Broken Barrier
Encyclopedia
Broken Barrier is a 1952 New Zealand
film. It was directed and produced by John O'Shea (director)
and Roger Mirams
, and written by O'Shea. It starred Kay Ngarimu and Terence Bayler
, and also featured Mira Hape, Bill Merito and George Ormond.
Broken Barrier premiered on 10 July 1952. Filmed in black and white, it had a running length of 69 minutes. The film was the first real attempt at a feature film to be produced in New Zealand since the end of World War II
and was filmed on a shoestring budget, and as such was fairly rudimentary and naive, yet was also important at re-establishing the New Zealand film industry.
The film addresses mistrust and prejudice between Pākehā
and Māori in New Zealand, portraying a romance between a Pākehā man and a Māori woman. The film was somewhat controversial at its release.
The film is about the relationship between Tom Sullivan, a Pākehā journalist, and Rawi, a Māori woman. Sullivan meets Rawi while researching articles on rural Māori life, and he stays for a time with Rawi's family. Rawi's family disapproves of her relationship with a Pākehā man, ending in a quarrel. Later, however, the two are re-united in the city, where Rawi goes to work as a nurse. The two resume their romance, but this time meet with opposition from Sullivan's family and friends, who do not wish him to be involved with a Māori woman. Sullivan eventually comes to agree with their views, and the couple separate once again. Sullivan has a change of heart, however, when he saved from a fire by a Māori friend's sacrifice. Sullivan and Rawi are reunited.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
film. It was directed and produced by John O'Shea (director)
John O'Shea (director)
John Dempsey O'Shea was a New Zealand independent filmmaker; he was a director, producer, writer and actor.He was active from 1940 to 1970, and in 1952 set up Pacific Films in Wellington with Roger Mirams...
and Roger Mirams
Roger Mirams
Roger Eastgate Holden Mirams was a New Zealand film director, well known for the children's television series he produced throughout his career which extended over 70 years...
, and written by O'Shea. It starred Kay Ngarimu and Terence Bayler
Terence Bayler
-Early life:Bayler was born in Wanganui, the son of Amy and Harold Bayler, a stagehand. His first film appearance was in the New Zealand film Broken Barrier ....
, and also featured Mira Hape, Bill Merito and George Ormond.
Broken Barrier premiered on 10 July 1952. Filmed in black and white, it had a running length of 69 minutes. The film was the first real attempt at a feature film to be produced in New Zealand since the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was filmed on a shoestring budget, and as such was fairly rudimentary and naive, yet was also important at re-establishing the New Zealand film industry.
The film addresses mistrust and prejudice between Pākehā
Pakeha
Pākehā is a Māori language word for New Zealanders who are "of European descent". They are mostly descended from British and to a lesser extent Irish settlers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, although some Pākehā have Dutch, Scandinavian, German, Yugoslav or other ancestry...
and Māori in New Zealand, portraying a romance between a Pākehā man and a Māori woman. The film was somewhat controversial at its release.
The film is about the relationship between Tom Sullivan, a Pākehā journalist, and Rawi, a Māori woman. Sullivan meets Rawi while researching articles on rural Māori life, and he stays for a time with Rawi's family. Rawi's family disapproves of her relationship with a Pākehā man, ending in a quarrel. Later, however, the two are re-united in the city, where Rawi goes to work as a nurse. The two resume their romance, but this time meet with opposition from Sullivan's family and friends, who do not wish him to be involved with a Māori woman. Sullivan eventually comes to agree with their views, and the couple separate once again. Sullivan has a change of heart, however, when he saved from a fire by a Māori friend's sacrifice. Sullivan and Rawi are reunited.