Character Analysis From 'Gallipoli'

Gallipoli is the remarkable story of two Western Australian mates who are sent to Gallipoli in 1915. Frank and Archie are both very successful sprinters and Archie wants adventure, while Frank wants to stay in Australia, but signs up for the inventory anyway.

This story brings back some harsh truths about warfare, and explains why so many naïve young men joined up, only to suffer deaths well before their time.

The troops were headed for the Gallipoli peninsula and the Dardanelles Strait, in southern Turkey, to attempt to take the peninsula. The war was between the Allies (mainly Britain, US, France, Russia, Italy, Japan, and Australia) and the Central Powers (mainly Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey)

I found the recruitment drives that
the army had quite crafty, because they deliberately set them up in a family place, and they promoted the war as glorious. The men were indirectly encouraged by the women to sign up, and, if they didn't, they were labelled as ‘cowards' by fellow men. So, there was quite a bit of pressure from all around pushing men to sign up.

When the young men did sign up, they were doing so as individuals looking for adventure, but the army saw them as mere units and battalions.
One reason why the men were signing up was apparent to me when Snowy, Barney and Frank etc. were talking around the fire about signing up. One of them was pushed to sign up with the line "The girls go wild over a uniform". Archie joined up because he wanted an adventure, and to travel. Frank said to his father that he was signing up because he would "Keep my head down, learn a trick or two, and come back an officer." We don't know how this turned out for Frank, as we never saw him any
further.

Archie felt that the war was Australia's responsibility too because, as he said, "If we don't stop them there, they'll end up here". Archie said he would feel ashamed of himself if he didn't fight, even though he was underage, because he was a good athlete, and that's "what the army needs". He also felt it was Australia's war because Australia does everything hand in hand with Britain. Frank felt that a war on the other side of the world had nothing to do with Australia, and he did not respect any snobby British authority.

Probably the actual realisation of what they were getting themselves into was when Frank and Archie were standing on a hill at sunset; listen to the anguished sounds of battle.
Even more horrifying for Frank was witnessing Snowy on his deathbed naïvely saying, "I wonder why they aren't giving me any food or drink?"

When the Anzacs were in Egypt, they thought that the ‘Gypos' were a bunch of thieves. The lecture one of the officers gave before the start of the exercises in Cairo probably didn't do much for respect towards the Egyptians.

I thought that it was amusing to see the state rivalry during the football game, as it is so reflective of what still happens today in modern day Australia.

Perhaps the most awful thing that I found about the movie was that the commanders knew that they were wasting so many young lives, but still decided to push on with the attacks, despite losing virtually all of those Anzacs. They wanted the British to be ensured of a safe landing on shores further away. The Australians were a mere diversion so the ‘superior' British soldiers could comfortably land and take
Palestine.

I thought the most brilliant actor in the film was the person who played the head of the 10th Light Horse regiment. I liked the way he changed his mind about kicking Frank out of the function for officers only, because he learnt that they were embarking for Gallipoli the following morning, which he felt probably meant eventual death.

The most poignant reminder through the film is in fact the pep talk that Archie uses to fire himself up. It reminds us of how young Archie was, and what a tragedy it was that he died. "What are your legs? Steel springs. What are they gonna do? Hurl me down the track. How fast can you run? As fast as a leopard. How fast are you gonna run? As fast as a leopard!" I thought the effect of saying this just before he goes into battle is more emotional than when he actually gets shot.

Probably the most memorable moment from the film is when Frank cries out "No!" when he hears the whistle, that signals battle is about to start, being blown.

It is strange to think that maybe it would have been Frank that got shot on the battlefield, and Archie feeling the anguish of running the messages too slow. I'm sure that if Frank knew that Archie was asked if he would be the runner, he would feel dreadful.

Some qualities that I thought fit the Australian digger were that they were heroic, spirited courageous, wonderful, and, most importantly, they all had a real sense of what mateship was, so they were all brilliant mates. Even in the face of absolute danger they were good friends, perhaps the danger was commonly binding them together.

Even now, the last remaining Australian and New-Zealand Army Corps are still mates.