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Bruce Beresford (; born 16 August 1940) is an Australian film director who has made more than 30 feature films over a 50-year career, both locally and internationally in the United States. Beresford's notable films he has directed include '' Breaker Morant'' (1980), '' Tender Mercies'' (1983), '' Crimes of the Heart'' (1986) and the multiple
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
winning ''
Driving Miss Daisy '' Driving Miss Daisy'' is a 1989 American comedy-drama film directed by Bruce Beresford and written by Alfred Uhry, based on his 1987 play of the same name. The film stars Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman, and Dan Aykroyd. Freeman reprised his r ...
'' (1989).


Biography


Early life

Beresford was born in
Paddington, New South Wales Paddington is an upscale inner-city area of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Located east of the Sydney central business district, Paddington lies across two local government areas. The portion south of Oxford Street l ...
, the son of Lona (née Warr) and Leslie Beresford, who sold electrical goods. He grew up in the then outer-western suburb of
Toongabbie Toongabbie is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. One of the oldest suburbs in Sydney, Toongabbie is located approximately 30 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the Greater W ...
, and went to The King's School, Parramatta. He made several short films in his teens including ''The Hunter'' (1959).Stated in a 2007 interview on Radio National in Australia (o
Late Night Live


Sydney University

He completed a
Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...
majoring in English at the
University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...
, where he graduated in 1964. While at university he made the short film ''The Devil to Pay'' (1962) starring John Bell and Ron Blair, ''It Droppeth as the Gentle Rain'' (1963) co-directed by
Albie Thoms Albie Thoms (28 July 1941 – 28 November 2012) was an Australian film director, writer, and producer. He was born in Sydney, Australia. He was nominated for at the 1979 AFI Awards for Best Original Screenplay for Palm Beach. He is best known ...
and starring
Germaine Greer Germaine Greer (; born 29 January 1939) is an Australian writer and public intellectual, regarded as one of the major voices of the radical feminist movement in the latter half of the 20th century. Specializing in English and women's literat ...
, ''Clement Meadmore'' (1963) with Bell and ''King-size Woman'' (1965).


Nigeria and England

Beresford then moved to England in search of film work. He could not break into the British film scene, so he answered an advertisement for an editing job in
Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
, where he worked for two years, in
Enugu Enugu ( ; ) is the capital city of Enugu State in Nigeria. It is located in southeastern part of Nigeria. The city had a population of 820,000 according to the 2022 Nigerian census. The name ''Enugu'' is derived from the two Igbo words ''Én ...
. He then returned to England and worked for the
British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
as a producer of short films by first-time directors, including ''Magritte: The False Mirror'' (1970) and ''Paradigm'' (1970). Beresford directed the documentary ''Lichtenstein in London'' (1968) about
Roy Lichtenstein Roy Fox Lichtenstein (; October 27, 1923 – September 29, 1997) was an American pop artist. During the 1960s, along with Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, and James Rosenquist among others, he became a leading figure in the new art movement. ...
, and ''Extravaganza'' (1968), ''
Barbara Hepworth Dame Jocelyn Barbara Hepworth (10 January 1903 – 20 May 1975) was an English artist and sculptor. Her work exemplifies Modernism and in particular modern sculpture. Along with artists such as Ben Nicholson and Naum Gabo, Hepworth was a lea ...
at the Tate'' (1970), ''The Cinema of Raymond Fark'' (1970), and ''Arts of Village India'' (1972).


Early feature films

Beresford returned to Australia to make his first feature film, '' The Adventures of Barry McKenzie'' (1972), which he also wrote with
Barry Humphries John Barry Humphries (born 17 February 1934) is an Australian comedian, actor, author and satirist. He is best known for writing and playing his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson. He is also a film pr ...
. The film, produced by Phillip Adams, was a box office success in England and Australia, but Beresford later said making the film was a "mistake" because reviews were so bad that he had trouble finding other work."Interview with Bruce Beresford", ''Signet'', 15 May 1999
accessed 17 November 2012
Beresford directed a documentary for TV, ''The Wreck of the Batavia'' (1973) and did some other TV films, ''Poor Fella Me'' (1973), and ''Monster or Miracle? Sydney Opera House'' (1973). These were financed by Reg Grundy who also financed Beresford's second feature as director, '' Barry McKenzie Holds His Own'' (1974), a sequel to ''Barry McKenzie''. Beresford went to England to direct and co-write a comedy, '' Side by Side'' (1975) starring Humphries and
Terry-Thomas Terry-Thomas (born Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens; 10 July 19118 January 1990) was an English character actor and comedian who became internationally known through his films during the 1950s and 1960s. He often portrayed disreputable members of th ...
; it was little seen. Beresford says his career was at a low ebb when Phillip Adams "saved my life" by offering him the job of directing an acclaimed version of
David Williamson David Keith Williamson AO (born 24 February 1942) is an Australian dramatist and playwright. He has also written screenplays and teleplays. Early life David Williamson was born in Melbourne, Victoria, on 24 February 1942, and was brought ...
's play '' Don's Party'' (1976). Beresford directed an adaptation of ''
The Getting of Wisdom ''The Getting of Wisdom'' is a novel by Australian novelist Henry Handel Richardson. It was first published in 1910, and has almost always been in print ever since. Plot introduction Henry Handel Richardson was the pseudonym of Ethel Florence ...
'' (1977), also produced by Adams.


SAFC

Beresford signed a contract with the
South Australian Film Corporation South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) is a South Australian Government statutory corporation established in 1972 to engage in film production and promote the film industry, located in Adelaide, South Australia. The Adelaide Studios are manage ...
for whom he wrote and directed a thriller, ''
Money Movers ''Money Movers'' is a 1978 Australian crime action drama film directed by Bruce Beresford. The film was based on the 1972 book ''The Money Movers'' by Devon Minchin, founder of Metropolitan Security Services. The story deals loosely with two ...
'' (1979), which was a box office disappointment. He did some uncredited directing on the SAFC's '' Blue Fin'' (1978), then co-wrote and directed '' Breaker Morant'' (1980).David Stratton, ''The Last New Wave: The Australian Film Revival'', Angus & Robertson, 1980 p271-272 The latter film was a notable success at the box office and earned Beresford an Oscar nomination. It was widely seen in Hollywood and Beresford began to receive US offers. Beresford directed '' The Club'' (1980), from another Williamson play, and '' Puberty Blues'' (1981).


Early US films

Beresford received an offer from
EMI Films EMI Films was a British film studio and distributor. A subsidiary of the EMI conglomerate, the corporate name was not used throughout the entire period of EMI's involvement in the film industry, from 1969 to 1986, but the company's brief conne ...
to direct
Horton Foote Albert Horton Foote Jr. (March 14, 1916March 4, 2009) was an American playwright and screenwriter. He received Academy Awards for his screenplays for the 1962 film ''To Kill a Mockingbird'', which was adapted from the 1960 novel of the same name ...
's '' Tender Mercies'' (1983). Star
Robert Duvall Robert Selden Duvall (; born January 5, 1931) is an American actor and filmmaker. His career spans more than seven decades and he is considered one of the greatest American actors of all time. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, four Gold ...
won a Best Actor Oscar for his performance and Beresford earned a Best Director nomination. He followed it with ''
King David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
'' (1985) starring
Richard Gere Richard Tiffany Gere ( ; born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. He began in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in '' Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' (1977) and a starring role in ''Days of Heaven'' (1978). He came to prominence with ...
which was a notable box office failure. Beresford returned to Australia to direct ''
The Fringe Dwellers ''The Fringe Dwellers'' is a 1986 film directed by Bruce Beresford, based on the 1961 novel '' The Fringe Dwellers'' by Western Australian author Nene Gare.Nene Gare, The Fringe Dwellers, Sun Books, Melbourne, 1966 (first published by Heinemann, ...
'' (1986), co-written with his first wife, Rhoisin Beresford. In the US he directed '' Crimes of the Heart'' (1986) from the play by
Beth Henley Elizabeth Becker Henley (born May 8, 1952) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and actress. Her play ''Crimes of the Heart'' won the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the 1981 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best American Play, and a ...
, did a segment of the film ''
Aria In music, an aria ( Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompa ...
'' (1987), and did the comedy thriller ''
Her Alibi ''Her Alibi'' is a 1989 American romantic comedy film directed by Bruce Beresford, written by Charlie Peters and starring Tom Selleck, Paulina Porizkova, William Daniels, and James Farentino. Plot Phil Blackwood (Selleck) is an American myster ...
'' (1989) with
Tom Selleck Thomas William Selleck (; born January 29, 1945) is an American actor. His breakout role was playing private investigator Thomas Magnum in the television series ''Magnum, P.I.'' (1980–1988), for which he received five Emmy Award nominations ...
.


''Driving Miss Daisy''

Beresford directed ''
Driving Miss Daisy '' Driving Miss Daisy'' is a 1989 American comedy-drama film directed by Bruce Beresford and written by Alfred Uhry, based on his 1987 play of the same name. The film stars Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman, and Dan Aykroyd. Freeman reprised his r ...
'' (1989) with
Morgan Freeman Morgan Freeman (born June 1, 1937) is an American actor, director, and narrator. He is known for his distinctive deep voice and various roles in a wide variety of film genres. Throughout his career spanning over five decades, he has received ...
and
Jessica Tandy Jessie Alice Tandy (7 June 1909 – 11 September 1994) was a British-American actress. Tandy appeared in over 100 stage productions and had more than 60 roles in film and TV, receiving an Academy Award, four Tony Awards, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe ...
, from a play by
Alfred Uhry Alfred Fox Uhry (born December 3, 1936) is an American playwright and screenwriter. He has received an Academy Award, two Tony Awards and the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for dramatic writing for ''Driving Miss Daisy''. He is a member of the Fellowship ...
. It won the
Academy Award for Best Picture The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film and is the only categ ...
, although Beresford was not nominated as director. The film was a commercial and critical success. Asked if he minded not even being nominated for the Best Director Oscar for ''Driving Miss Daisy'', Beresford said: "No, not at all. I didn't think it was that well directed. It was very well written. When the writing's that good, you've really just got to set the camera up and photograph it." He directed '' Mister Johnson'' (1990) in Nigeria, with
Edward Woodward Edward Albert Arthur Woodward, OBE (1 June 1930 – 16 November 2009) was an English actor and singer. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he began his career on stage. Throughout his career, he appeared in productions ...
; ''
Black Robe ''Black Robe'', first published in 1985, is a historical novel by Brian Moore set in New France in the 17th century. Its central theme is the collision of European and Native American cultures soon after first contact. First Nations peoples h ...
'' (1991), an Australian-Canadian film based on the novel by Brian Moore; '' Rich in Love'' (1992), co-written by Uhry; '' A Good Man in Africa'' (1994) with
Sean Connery Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Origina ...
from a novel by William Boyd, which in 2015 Beresford called his worst film; '' Silent Fall'' (1994), which was nominated for the
Golden Bear The Golden Bear (german: Goldener Bär) is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival. The bear is the heraldic animal of Berlin, featured on both the coat of arms and flag of Berlin. History The win ...
at the
45th Berlin International Film Festival The 45th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 9 to 22 February 1995. The Golden Bear was awarded to French film '' The Bait'' directed by Bertrand Tavernier. The retrospective dedicated to American actor Buster Keaton was show ...
; and '' Last Dance'' (1996) with
Sharon Stone Sharon Vonne Stone (born March 10, 1958) is an American actress. Known for primarily playing femme fatales and women of mystery on film and television, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1990s. She is the recipient of various ...
. He wrote but did not direct '' Curse of the Starving Class'' (1994). Beresford returned to Australia to direct '' Paradise Road'' (1997), which was a commercial disappointment. He directed a documentary, ''Sydney: A Story of a City'' (1999), then had a hit with the thriller ''
Double Jeopardy In jurisprudence, double jeopardy is a procedural defence (primarily in common law jurisdictions) that prevents an accused person from being tried again on the same (or similar) charges following an acquittal or conviction and in rare case ...
'' (1999).


Later films

Beresford made '' Bride of the Wind'' (2001); '' Evelyn'' (2002) with Pierce Brosnan; and '' And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself'' (2003) with
Antonio Banderas José Antonio Domínguez Bandera (born 10 August 1960), known professionally as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish actor and singer. Known for his work in films of several genres, he has received various accolades, including a Cannes Film Festival ...
. He spent several years looking for financing for various projects before making '' The Contract'' (2006) with Freeman and Cusack . He followed it with a TV film ''
Orpheus Orpheus (; Ancient Greek: Ὀρφεύς, classical pronunciation: ; french: Orphée) is a Thracian bard, legendary musician and prophet in ancient Greek religion. He was also a renowned poet and, according to the legend, travelled with J ...
'' (2006) and returned to Australia to make '' Mao's Last Dancer which also was filmed in Houston, Texas.'' (2009). Beresford's later credits include '' Peace, Love & Misunderstanding'' (2011) with Jane Fonda, the documentary ''H.H. Dalai Lama: Essence of Mahayana Buddhism'' (2011), the mini series ''
Bonnie & Clyde Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910May 23, 1934) and Clyde Chestnut (Champion) Barrow (March 24, 1909May 23, 1934) were an American criminal couple who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. The co ...
'' (2013), ''
Mr. Church ''Mr. Church'' is a 2016 American drama film directed by Bruce Beresford and written by Susan McMartin. The film stars Eddie Murphy as the title character with Britt Robertson, Xavier Samuel, Lucy Fry, Christian Madsen and Natascha McElhone al ...
'' (2016) with
Eddie Murphy Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and singer. He rose to fame on the sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', for which he was a regular cast member from 1980 to 1984. Murphy has als ...
, an episode of the remake of ''
Roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusing ...
'' (2017), the TV movie ''
Flint Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Flint was widely used historically to make stone tools and start ...
'' (2017) and the Australian film ''
Ladies in Black ''Ladies in Black'' is an Australian musical with music and lyrics by Tim Finn and book by Carolyn Burns, based on the 1993 novel ''The Women in Black'' by Madeleine St John. Synopsis Set in Sydney in the 1950s, the musical tells the story o ...
'' (2018).


Opera

In addition to films, Bruce Beresford has also directed several operas and theatre productions. In 2016, he directed
Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...
's opera '' Albert Herring'' for the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, in a production conducted by Nicholas Cleobury. He often works with film editor
Mark Warner Mark Robert Warner (born December 15, 1954) is an American businessman and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Virginia, a seat he has held since 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, Warner served as the 69th gov ...
. (See: List of film director and editor collaborations) In 2012, he directed a production of
Erich Wolfgang Korngold Erich Wolfgang Korngold (May 29, 1897November 29, 1957) was an Austrian-born American composer and conductor. A child prodigy, he became one of the most important and influential composers in Hollywood history. He was a noted pianist and compo ...
's opera ''
Die tote Stadt ' (German for ''The Dead City''), Op. 12, is an opera in three acts by Erich Wolfgang Korngold set to a libretto by Paul Schott, a collective pseudonym for the composer and his father, Julius Korngold. It is based on the 1892 novel '' Bruges-la-Mo ...
'' for
Opera Australia Opera Australia is the principal opera company in Australia. Based in Sydney, its performance season at the Sydney Opera House accompanied by the Opera Australia Orchestra runs for approximately eight months of the year, with the remainder ...
. In 2018, he directed the Australian premiere of Rossini's
Otello ''Otello'' () is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play '' Othello''. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on 5 February 1887. ...
for Melbourne Opera.


Memoir

In August 2007, he published a memoir, ''Josh Hartnett Definitely Wants To Do This... True Stories From A Life in the Screen Trade''.


Personal life

Beresford's second wife is novelist Virginia Duigan, sister of film director and editor
John Duigan John Duigan (born 19 June 1949) is an Australian film director and screenwriter. He is mostly known for his two autobiographical films '' The Year My Voice Broke'' and '' Flirting'', and the 1994 film '' Sirens'', which stars Hugh Grant. Bi ...
. He has five adult children and now works both in Australia and the United States.


Contemporaries and friends

Beresford attended the
University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...
with critic and documentary maker
Clive James Clive James (born Vivian Leopold James; 7 October 1939 – 24 November 2019) was an Australian critic, journalist, broadcaster, writer and lyricist who lived and worked in the United Kingdom from 1962 until his death in 2019.Robert Hughes, activist and author
Germaine Greer Germaine Greer (; born 29 January 1939) is an Australian writer and public intellectual, regarded as one of the major voices of the radical feminist movement in the latter half of the 20th century. Specializing in English and women's literat ...
, journalist
Bob Ellis Robert James Ellis (10 May 1942 – 3 April 2016) was an Australian writer, journalist, filmmaker, and political commentator. He was a student at the University of Sydney at the same time as other notable Australians including Clive James, Germa ...
, poet Les Murray, and writer Mungo McCallum. His contemporary and friend, actor and theatre director John Bell, shared a house and also did some film acting. Beresford remains close friends with Australian comedian, satirist and character actor
Barry Humphries John Barry Humphries (born 17 February 1934) is an Australian comedian, actor, author and satirist. He is best known for writing and playing his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson. He is also a film pr ...
, best known for his on-stage/television alter ego
Dame Edna Everage Dame Edna Everage, often known simply as Dame Edna, is a character created and performed by Australian comedian Barry Humphries, known for her lilac-coloured ("wisteria hue") hair and cat eye glasses ("face furniture"); her favourite flower, t ...
, and his family.


Filmography


References


External links

*
Conversation Hollywood Interview

James Pratt
Interview with Bruce Beresford Season 1

transcript (''
Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talki ...
'', 1 October 2007, archived 2014)
Bruce Beresford
– portrait photo by Mark-Steffen Göwecke
Bruce Beresford
at the
National Film and Sound Archive The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national co ...
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Beresford, Bruce 1940 births APRA Award winners Australian film directors Australian film producers People educated at The King's School, Parramatta University of Sydney alumni Best Director Genie and Canadian Screen Award winners Living people People from Sydney