ANZACS

This article first appeared in the Age on April 23, 2005

It was with a certain amount of nostalgia that I tuned into ANZACS, the miniseries that began last night and is being shown tonight and tomorrow night (Saturday, 7.30 p.m., Sunday, 8.30 p.m., Channel 7). It was first screened in 1985. During last night's three hour (of a total of 10) episode, that nostalgia seemed severely misplaced. This weekend's episodes prove more rewarding.

Out of a population of just four million 330,000 volunteer soldiers were shipped overseas to assist England in the war against Germany. The Australians suffered the highest rate of casualties amongst the British Empire forces, but became renowned for their bravery on the battlefield. If it is just Gallipoli you're interested in, you'll get more out of Peter Weir's film, Gallipoli, which depicts the famous charge at The Neck on 7th August. But ANZACS covers alot more ground as it follows the exploits of a fictional group of 8th Battalion soldiers for the duration of the war. It was written by John Dixon and John Clarke, the directors include George Miller and the cast is pretty good.

The series begins in western country Victoria, where the battalion is being recruited. This means the weakest material is first - that is the attempt at a domestic storyline, and creating a meaningful role for women. ANZACS trades in every cliche of upper and working class tensions; antagonistic Australian - English relations; and relationships between men and women. For the first hour of the series, and intermittently through the rest, one could be forgiven for thinking they'd stumbled over some B grade Fifties comedy-drama. In a way the situation is the reverse of that in a real war: in ANZACS you are desperate for the battle and dread the moments when the soldiers are on Leave and the ensuing attempts at levity. But if you are interested in this remarkable time in Australia's history it is worth persisting.

Corporal Martin Barrington (Andrew Clarke), our central character, is a toff, who refuses the role of officer because he wants to be one of the boys. Only towards the end does he given into his talents and lead his men. Hs best friend is Dick Baker and Dicko's sister, Nurse Kate Baker (Megan Williams) - both of whom used to work for his family. Megan Williams struggles woefully with a script that sounds like the first draft of a lecture entitled 'Blue Stockings 101'.

The energy in this series, as is befitting, is between the men that live and fight beside each other and the power is in the battle scenes: Gallipoli, the Somme and Ypres. The scenes set in the Somme in particular are instructive, powerful and moving, lifting the show above its cliches. Tony Bonner is very impressive in these scenes as Lieutenant Harold Armstrong, the officer who leads the Eighth battalion and goes onto develop shell shock. ANZACS covers all these horrors: desertion, nervous breakdowns and England's mistreatment and misdirection of troops. It seems incredible that anyone survived at all, or kept a shred of sanity if they did.

Despite all ANZACS flaws, Australian television could do with more drama like this: about the history that informs our identity, rather than lots of shows written and produced by people in their Fifties trying to second guess what kids in their Twenties might be looking for. Viewers of any age are looking to be engaged by meaningful stories, and, in between bouts of CSI, they enjoy television that is unashamedly Australian - look at the success of Kath & Kim. On both these fronts ANZACS kicks goals.

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