The Year of Living Dangerously (film)

1982 - Australia - 114 min. - Feature, Color
Director Peter Weir
Genre/Type Romantic Drama, Political Thriller, Drama, Thriller, Romance
Flags Questionable for Children, Violence, Nudity, Adult Situations, Explicit Language, Profanity
MPAA Rating PG

Keywords coup, journalist, politician, romance
Plot Lines Journalism/journalist (lifestyle of)
Set In Indonesia, Pacific Islands, wartime, 1965
From book by Koch, C.J.

Mel Gibson once again proves there's more to his mystique than "Mad Max" in this political thriller directed by Peter Weir. Set in Indonesia during the 1965 coup against President Sukarno, the film stars Gibson as Guy Hamilton, an Australian wire-service reporter covering the scene. Whenever Hamilton becomes too glib or indifferent for his own good, he is brought back to earth by his "conscience," photographer Billy Swan (played in male drag by diminutive actress Linda Hunt, who won an Academy Award for her performance). As all of Jakarta sinks into disarray, Hamilton pursues a romance with British attache Jill Bryant (Sigourney Weaver). For the most part, the film -- based on a novel by C. J. Koch, who collaborated with director Weir on the screenplay -- rings true; it falters only a during gratuitious car-chase sequence, evidently added at the behest of MGM, who financed the film (the first such American-Australian financial collaboration). Filmed on location in the Philippines and Australia, The Year of Living Dangerously is one of those rare films which successfully combines real-life political intrigue with solid entertainment value. -- Hal Erickson

• Mel Gibson - Guy Hamilton
• Sigourney Weaver - Jill Bryant
• Linda Hunt - Billy Kwan
• Michael Murphy - Peter Curtis
• Bill Kerr - Col. Henderson Noel Ferrier - Wally Paul Sonkkila - Condon
• Bembol Roco - Kumar
• Domingo Landicho - Hortono
• Norma Uatuhan - Ibu
• Joonee Gamboa - Naval Officer
• Coco Marantha - Pool waiter
• Mike Emperio - President Sukarno
• Bernardo Nacilla - Dwarf Ali Nur - Ali
• Dominador Robidillo - Betjak Man
• Mark Egerton - Embassy aide
• Joel Agona - Palace Guard
• Joel Lamangan - Security Man 1
• Hermono de Guzman - Immigration Officer

 Credits and description provided by American Movie Guide, http://allmovie.com