"The Last Bastion" (1984)TV mini-series

Directors:

Chris Thomson
George Miller (co-director)

Writers:

Denis Whitburn (writer)
David Williamson (writer)

Release Date:

6 November 1984 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | History | War

Plot Keywords:

Australia | General | Army General | Douglas Macarthur | Colonel

Cast

Michael Blakemore	...	John Curtin
John Wood	...	Robert Menzies
Timothy West	...	Winston Churchill
Robert Vaughn	...	Gen. Douglas MacArthur
Warren Mitchell	...	Franklin D Roosevelt
Ray Barrett	...	Gen. Tom Blamey
Peter Whitford	...	Herbert Evatt
Max Cullen	...	Eddie Ward
Jon Ewing	...	Billy Hughes
Nancye Hayes	...	Elsie Curtin
Neil Fitzpatrick	...	Frederick Shedden
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Vincent Ball	...	Gen. Sturdee
Tony Barry	...	Gen. Rowell
David Bennett	...	U.S. Officer
Ron Blanchard	...	Arthur Caldwell
Justin Byrne	...	Journalist
Simon Chilvers	...	Earle Page
John Clayton	...	Arthur Fadden
Peter Collingwood	...	Gen. Haining
Peter Corbett	...	Journalist
Ralph Cotterill	...	David Lloyd George
John Cuff	...	ALP Member
Robin Cuming	...	Lord Beaverbrook
David Downer	...	Percy Spender
Robert Eagen	...	2nd Press Lord
Tim Elliott	...	Richard Casey
Waverney Ford	...	Gen. Harding
Ben Franklin	...	Journalist
David Frezza	...	U.S. Commander
Reg Gillam	...	Gen. George C. Marshall
Julie Godfrey	...	Elvie
John Hamblin	...	Anthony Eden
Julie Hamilton	...	Mary Alice Evatt
Harold Hopkins	...	Harold Holt
Bill Hunter	...	Ben Chiffley
Max Hurd	...	ALP Member
Len Kaserman	...	Roosevelt's Doctor
Michael Kozuki	...	Saburo Kurusu
Susan Kramer	...	Jean MacArthur
Nicholas Lidstone	...	Pilot
Andrew Lloyde	...	Curtin's son
Dennis MacKay	...	ALP Member
Paul Mason	...	Air Chief Marshal Brooke-Popham
Rhys McConnochie	...	Air Chief Marshal Portal
Susan McCreary	...	Curtin's daughter
Brian McDermott	...	Gen. Eichelberger
Colin McEwan	...	Frank Forde
John McTernan	...	Col. Willoughby
Richard Meikle	...	Gen. Vasey
Richard Moir	...	Maj. Carlyon
Laurie Moran	...	Speaker
Natalie Mosco	...	Anna Roosevelt (as Nataly Mosco)
Symon Parsonage	...	Small Boy
Phil Perman	...	ALP Member
Gordon Poole	...	Gen. Wavell
Warren Ring	...	ALP Member
Tim Robertson	...	Adm. Ernest King
Graham Rouse	...	Gen. Sutherland
June Salter	...	Eleanor Roosevelt
John Saunders	...	ALP Member
Arthur Sherman	...	Gen. Jonathan Wainwright
Bruce Stewart	...	1st Press Lord
Erik Szaks	...	Arthur MacArthur
Alan Tobin	...	British High Commissioner
Duncan Wass	...	Journalist
Leslie Wright	...	Stanley Bruce

Runtime:

360 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:PG (video rating) | Australia:PG

Company:

Network Ten

Australia during World War II

Many of us have seen dramas of what transpired in England, the U.S., France, Italy, etc. during WWII....but what about those beloved, amiable mates down under? This docudrama does a very fine job of showing what they went thru.

It's not as well-done as CHURCHILL AND THE GENERALS or WORLD WAR II: WHEN LIONS ROARED, but it's a cinch to say that viewers who loved those dramas will enjoy this one. Some of the actors (including Warren Mitchell as FDR) are not always convincing with their American accents, and even some of the actual Americans have laughable moments(Robert Vaughn plays MacArthur wearing sunglasses, even while indoors).

However, no smart viewer cares about such quibbles. One cares for learning about the factual complexities/anxieties that Australia underwent during world history's most dramatic time. That is what makes this compelling viewing from the start. It also provides many pleasures, from a stirring score and to memorable performances from many, including Michael Blakemore and Timothy West as (once again!) Churchill.