Hammers Over the Anvil (1993)

Director:

Ann Turner

Writers:

Alan Marshall (stories)
Peter Hepworth (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

22 July 1994 (Australia)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

From the producer of "THE HEARTBREAK KID", and based on the writings of celebrated author, ALAN MARSHALL (I Can Jump Puddles), comes an unforgettable story of passion, courage and discovery.

Plot:

This is the story of the crippled young Alan Marshall and his hero worship of the local he-man horse trainer East Driscoll...

Plot Keywords:

Horse | Horse Trainer | Hero | English | Affair

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Charlotte Rampling	...	Grace McAlister
Russell Crowe	...	East Driscoll
Alexander Outhred	...	Alan Marshall
Frankie J. Holden	...	'Bushman' Marshall
Jake Frost	...	Joe Carmichael (as Jake D. Frost)
Alethea McGrath	...	Mrs. Bilson
John Rafter Lee	...	Charles McAlister (as John Lee)
Frank Gallacher	...	Mr. Thomas the Preacher
Amanda Douge	...	Nellie Bolster
Kirsty McGregor	...	Elsie Marshall
Daphne Grey	...	Mrs. Herbert
Caroline Kemp	...	Lucy Taylor
Sam Nightingale	...	Freckles Jack
Syd Brisbane	...	Duke the Dance Caller
Peter Osborn	...	Father Finnegan

Runtime:

Argentina:95 min | Australia:97 min | Canada:97 min (Ontario)

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia

Company:

Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC)

Trivia:

When "The Magpie and Stump Hotel" in Mintaro in the Clare Valley, South Australia appeared in "Hammers Over The Anvil", the name of the pub was painted over. However, when the painters repainted back the name, they got it wrong and instead called the pub the "The Magpie Stump Hotel".

Never likely to succeed...

Beautifully photographed film is a throwback to Australian cinema's renaissance period of the mid-to-late 1970s, complete with unconventional (Marshall) and fallen (East) heroes, and a non-Australian (Rampling) in a lead role. Turner does a wonderful job of directing Marshall's (I Can Jump Puddles) semiautobiographical story, maintaining continuity and interest throughout a plot which could be criticised as largely unoriginal. Set in the beginnings of last century, in a small bush community, the story draws on frequent notions of moral wrongfulness and, in a more contemporary sense, gender stereotypes: Alan's father (Holden), for instance, is portrayed as a willing chauvanist who, after the death of his wife, makes sure his daughter learns to do all the things a woman should do. Grace is a strong, independent type, yet (in East's mind at least) she still needs rescuing from her stifling marriage. Filmed in South Australia, it wasn't a success at the box office (fans of THE CROSSING may have been expecting another teen film from Crowe), and attempts to draw parallels with THE HEARTBREAK KID (both films were produced by Ben Gannon, and both, of course, deal with taboo relationships between young men and older women) upon video release also failed. Arguably more popular than ever now, because of a legion of Crowe fans which has sprung up after his massive Hollywood successes, though fans of GLADIATOR, The INSIDER and LA CONFIDENTIAL are also likely to be disappointed by the pace and lack of formality. Young Outhred is brilliant as Alan, and he's well backed up by Holden and McGrath (as a fun-loving grandmother), but the film ultimately fails for the lack of on-screen chemistry between Rampling and Crowe. Entertainment: 7/10. Critical: 6.25/10.