Hollywood created impression of becoming “woke” recently, especially in issues of gender and sexuality. This impression, like many others related to American film industry, is wrong. Very good example of unorthodox thinking in these matters might be found many decades ago, when Linda Hunt became the first actress to win an Oscar for playing a male (and the only one for playing biologically male or cisgender) character in The Year of Living Dangerously, 1982 Australian-American coproduction directed by Peter Weir. Interestingly enough, critics and audience didn’t appear to make much fuss about that detail and they mostly judged the film on its merit.
The film is based on the novel by Australian writer Christopher Koch, itself inspired by his brother’s experiences as news correspondent in mid 1960s Indonesia. The protagonist, played by Mel Gibson, is Guy Hamilton, young and inexperienced journalist who comes to Jakarta to report for Australian Broadcast Service. His arrival coincides with increasing tensions in one of the world’s largest and most populous countries, ruled by nationalist president Sukarno (played by Mike Emperio) who refused to take sides in Cold War and instead played balancing act between two blocks, as well as between Communists on the left and conservative Muslims and the military on the right. The balance appears to be shifting, with Communists gaining strength and everyone expecting that Sukarno will be deposed or turned into Communist puppet. While all this happens, Hamilton meets Billy Kwan (played by Linda Hunt), dwarfish Chinese-Australian man with ability to mingle with various strata of local society, as well with Western expatriates. He becomes Hamilton’s photographer, guide and friend and introduces Hamilton to Jill Bryant (played by Sigourney Weaver), beautiful assistant in British Embassy. Two of them begin affair and Hamilton gets crucial information about huge arms shipment that would be the career-making scoop, but also put his life in danger.
The Year of Living Dangerously had one of the highest budgets by that point in Australian film history, was the first Australian film financed by major Hollywood studio and had the plot set in a very exotic and fascinating country in the most “interesting” period of its recent history. Yet, despite that, this film doesn’t look epic. This is partly because of Peter Weir’s directorial style and partly because Indonesian government at the time refused to allow shooting at authentic locations, forcing the production to settle for Philippines. Weir, therefore, had to conceal this by using mostly close-ups, medium shots and night sequences. He mostly succeeded in this and the film creates very credible atmosphere of the country in turmoil and foreigners caught in the middle of it. Weir was helped by very good cast, most notably Linda Hunt who portrayed complex, fascinating and flawed character torn between pragmatism, playing various sides and deeply ingrained humanist idealism that would prevail in the worst possible moment, leading to melodramatic and suicidal act near the ending of the film. Although Hunt won Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, Billy Kwan, who also serves as part-time narrator, appears to be very much like the main character. Despite young Mel Gibson delivering very good performance and Sigourney Weaver convincingly playing British character, both of them are overshadowed by Hunt. Furthermore, romantic subplot featuring their characters stands in the way of the much more interesting story that could have explored ethical dilemmas related to war and journalism much better.
This flaw could be explained by troubled production and major creative differences between Weir and Koch (who served as co-writer). The Year of Living Dangerously at times loses focus and indulges in scenes that seem a little bit too pretentious, too “artsy” or, simply, confusing. Another problem might be found in the finale, made in a way to provide some sort of conventional Hollywood-like happy end to otherwise very dark and depressive story. So, two main Western characters are allowed to ride into sunset and leave Indonesia, whose citizens are about to experience some of the most horrendous mass killing campaigns of 20th Century, first glimpses of which were portrayed in the very unpleasant scene near the finale. Viewers less familiar with history might appreciate this film as stylish and competently made period melodrama like the one Hollywood doesn’t make these days.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
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