''Chunuk Bair'' is a 1992

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

film based on the play '' Once on Chunuk Bair'' (1982) by

Maurice Shadbolt Maurice Francis Richard Shadbolt (4 June 1932 – 10 October 2004) was a New Zealand writerRobinson and Wattie 1998 and occasional playwright. Biography Shadbolt was born in Auckland, and was the eldest of three children. He had a younger bro ...

. Set in 1915, the film tells of the Wellington Regiment, part of the

New Zealand Expeditionary Force The New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight alongside other British Empire and Dominion troops during World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945). Ultimately, the NZE ...

present at

Gallipoli The Gallipoli peninsula (; tr, Gelibolu Yarımadası; grc, Χερσόνησος της Καλλίπολης, ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. On 8 August 1915, the Regiment took and held Chunuk Bair, one of the Turkish hills. ''Chunuk Bair'' was produced by Daybreak Pictures in association with

Avalon Avalon (; la, Insula Avallonis; cy, Ynys Afallon, Ynys Afallach; kw, Enys Avalow; literally meaning "the isle of fruit r appletrees"; also written ''Avallon'' or ''Avilion'' among various other spellings) is a mythical island featured in the ...

and the

National Film Unit The National Film Unit (NFU) was a state-owned film-production organisation originally based in Miramar, New Zealand, Miramar, New Zealand. Founded in 1936 when the government took over a private film studio, Filmcraft, the NFU produced newsreels, ...

. It was released to roughly coincide with

Anzac Day , image = Dawn service gnangarra 03.jpg , caption = Anzac Day Dawn Service at Kings Park, Western Australia, 25 April 2009, 94th anniversary. , observedby = Australia Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Cook Islands New ...

, the national day of Remembrance in New Zealand and Australia. The central characters are Frank South (

Robert Powell Robert Powell (; born 1 June 1944) is an English actor who is known for the title roles in ''Mahler'' (1974) and '' Jesus of Nazareth'' (1977), and for his portrayal of secret agent Richard Hannay in '' The Thirty Nine Steps'' (1978) and its ...

) and Colonel William Connolly (Kevin Wilson) who have differing opinions about the battle.

Cast

as Sgt Maj Frank Smith *

Kevin J. Wilson Kevin J. Wilson is a New Zealand actor. He is best known for his performance as Sam Murphy on the satirical ''Frontline (Australian TV series), Frontline'' and his role as Senator Albinus on STARZ TV series ''Spartacus (TV series), Spartacus''. He ...

as Connolly * John Leigh as Porky * Murray Keane as Smiler *

Danny Mulheron Danny Mulheron is a New Zealand actor, writer, and director who has worked in theatre, television and film. Mulheron graduated from Toi Whakaari, Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School in 1983 with a Diploma in Acting. In 2012, he directed ''Fr ...

as Bassett *Richard Hanna as Lt Harkness *Lewis Rowe as Johnston *Norman Forsey as Hamilton *Darryl Beattie as Scruffy *John Wraight as Mac *Peter Kaa as Otaki George *Stephen Ure as Holy

Crew

*Producer: Grant Bradley *Exec Producers: Grant Bradley, David Arnell *Director: Dale G Bradley *Writer: Grant Hinden-Miller, adapted from the play by

*Cinematographer:

Waka Attewell Warrick 'Waka' Attewell is a New Zealand cinematographer who over a long career has worked on many notable film and television productions. He joined John O'Shea's Pacific Films early in his career where he worked on ''Tangata Whenua - the People ...

References

External links

* *
NZ on Screen page
1992 films 1990s New Zealand films 1992 drama films 1990s English-language films New Zealand drama films World War I films set in the Middle East Films set in 1915 Films about the Gallipoli campaign {{WWI-film-stub