The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)

Director:

Peter Weir

Writers:

C.J. Koch (novel)
C.J. Koch (screenplay)

Release Date:

21 January 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War

Tagline:

A Love Caught In The Fire Of Revolution

Plot:

A young Australian reporter tries to navigate the political turmoil of Indonesia during the rule of President Sukarno with the help of a diminutive photographer.

Plot Keywords:

President | Photographer | Political | Diplomat | Foreign Correspondent

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 7 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Mel Gibson	...	Guy Hamilton
Sigourney Weaver	...	Jill Bryant
Linda Hunt	...	Billy Kwan
Michael Murphy	...	Pete Curtis
Bill Kerr	...	Colonel Henderson
Noel Ferrier	...	Wally O'Sullivan
Bembol Roco	...	Kumar
Paul Sonkkila	...	Kevin Condon
Ali Nur	...	Ali
Dominador Robridillo	...	Betjak Man
Joel Agona	...	Palace Guard
Mike Emperio	...	Sukarno
Bernardo Nacilla	...	Dwarf
Domingo Landicho	...	Hortono
Hermino De Guzman	...	Immigration Officer

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English | Tagalog | Filipino | Indonesian

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Iceland:16 | South Korea:12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Artransa Park Film Studios, Mobbs Lane, Epping, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

McElroy & McElroy

Trivia:

Linda Hunt is the only actress ever to win an academy award playing a man, no cross dressing or gender confusion involved. Hilary Swank (Boys Don't Cry (1999)) received the award for playing a biological female who identifies as a man. Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare in Love (1998)) received one for playing a woman who was pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The song by Richard Strauss is incorrectly listed in the end credits. It's "Beim Schlafengehen" and not "September."

Quotes:

Guy Hamilton: It's not just A story, it's THE bloody story - can't you understand that?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Between Two Worlds: The Making of 'Witness' (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Beim Schlafengehen

Pretty much a flawless movie

I watched TYLD after a prof recommended it in grad school. I had to rent it from an obscure-movies rental place in Alexandria, Virginia and I now own the picture.

There are three elements, mixed together, that make TYLD superb, rich cinema. First, it captures the feel of westerners living abroad, the cluster of expat personalities that you find were you to live or work abroad.

Second, it is one of the best love stories ever crafted, with a "fleeting end of summer feel" between Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver. They are both young; Weaver is stunningly gorgeous. Their romance ends almost as abruptly as it begins. We've all been there.

The movie also captures an awesome historical moment and is fascinating Cold War history. The movie is flawless.