The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Stolen hearts, stolen generation

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Stolen hearts, stolen generation

Good show: Actors Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman in a scene from the film.

Film: Australia (English)

Director: Phillips Noyace

Cast: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackson

The queen of Elizabeth may have tendered a formal apology for the Jalianwala Bagh Massacre by General O’ Dior some years ago, but has it changed the life of the families who lost lives, even the generations? The Australian Prime Minister may have recently offered an apology to the Nation for Stolen Generations in Australia, but how has it now impacted their lives, no one knows. If you really want to know what is this Stolen Generation, why are they called so, what ha ppened to them and where are they now, you may well click on the search engine on the Internet and find out some information, but producer Baz Luhrmann director Phillips Noyace give you a graphic detail in two hours and 45 minutes.

A 20th Century Fox film, “Australia” is set in beginning of World War II in Northern Australia. It’s a story of love, courage, compassion, treachery and empathy.

Storyline

In brief, an English aristocrat called Lord Ashley inherits a cattle station which is big as Maryland. But the size of the cattle station called Faraway Downs is his biggest threat as the cattle barons hatch a conspiracy to take it over. Here, his wife Sarah or Lady Ashley reluctantly joins him. She is faced with untoward situations – mysterious murder of her husband at the station, the woes of the people of Stolen Generation, a few of which work at the station, the truth of the cattle barons and charity houses for children and so on. Now, in order to save her 2000 cattle and the land, she must march them across hundreds of miles, through tough terrains, rivers and desert – to the city for sale. She begins with dismissing the services of Fletcher (David Wenham) who actually works a cattle baron King Carney (Bryan Brown).

She takes the help of Drover (Hugh Jackson) and Nulla (debutant Brandon Walters) an aboriginal 8-year-old boy (from Stolen Generation) who work at the cattle station.

What makes this historical epic interesting is that the tale is told through a “half-caste” Nulla whose grandfather he calls King George (David Dudphill) has taught him some magical power of story telling that connects generations and the power of music that tames the violent animal and connects lost people.

Tilted to serve the cause of the Stolen Generation, the film despite certain loose ends that make the film dreary and tedious at places, is a brave attempt. More than Jackson, Nicole or Bryan, it is Brandon Walters who takes the cake. His voice mesmerises and his innocence captivates. You shed a tear when his mother dies in the water tank as she attempts to save him from the hands of the white Australians who come visiting the cattle station. Nicole’s hard work is convincing and Jackson steals many young hearts. David Dudphill gives a chilling, compelling performance as an aboriginal. Hats off for making a make believe film in the high-tech times. The film compels you to spare a thought for the Stolen Generation. Had the film not failed at places, it would well have stood against Titanic today.

RANA SIDDIQUI ZAMAN

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