Charlotte Rampling Russell Crowe

HAMMERS OVER THE ANVIL

An Aristocratic Englishwoman…

An Australian Horseman…

And a young boy about to discover

the forbidden world of adults.

Alan Marshall is a young boy who has suffered many hardships in life, but none so savage as being struck down by polio and left unable to walk without crutches. Despite his affliction, Alan dreams of becoming a great horseman just like the town’s hero, East Driscoll (Russell Crowe). Handsome and skilful, East is the most popular man in town.

But as Alan discovers one summer, heroes can fall; and when East becomes entangled in a passionate affair with Grace McAlister (Charlotte Rampling), a much older aristocratic Englishwoman, Alan comes face to face with a hard and cruel society with strict social taboos and even harsher penalties. It was the summer where Alan learned lessons that would ultimately shape the rest of his life…

South Australian Film Corporation and Harvest Productions presents HAMMERS OVER THE ANVIL.

SAFC Productions Ltd, Harvey-Wright Enterprises Pty Ltd (and) Australian Film Finance Corporation Pty Ltd. Script developed with the assistance of Australian Film Commission. Also developed with the assistance of Film Victoria. Made with the participation of Australian Film Finance Corporation Pty Limited as part of the 1991 FFC Film Fund.

genre

Drama

budget

$4 million

filmed

11th October —29 November 1991

Australian distributor

Roadshow

rating

M

guage

35mm

length

97mins

CAST AND CREW

Charlotte Rampling……..Grace McAlister

Russell Crowe……………...East Driscoll

Alexander Outhred……...Alan Marshall

Frankie J. Holden…………Bushman

Jake Frost………………….Joe Carmichael

Alethea McGrath………..Mrs. Bilson

John Rafter Lee…………..McAlister

Frank Gallacher……….….Mr. Thomas

Amanda Douge………….Nellie Bolster

Kirsty McGregor…………..Elsie Marshall

Daphne Grey……………..Mrs. Hessert

Caroline Kemp……………Lucy Taylor

Sam Nightingale………….Jack

Syd Brisbane……………….Duke

Peter Osborne…………….Father Finnegan

Wayne Pygram…………...Burns

Lachlan Fischer……………Brigalow Bush Band

John Francis III……………..Brigalow Bush Band

Hugh Gordon III…………...Brigalow Bush Band

Janet Gordon……………..Brigalow Bush Band

Brian Erskine………………..Pork Fair Bagpipers

Matt Monroe II…………….Pork Fair Bagpipers

Ian Welbourn………………Cruel Boy

writing credits

Peter Hepworth

Ann Turner

Alan Marshall I (story)

produced by

Ben Gannon

Peter Gawler (executive)

Barbara Gibbs (associate)

Peter Harvey-Wright (co-producer)

Gus Howard II (executive)

Janet Worth (executive)

cinematography

James Bartle

film editing

Ken Sallows

production design

Ross Major

art direction

Vicki Niehus

costume design

Ross Major

make-up department

Beverly Freeman (additional hair stylist)

Sash Lamey (hair stylist)

Jane Surrich (make-up artist)

Suzie Warnhurst (additional makeup artist)

production management

Barbara Gibbs (production manager)

second unit director or assistant director

Geoffrey Giuffre (third assistant director)

Monica Pearce (second assistant director)

Chris Webb II (first assistant director)

sound department

Steve Burgess (adr recordist)

James Currie (sound mixer)

Dean Gawen (sound editor)

Ashley Grenville (sound editor)

Paul Huntingford (sound editor)

Anne Le Campion (adr recordist)

Joanne Lee (sound attachment)

Scott Piper (boom operator)

Ronny Reinhard (assistant sound editor)

John Simpson (foley mixer)

Peter D.Smith (sound mixer)

Phil Tipene (location sound recordist)

Rex Watts (sound editor)

Tony Young III (sound transferer)

stunts

Zev Eleftheriou (stunt co-ordinator)

Lea Reid (stunt double: Mr Outhred)

Bernadette Van Gyen (stunt double: Ms Rampling)

other crew

Guy Allain (painter)

Gary S.Allen (ostrich wrangler)

Ian Anderson (laboratory liason)

Rosetta Ashton (unit runner)

Darrin Ballangarry (electrician)

Jenny Bichard (unit nurse)

Gary Buss (unit manager)

Nick Carrol (choreographer)

Sandi Cichello (costumer)

Peter Collias (scenic artist)

Jane Corden (accountant)

Tony Cronin (set dresser/buyer)

Rhonda Dawson (unit publicist)

Ruth De La Lande (wardrobe supervisor)

Timea Dickson (small animal handler)

Gerald Egan (assistant wrangler &

riding double: Mr. Crowe)

Zev Eleftheriou (safety officer)

Julie Ferrand (props maker)

David Foreman (additional camera)

Kelly Foreman (assistant stand-by wardrobe)

Jillian Francis (ostrich wrangler)

Fred Fullgrabe (farrier)

Giselle Fullgrabe (apprentice editor)

Peter Gawler (script editor)

Werner Gerlach (best boy)

Kris Gintowt (unit assistant)

Brenton Grear (carpenter)

Debbie Hanson (assistant caterer)

Hugh Hartshorne (still photographer)

Alan Heath II (assistant wrangler)

Christina Van Der Hayden (assistant to the producer)

Andrea Hood (stand-by wardrobe)

Sharon Jackson (accountant)

Alan John (production musical director)

Maria Kaltenhaler (first assistant editor)

Darrin Keough (focus puller)

Jan Killen (extra’s casting)

Ian Letcher (grading)

David Lightfoot (location manager)

Paul T.Lynton (international tax advisor)

Steve Marcus III (caterer)

Sean McGovern (unit runner)

Gill McKinley (accountant)

Jody McMurray (Ms. Rampling’s stand-in)

Jennifer Mitchell (additional still photographer)

Celia Moore (unit runner)

John Moore (construction manager)

Robin Morgan (grip)

Heather Muirhead (production secretary)

Nick Noske (clay pigeon shooter)

Tamara Pankiw (draughtsperson)

Andrew Plumer (set dresser/buyer)

Jackie Quilter (children’s casting)

Christo Reid (painter)

Tracey Richardson (seamstress)

Barbara Ring (production co-ordinator)

Derek Roberts (assistant to director)

Tony Rosella (art department runner)

Bill Ross (camera equipment)

John Santucci (stand-by props)

Elena Senesi (machinist)

Brad Shield (steadicam operator)

Andrew Smith (assistant)

Sue Smith (script editor)

Tim Stanley (carpenter)

Jo Stewart (post-production script)

Oliver Streeton (title designer)

Serge Thomann (additional still photographer)

Trevor Toune (gaffer)

Chris Tugwell (tutor)

Colin Tyler (opticals)

Robbie Van Amstel (assistant)

Liddy Van Gyen (additional camera)

Arthur Vette (carpenter)

Christopher Webster (dresser)

Deborah Wilde (art department co-ordinator)

David Williamson (camera operator)

Bill Willoughby (riding double Mr. Crowe, wrangler)

Rohan Wilson (negative matcher)

Paul Winter (unit assistant)

Kristin Witcombe (script supervisor)

Chrisitne Woodruff (music co-ordinator)

Julie Wurum (clapper loader)

Tony Xeros (set dresser)

Awards

1992 Australian Film Institute Awards:

Nominated — best achievement in cinematography

James Bartle

1992 Young Actors Awards Australian Film Institute:

Won — young actor (film) Alexander Outhred

1993 Seattle International Film Festival:

Won — Golden Space Needle Award

Best Actor Russell Crowe

(also for "Romper Stomper" 1992)

Hammers Over The Anvil: Review by Fincina Hopgood "Australian Film 1978-1994"

Adapted from Alan Marshall’s short story collection of the same title, Hammers Over The Anvil interweaves an adulterous affair with the trials of adolescence, and sets it against the social mores of the 1900s.

Alexander Outhred plays 11 year old Alan, who dreams of becoming a great horseman like his idol, East Driscoll (Russell Crowe), despite his crutches and leg brace, the legacy of infantile paralysis. With his best mate, Joe Carmichael (Jake D.Frost), Alan explores the adult world of sexual relations, through innocent pecks exchanged with Joe’s girlfriend to witnessing the seduction of teenager Nellie Bolster (Amanda Douge) by the sly local priest and blacksmith (Frank Gallacher). They also befriend the crazy old Mrs Bilson (Althea McGrath), a hilarious and tragic character. Despite losing his mother as a young child, it is the inevitable death of Mrs Bilson which confronts Alan with his first experience of morality and the loss of a friend.

These events frame the focus of the films narrative: the immediate attraction between East and the newly arrived wife of a wealthy landowner , Grace McAlister (Charlotte Rampling). Alan himself is strongly attracted to the elegant and yet strong willed Grace. The trio become constant companions —the childless Grace drawn to the motherless Alan- and yet Alan remains the outsider on the fringes of the adult world, most clearly when he walks in on Grace and East in the stables and, concealed by the shadows watches their lovemaking. The affair ends tragically when a fall from a horse leaves East brain damaged.

The films strength lies in the rapport director Ann Turner encourages between the inexperienced Outhred and the expert ensemble cast, including some heated arguments with Alan’s father (Frankie J.Holden). The photography is both expansive in its presentation of South Australia’s Clare Valley and detailed in its inclusion of minutiae which intensify the narration of significant events in Alan’s life. As with her feature debut Celia (1989), Turner presents us with a child’s view of adult behavior which is historically specific in its detail and yet timeless in its observations of human nature. The films title, recalling the blacksmith’s craft, represents the blows which mould a person as he or she passes through life, just as the hammer blows give shape to crude metal.

review: Hammers Over The Anvil

by Amy Dowsett

Hammers Over The Anvil is an interesting study of human relationships. Adapted from Alan Marshall’s semi-autobiographical short stories, it traces the turbulent summer of a young Australian boy.

Stricken with polio and confined to crutches, Alan has a severe case of hero-worship in East Driscoll (Russell Crowe), the local horseman and heart-throb. Alan’s discovery of East’s affair with an English aristocrats wife (Charlotte Rampling) sets in motion a chain of events that have lasting repercussions for all concerned.

Hammers Over The Anvil is one of those small and pleasant Australian films that manages to convey real truth and honesty to the audience. The sets, costumes and landscapes evoke a romantic era of Australian history, while at the same time, come across as historically accurate.

There is a rawness and edge of truth to this production that stems from two factors. Firstly, the storyline of ‘younger, poorer man meets older, wealthy woman —sparks fly’, avoids cliches by developing original situations and real characters.

The most intriguing aspect of the film lies in the friendship that develops between the three main characters (Alan, East and Grace). Each person serves to fill a space in the others life, and throughout the summer the three become firm companions,

The inner workings of the main characters do remain somewhat elusive due the audiences alignment with Alan’s point of view. We can only speculate as Alan did, who initiated the affair between East and Grace and try to understand her feelings for him (his are made abundantly clear). All of the characters in the film surpass mere stereotypes and continue to develop and show sides to themselves we would not have envisaged for ourselves.

The second factor that makes this film rise above the ordinary can be found in its cast. Alexander Outhred who plays Alan delivers a very fine performance that has been accordingly recognized by the Australian Film Institute. He is believable and perfectly suited to the role. Russell Crowe is in very fine form in this film. His eyes blaze with intensity during his scenes with Charlotte Rampling and we are left in no doubt about his feelings for her character. Rampling’s ‘Grace’ is suitably ambiguous and her scenes with Crowe are extremely good. Frankie J.Holden is also surprisingly convincing in his role as Alan’s single father.

Director Ann Turner delicately handles the confrontations between all characters very effectively. She has created an authentic vision of Australia’s past with beautiful cinematography.

This film manages to capture a idealized era of Australia’s past and effectively recreates the writings of Alan Marshall.

References to Hammers Over The Anvil:

* www.imdb.com

*www.cinemania.com

*www.maximumcrowe.com

*Murray,S.ed 1995. Australian Film1978-1994, Oxford University Press, Australia.

Note; The majority of the information that I have has come from on-line sources that I have located. I must stress that after much searching there is precious little to be found about this relatively unheard of film.

‘Imdb.com’ provided much of the cast and crew information but actual reviews and general information were nowhere to be found. Australian film web sites offered no references to Hammers Over The Anvil which surprised me considering it is only nine years old and had a reported budget of four million dollars. Only after checking out ‘maximumcrowe.com’ (a fan site dedicated to Russell Crowe) did I find any pictures or information on the film —and even that was limited.

The only literary reference I could find came from the series of books entitled "Australian Film" which covered the years 1978-1994.

*I can only assume that the film made minimal profits in Australia —based on the fact that it is relatively unheard of and a rare addition to local video stores. I would also assume however, that it would have had reasonable sales overseas, due to the fact that it is so "Australian". The film contains the same romantic idealism of the Australian countryside as other international success’ such as "The Man From Snowy River", but with a more independent and literary tone.

Filmographies:

Dir: Ann Turner

Director - Filmography

  1. Dallas Doll (1994)

  2. Hammers Over The Anvil (1991)

  3. Celia: Child of Terror (1988)

Writer — Filmography

  1. Dallas Doll (1994)

  2. Hammers Over The Anvil (1991)

  3. Turtle Beach (1991)

  4. Celia: Child of Terror (1988)

Producer — Filmography

  1. Titsiana Booberini (1997)

  2. This Marching Girl Thing (1994)

Actor : Charlotte Rampling

  1. Hommage a Alfred Lepetit (2000)

  2. Signs & Wonders (2000)

  3. Aberdeen (2000)

  4. Great Expectations (1999) (TV)

  5. Varya (1999)

  6. Wings of the Dove, The (1997)

  7. Invasion of Privacy (1996)

  8. Asphalt Tango (1996)

  9. Samson le magnifique (1995) (TV)

  10. Time is Money (1994)

  11. Radetzky March (1994) (TV)

  12. Murder in Mind (1994) (TV)

  13. Femme abandonnee, La (1992) (TV)

  14. Hammers Over The Anvil (1991)

  15. Frames from the Edge (1989)

  16. Rebus (1989)

  17. D.O.A (1988)

  18. Paris by Night (1988)

  19. Angel Heart (1987)

  20. Mascara (1987)

  21. Max, mon amour (1986)

  22. On ne meurt que deux fois (1985)

  23. Tristesse et beaute (1985)

  24. Viva la vie! (1984)

  25. Infidelities (1983)(TV)

  26. Verdict, The (1982)

  27. Stardust Memories (1980)

  28. Orca (1977)

  29. Un taxi mauve (1977)

  30. Sherlock Holmes in New York (1976)(TV)

  31. Farewell, My Lovely (1975)

  32. Foxtrot (1975)

  33. Yuppi du (1975)

  34. Caravan to Vaccares (1974)

  35. Chair de l’orchidee (1974)

  36. Portiere di notte (1974)

  37. Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1973)

  38. Giordano Bruno (1973)

  39. Zardoz (1973)

  40. Asylum (1972)

  41. Corky (1972)

  42. Ski Bum, The (1971)

  43. Addio fratello crudele (1970)

  44. Caduta degli dei, La (1970)

  45. Target:Harry (1969)

  46. Three (1969)

  47. Sequestro di persona (1968)

  48. Long Duel, The (1967)

  49. Georgy Girl (1966)

  50. Knack The (1965)

  51. Rotten to the Core (1965)

Actor: Russell Crowe

  1. Flora Plum (2001)

  2. Proof of Life (2000)

  3. Gladiator (2000)

  4. Insider, The (1999)

  5. Mystery, Alaska (1999)

  6. Breaking Up (1997)

  7. Heavens Burning (1997)

  8. L.A. Confidential (1997)

  9. No Way Back (1996)

  10. Rough Magic (1995)

  11. Virtuosity (1995)

  12. Quick and the Dead, The (1995)

  13. Sum of Us, The (1994)

  14. For the Moment (1994)

  15. Love in Limbo (1993)

  16. Silver Brumby, The (1993)

  17. Romper Stomper (1992)

  18. Brides of Christ (1991) mini (TV series)

  19. Proof (1991)

  20. Hammers Over The Anvil (1991)

  21. Spotswood (1991)

  22. Crossing, The (1990)

  23. Prisoners of the Sun

aka… Blood Oath (1990)