Gallipoli

Set during World War I, the movie takes us around the world, from Australia to Egypt and Turkey, culminating in one of the wars most pivotal and famous battles. It was nominated for a Golden Globe in the Best Foreign Film category. It stars a very young Mel Gibson (before he lost his Australian accent!) and Mark Lee and was directed by Peter Weir. The focus, besides the war, is on two long time friends who join the Australian army together. They are both champion caliber sprinters. This was when the telephone was in its infancy, and the fastest, best, most reliable and really only way to communicate over distances was to use runners. The movie shows how young men are forced to grow and change in ways they never otherwise would because of war. There is some violence, making the movie realistic. It does not romanticize war, but it does bring home the importance of friendship. We see the two friends forced to grow and face their demons together. This makes it as much a "buddy movie" as it is a war movie.