In filmography, the setting is a key literary device which, if used effectively, can be the basis on which we, as an audience, can understand of the key ideas in a film. The Kimberley Gift Fair and the Gallipoli Peninsula are two important settings in the 1981 motion picture, ‘Gallipoli,’ which enable us to gain an understanding of the key ideas of the film; which are, the destructive puissance of war propaganda and the brutality of war.
Throughout the film, a plethora of cinematic techniques are employed by the director Peter Weir, in these settings, in order to not only expose the key ideas of the film but, more importantly, to impart messages of great relevance and significance for people in society today. Contextually speaking, Gallipoli is set a century ago in the First World War; centralising and focusing on the Australian effort in the Gallipoli campaign and war in Turkey.
Regarded as one of the hallmarks of Australian cinematic history, Gallipoli has been celebrated for its depiction of the lifestyles and circumstances which people lived by during this significant time period in history. As will be discussed, Gallipoli, with great subtlety, is able to recount and give us a glimpse of how war was heavily glorified at the time for the sake of recruitment and how, through the eyes of the soldiers, war was, in fact, entirely different to what the government portrayed it to be; we come to realise that war is truly brutal and destructive.
Although Gallipoli is set in a timeline so distant from today, it is still such a satiating and worthwhile film as it, as aforementioned, impart messages of great relevance to us, individuals, living in society today. At the time of the First World War, the art of propaganda had been, arguably, perfected. The governments of various countries worldwide used this method profusely as a means of manipulating the masses to conform to their will and their wishes. In the film, Gallipoli, this reality was certainly depicted and clearly shown to us in the setting of the Kimberley Gift Fair.
In this setting, various cinematic techniques are used in order to demonstrate the idea of the potency of war propaganda. When the camera cuts to the Australian Army Recruitment stall at the fair, we immediately see how the government made use of propaganda. We clearly hear an army man exclaiming, “Your country needs you! Come and join the greatest game of them all! ” A pivotal line of dialogue, this demonstrates the potent effect of war propaganda with its carefully chosen vocabulary. By comparing war to a game, a parallel between sport and warfare is drawn.
As sport was such an immense part of the Australian identity, a vast majority of Australians began to feel that, as sport and warfare are said to be similar, they wanted to join the war at Gallipoli as they felt that war became part of their national identity. Additionally, by comparing war to a game, war is given a false attribute/sense of excitement and adventure, which it inevitably did not entail as we see later on. This dialogue instantly attracts the attraction of many individuals who we see queue up at quite hastily at the recruitment tent – thus, showing the potency of war propaganda.
Furthermore, a low-angle shot in conjunction with the sound effects of trumpets show how war was glamourised to attract the attention of the men to enlist. At the fair, a large, domineering horse is brought out by the army to be on display. The low-angle shot and trumpet sounds make this horse and, consequently, the army look powerful and grand – which, once again, gives war a false sense of grandeur and lustre as the reality is that, in warfare, these horses will be of great inferiority up against weapons of mass destruction such as the bombs and machine guns used by their opposition later in the film.
Therefore, through this setting, the methods of war propaganda used by the Australian army are exposed and, consequently, we can gain an understanding of the key idea of the potency of war propaganda. We really see how the Australian army delved quite deeply into the emotional human psyche of the Australian men in order to convince them that war is, in a sense, a once-ina-lifetime opportunity and that it comes with a great deal of distinction, pride and grandeur – all of which were the things men, at the time, dreamt of.
Naturally, propaganda only lasts for so long as people eventually realise the reality which was hidden from them. This, consequently, builds up a series of negative emotions within them as they come to the realisation that they have been deceived. In the film, this is exactly what occurs and is evident the immediate moment the film switches to the setting of the Gallipoli peninsula. At first sight of this setting, we notice that it is far from being pleasant as it was told to be at the Kimberley Gift Fair.
The lighting used in the setting is quite dim and ghastly and, in conjunction with the employment of Albanoni’s Adagio in G minor (music score) – a piece with very bitter undertones – a mood of despair, anguish and fear is created which hints at the idea of the brutality of war (which is to come). Upon landing on the site, we immediately see how war is brutal as we hear the sound effect of bombs exploding and soldiers wailing in pain.
The fact that bombs are just autonomously detonated into either side shows the brutality of war as these men have been brainwashed into thinking that their sole purpose is to annihilate and destroy the opposition regardless of whether they are innocent or not. No mercy is spared to the incoming troops – who are, quite frankly, left to fend for themselves. In this setting, the idea of the brutality of war is continually developed as we see a close up of the food which the men consume.
To our shock, it is covered with flies and other various pathogenic microbes. This shows that war is brutal as the men are given such unpalatable food and so vulnerable and susceptible to disease and dysentery that we, ourselves, cannot help but feel infuriated by. The fact that these men have been desensitised to these loathsome, abhorrent living conditions is saddening and truly shows the true nature and bitter reality of warfare. Perhaps, the most definitive event in this setting wherein we see the brutality of war really developed is in the final scene.
In this final scene, we see how waves of Australian forces are recklessly lost due to the inhumanity of the commanding general. In this scene, 2 waves of Australian forces are seen to be immediately decimated by their clearly superior opposition, the Turks. A sane commander would, after two successive and swift decimations, decide to withdraw and retreat in order to prevent more casualties. However, this is not the case as we hear in dialogue, with the commanding general furiously ordering Major Barton that “You must push on! even though the Major previously stated that it would be, “coldblooded murder! ” The fact that the general does not, quite honestly, care about the men’s lives show how in war, human lives are mere sacrificial pawns at the expense of gaining military victories. Thus, through this setting, we can clearly understand the idea that war is brutal in that it disgraces and disregards the human dignity and the human person as individuals are treated abhorrently and risk the chance of death every moment that they are on the battlefield.
Arguably, the ideas presented in the film are certainly ones of great relevance and significance to society today. Through the idea of the potency of war propaganda, Weir seems to open our eyes to the reality of the existence of war propaganda and that it still inheres in society today. Moreover, Weir seems to stress that because propaganda is so potent, it causes us to act in ways which may go against our natural will. And, so, it compels us, thus, to firstly realise the existence of propaganda but more importantly, hold true to our moral values and what we believe s right so that we do not face unforeseen consequences such as the death which many individuals faced (who were deceived by propaganda when going to war).
Additionally, through the idea of the brutality of war, Weir reminds us of the wars plaguing our own society today such as the war against ISIL and, the wars in Syria and Ukraine. And, because it is brutal, the film compels us to really put an end to all wars as it is a very traumatising and horrific occurrence wherein so many lives are wasted and are maltreated to the point where as aforementioned, there becomes a blatant disregard for the human dignity and person.
Thus, through a corroborative analysis of the settings of the Kimberley Gift Fair and the Gallipoli peninsula, we can gain an understanding of the ideas of the potency of war propaganda and the brutality of war. The 1981 motion picture, ‘Gallipoli,’ is quite special, historically, considering that this year is the centennial anniversary of the Gallipoli landings. Weir and the film as a whole, perhaps, invites us to commemorate those who gave us security at the expense of their lives and critically reflect on the true, brutal nature of warfare which so impertinently permeates our society today.