Hammers Over the Anvil

1993 Australian film by Ann Turner

19 February 1993 (1993-02-19) (Germany)
22 July 1994 (1994-07-22) (Australia)

Running time

97 minutesCountryAustraliaLanguageEnglishBudgetA$4 million^[1]Box officeA$50,491 (Australia)

Hammers Over the Anvil is a 1993 Australian biographical romantic drama film starring Russell Crowe and directed by Ann Turner, who also co-wrote with Peter Hepworth. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Alan Marshall. The original music score is composed by Not Drowning, Waving.

Plot

Based on the novel of the same name by Alan Marshall, the film is set in the early 1900s in a small town in the Western District of Victoria, centring around a young Alan Marshall and the people in his town. Crippled by polio, Alan tries to make sense of his place in a world where a man's physical prowess gains the admiration of women and the envy of his peers, as demonstrated by the horsebreaker East Driscoll, portrayed by Russell Crowe. Charlotte Rampling also stars as an English lady, Grace McAlister, who has moved to the area with her husband. Complications arise as an attraction develops between East and Grace and young Alan deals with the complexities of growing up.

Cast

Charlotte Rampling as Grace McAlister
Russell Crowe as East Driscoll
Alex Outhred as Alan Marshall
Frankie J. Holden as "Bushman" Marshall
Amanda Douge as Nellie Bolster
Frank Gallacher as Mr. Thomas (a preacher)
John Lee as Charles McAlister
Daphne Grey as Mrs. Herbert
Alethea McGrath as Mrs. Blison
Wayne Pygram as Snarley Burns

Production

The project had been around for a number of years. The script was originally written by Peter Hepworth then rewritten by Ann Turner.^[2]

It is set and filming in South Australia's Red Creek in seven weeks on 11 October and 29 November 1991.^[3]

Box office

Hammers Over the Anvil grossed $50,491 at the box office in Australia.^[4]

References

^ "Production Survey", Cinema Papers, January 1992 p73
^ "Interview with Ann Turner", Signis, 16 January 1998 Archived 9 December 2012 at archive.today accessed 21 November 2012
^ Andrew L. Urban, "Hammers over the Anvil", May–June 1992 p13-14
^ "Film Victoria - Australian Films at the Australian Box Office" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2010.