between Arras and Bapaume and east of the A1 motorway. This shows Bullecourt just north of centre. Quéant is the larger of the two...
… Blighty Leave… Third Battle of Ypres begins (July 1917)… Menin Road… Broodseinde Ridge
Episode 4
[94:52] Fields of Fire - Third Battle of Ypres bogs down (November 1917)… The German Offensive (March 1918)… The Battle of Amiens… Hazebrouk… Battle of Nieppe Forest.Episode 5
[95:08] Now There was a Day - The Yanks are coming… "Peaceful Penetration"… MonashJohn Monash
General Sir John Monash GCMG, KCB, VD was a civil engineer who became the Australian military commander in the First World War. He commanded the 13th Infantry Brigade before the War and then became commander of the 4th Brigade in Egypt shortly after the outbreak of the War with whom he took part...
appointed Commander of the 5 Australian Divisions… Battle of Hamel
Battle of Hamel
The Battle of Hamel was a successful attack launched by the Australian Corps of the Australian Imperial Force and several American units against German positions in and around the town of Hamel in northern France during World War I....
… The "Jack ups" Monash's Big Push (8 August 1918)… Armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
(11 November 1918)… Back Home.
Plot summary
- 1914. Western District of Victoria (Australia). Son of a wealthy British-born land-owner (who still thought of himself as a "Pommie"), Martin Barrington returns home from university studies with plans to move north to start his own livestock property. His best friend stockman Dick Baker wants to enlist to fight in the Great War which has just begun in Europe and Martin agrees to follow, joined by Dick's sister (and Martin's childhood sweetheart) Kate who will become an army Nurse. The two friends enlist and they form part of a platoon led by former schoolteacher and now Lieutenant Harold Armstrong and former football star and now Sargeant Tom McArthur. Other members of the platoon include quiet and studious Roly Collins, Englishman Bill Harris, cynical, wise-cracking drover Pat Cleary and the Danish-born Johanson brothers. Sgt McArthur soon becomes unpopular with his short temper and aggressive manner but whilst drunk one night off-duty, he tells of his miserable childhood growing up with an alcoholic father who had been crippled in the Boer War.
- 1915. The platoon, having trained in Australia & Egypt, take part in the Allied invasion of Turkey at GallipoliGallipoliThe Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
on April 25th. The platoon experience the harsh and bloody campaign and the appalling conditions, suffering heavy casualties. Both of the Johanson brothers are killed on the first day and Martin is badly wounded that night. Amongst some new replacements is Private Flanagan, a confident and capable soldier. In August, the platoon (including a newly returned Martin) takes part in the bloody Battle at Lone Pine. Although initially detailed to be supply-carriers, Martin and Dick soon become embroiled in the close-quarters fighting in the Turkish trenches and an enemy rifleman shoots and kills Dick from behind. In December, the platoon, of which only six original members remain, are evacuated from the peninsula along with the rest of the Anzac forces.
- 1916. The platoon, reformed with many new faces, arrives in France. Amongst the new members are German-born Wilhelm 'Kaiser' Schmidt, unpopular 'Dingo' Gordon, slow-witted 'Pudden' Parsons, quiet Lewis-Gunner 'Bluey' and cheerful Private Upton. Pat Cleary soon proves himself an expert 'scrounger' of luxury-goods and he and a local cafe-owner run a thriving business. In London, Australian journalist Keith Murdoch meets with British Prime-Minister Lloyd-George who has a dislike of British Army commander Douglas Haig. The platoon are sent into a 'Nursery' sector of the Western Front to break them into trench warfare. During a raid on the German lines, combat-fatigued Sgt McArthur freezes in terror and Martin leads the mission, even though McArthur is given credit for it. In July, the platoon take part in the bloody Somme Campaign, attacking the French village of PozieresBattle of PozièresThe Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...
. The attack breaks down in confusion and Armstrong is hesitant and in-decisive, forcing Martin and Flanagan to assume leadership roles. The platoon suffers heavy losses, mostly from artillery fire. Private Upton is killed and Roly Collins nearly goes insane from shell-shock. After a long battle, the dazed and traumatized survivors stagger back to the rear. Later that year, the platoon are sent back into the Somme sector, now bogged down in the cold and mud of winter. Back in Australia, the debate over whether to introduce conscription causes bitter political and social divisions which will resonate for decades to come. Reverend Lonsdale draws the ire of his parish for daring to question the conscription proposal and the conduct of the war. Pompous Australian politician Cyril Earnshaw pressures his timid son Max into enlisting.
- 1917. After the failure of the Somme, the Allied High Command plan new offensives to break the new German Hindenburg lineHindenburg LineThe Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
. Max Earnshaw arrives as a new Lieutenant and proves to be a less-than-inspiring officer. The war-weary platoon takes part in the Allied offensives at Arras which soon bogs down in confusion. Sgt McArthur is killed, sacrificing himself to hold off a German assault whilst the rest of the platoon reaches safety. Injured by shellfire, Pudden deserts. The men are given a spell of leave in Britain. Kaiser Schmidt is self-conscious of his German heritage but Bill Harris invites him to stay with his family. Back in France, his nerves at breaking point, Armstrong is sent home as a psychiatric casualty and is replaced by pompous and unpopular Captain Young. Pudden is later found hiding out amongst a group of deserters and he agrees to return to his unit. The platoon takes part in the new offensive at Passchendaele which is bogged down in the Autumn rains. Captain Young proves to be a complete incompetenent and nincompoop and Flanagan knocks him unconscious whilst Martin assumes command. Whilst attacking an enemy bunker, Martin is badly wounded and Dingo Gordon later deserts after murdering several German prisoners. Lt. Earnshaw, just as he is showing signs of being a competent officer, is wounded and blinded by a shell. PM Lloyd George has lost all faith in Haig and yearns to have him removed from his command. At a field-hospital, Kate Baker manages to nurse Martin, with whom she has begun a romantic involvement, back to recovery.
- Winter 1917. The platoon is wearily holding the line amidst the mud of Ypres and low morale & disillusionment has infected much of the Allied armies. Word arrives that Russia has surrendered following the Communist Revolution, allowing the German army on the Eastern Front to be sent to France. Martin and Flanagan are both officers and the former has reluctantly become a Staff Officer to Australian General John Monash. Flanagan bumps into Gordon, now working as a pimp behind the lines and the two fight in an alleyway, leaving Gordon dead.
- Spring 1918. The massive German Spring Offensive begins in March and shatters the weary and depleted British 5th Army. For the first time since 1914, the Western Front breaks open and the fighting takes place in open countryside. Martin takes command of a rag-tag group of British survivors and he is impressed with their courage and fighting skills. The five Australian divisions are one of the very few intact Allied forces that can halt the German advance. Flanagan, now commanding the company, is ordered to a defensive position at HazebrouckHazebrouck-Communications:The town enjoys excellent rail connections, with frequent daily services to Lille and Paris, some by High Speed Line. There is a small international airport, concentrating on business flights, at Merville-Calonne just 12 kilometre / 8 miles away...
where they are instructed to hold off the advancing Germans which his men do so in a fierce battle. Bluey's deadly skill with the Lewis Gun is put to good use. Now a Sgt, Bill Harris also displays considerable courage and skill and is revealed to be a former soldier in the British army who had killed a cowardly and inept British officer in Afghanistan in 1907 and had then moved to Australia under a false identity.
- Summer-Autumn 1918. The Anzacs are weary and yearn for the war to end. The refusal to allow conscription in Australia has reduced the supply of replacements to a trickle and all the Australian divisions are under-strength. Clumsy Private Carter is one of the few reinforcements the old platoon receives. American units ("Yanks") arrive in the British sector and are trained by the Anzacs. The company takes part in the Allied counter-offensives organised by General John Monash, now commanding a unified Australian Corps. US General Pershing refuses to allow US troops to participate unless they are under independent US command. Eager to see action, some American troops wear Australian uniforms and join the attack. With superior organization, better co-ordination between forces and tank & air support, the attacks on HamelHamelHamel may refer to:* Hamel, Western Australia, town* Hamel, Nord, a commune of the Nord département, in northern France* Beaumont-Hamel, a commune of the Somme département, in northern France...
achieve much success, sending the Germans falling back in retreat. Carter displays courage in charging a German MG post after Bluey is injured. The great success of the Allied offensives sees Monash showered in decorations and tributes from grateful Allied leaders, including a knighthood from King George V. Now engaged to Martin, Kate begs him to remain a staff officer but he insists on returning to the front lines. Martin recommends Flanagan to be awarded a VC after the latter single-handedly destroys a German MG-post. In October, whilst clearing out an enemy-held village, Martin sends the rest of the company on whilst he and Pudden Parsons linger to check the last few buildings. A group of fugitive Germans surprises them, killing both Martin and Pudden. The Armistice is declared a few weeks later.
- 1919. The surviving veterans reunite in their local town back in Australia for the unveiling of the new war memorial to the fallen. Kate and Flanagan are now business partners, Roly Collins is about to become a journalist working for Sir Keith Murdoch. Cleary, Harris, Kaiser and Bluey also attend, as does a fragile Armstrong who now resides in a rest home and Earnshaw, now permanently blind. Martin's and Dick's mothers lay wreaths and Reverend Lonsdale reads a moving tribute to the Anzacs.
Music
Australian composer Bruce RowlandBruce Rowland
Bruce Rowland is a well-known Australian composer. He composed the soundtrack for the 1982 movie "The Man from Snowy River", as well as the soundtrack for its 1988 sequel "The Man from Snowy River II"...
composed the original music for the series which also popularised many old marching songs of the period for example:
(Tune: John Brown's Body
John Brown's Body
"John Brown's Body" is an American marching song about the abolitionist John Brown. The song was popular in the Union during the American Civil War. The tune arose out of the folk hymn tradition of the American camp meeting movement of the 19th century...
)
One staff officer jumped right over another staff officer's back.
And another staff officer jumped right over that other staff officer's back,
A third staff officer jumped right over two other staff officers' backs,
And a fourth staff officer jumped right over all the other staff officers' backs.
They were only playing leapfrog,
They were only playing leapfrog,
They were only playing leapfrog,
When one staff officer jumped right over another staff officer's back.
Several songs from the satirizing musical 'Oh, it's a lovely war' were used; including the title song, 'I wore a tunic', 'The bells of Hell' and other period numbers, like 'If you were the only girl' and 'keep the home fires burning'- which were performed by various actors.
Reception
Well noted for its humour and historical accuracy, the series was "a huge rating success for the Nine Network when it aired".According to the review by James Anthony: "The battle scenes are terrific and the muddy trenches of the Western Front look acceptably cold and horrible. [Then again] Some of the acting goes a bit astray and there is sometimes a bit too much play on larrikinism and ockerness, but overall it sits well as a quality drama with good characters."
In the 2003 book German Anzacs and the First World War by John F. Williams, even more contextual detail is provided: "'Anzacs' is essentially a very long buddy movie in the form of television soap. While much care, research and funding obviously went into making the battle scenes and historical ambience as realistic as possible, the characters are two dimensional and cliched. Even so, on occasion 'Anzacs' does offer insights that are unexpected and subtle..."
Points of note
- Actor Jon Blake, who played Flanagan, was severely injured and left permanently brain-damaged in a car accident in central Australia in 1986 just after the completion of shooting of the Australian film The LighthorsemenThe Lighthorsemen (film)The Lighthorsemen is a 1987 Australian feature film about the men of a World War I light horse unit involved in the 1917 Battle of Beersheeba...
. He died in May 2011 at age 52. - Actor Megan Williams, who played Nurse Kate Baker, died of cancer in 2000 at the age of 43.
- Actor Reg Evans, who appeared in episode 1 as British General Birdwood, died at the age of 80 in the Black Saturday Bushfires in Victoria in February 2009.
- Actors Shane Briant, David Bradshaw, Reg Evans, and Jim Holt would appear in "Snowy River - The McGregor Saga" alongside Andrew Clarke. Mark Hembrow, Tony Bonner, Alec Wilson, and Bill Kerr were in the film versions of "The Man from Snowy RiverThe Man from Snowy RiverThe Man from Snowy River is an 1890 Australian poem by Banjo Paterson."The Man from Snowy River" may also refer to the following derived works:Film:* The Man from Snow River, a silent black & white film from 1920....
" and "Return to Snowy RiverReturn to Snowy RiverThe Man from Snowy River II is a 1988 Australian drama film, the sequel to The Man from Snowy River. It was released in the United States as Return to Snowy River, and in the United Kingdom as The Untamed....
". - The actors playing British officers and politicians were almost all New Zealanders.
- Many of the extras playing the roles of Allied, American, and German soldiers were serving members of the Australian Army.
- Alec Wilson and Paul Hogan both were in "Crocodile Dundee II" and "Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles".
- While General Pershing did withdraw authorization for US troops to be used in the attack on Hamel, he relented after entreaties from Haig and some of his officers. He allowed four companies to take part in the battle. It was the only time in US Army history that a non-American general (Monash) personally commanded American troops.
- In one episode, an Australian soldier remarks how much the French countryside reminds him of Daylesford back home in Victoria, Australia. This was an in-joke as some scenes were filmed near Daylesford, including the German counter-attack scene in episode 4.
- Many of the actors would also appear on the US TV series "Mission Impossible".
DVD
A 3 disc set of DVDs is available.- Running Time: 513 mins (episodes plus bonus material)
- Rating: M
- Region: 4 - Suitable for Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, South America, Central America, Pacific Islands and Caribbean.
The DVD also includes a featurette - Making Of: History in the Making - The Making of Anzacs.
The complete series was released on VHS in the late 1990s in Australia. A condensed movie-length version, cut down to two hours from the original eight, was released on VHS in the United States. The series has yet to be released on DVD in other regions.
External links
- http://www.napoleonguide.com/dvd_anzacs.htm
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPbLg9T9wso