The Lighthorsemen

Cross The Man From Snowy River (1982) with Gallipoli (1981) and what do you get? The Lighthorsemen, a technically well-made but dramatically dull and clichéd film dealing with Australian soldiers in the Middle East during the First World War.

An unabashedly commercial exercise (director Wincer and writer Ian Jones had worked together on such TV series as The Sullivans, 1976 and Homicide, 1964, and Wincer was executive producer of the commercially very successful The Man From Snowy River), the film is on the one hand mind-numbingly stereotypical both in conception and realization and on the other, works the myths of mateship and digger heroism for all they are worth.

Sigrid Thornton as an Antipodean Florence Nightingale dutifully provides the romantic interest for Peter Phelps’ wide-eyed innocent from Preston in the north of Melbourne. With impressive cinematography by Dean Semler and exacting production design, the film, which was shot in Victoria and South Australia cost a hefty (by Australian standards) $AU10m but only returned $AU1.7m at the box office and did not find an overseas audience even though it was shorn of 17 minutes. Which just goes to show that the tried-and-true isn't enough

DVD Extras: Director's commentary; Theatrical trailer

Available from: Umbrella Entertainment

 

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