January 21 - Curtin

Today’s movie is a biographical drama with a scene that happens today – January 21. I hope you will enjoy this film while watching it tonight.

CURTIN                                  

John Curtin becomes Prime Minister of Australia. He is friends with Tatsuo Kawai, the Ambassador from Japan, who opposes his countries militarist plans. The Australian military tell him the counties armed forces are positioned to promote British interests and not Australian security.  Tatsuo hints a war may be starting very soon.  After the Japanese attack, Curtin delivers the Australian declaration of war to Tatsuo.  It is a blow when the HMS Repulse and Prince of Wales are sunk by the Japanese. At the request of the military Curtin asks that MacArthur be appointed Supreme Commander in Australia. Curtin is incensed when it is proposed that a council to run the Pacific War be set up in London. He pushes for a closer alliance with the USA. On January 21, 1942 [ 26:16 to 28:35] Curtin is angered when he learns of Churchill’s plans to abandon Singapore. Curtin backs up his military and forces the British to send the two Australian divisions returning from the Middle East directly to Australia.  The argument about this aggravates his poor health and he eventually is hospitalized for severe gastritis. The entire country is shocked when the Japanese bomb the city of Darwin. Churchill tries to divert the Australian troops to Burma anyway, but Curtin has the ships sail to Australia without escort or air cover.  He disappears for nine hours and his staff fears that Curtin has fallen off the wagon, but he hasn’t.  He obsesses over the safety of the troops and is overjoyed when they reach Perth.   MacArthur is appointed Supreme Commander.

A very good biopic. As an American I didn’t know very much about Curtin. After seeing this film I can see why some Australians consider him to be their greatest Prime Minister.

Date given in the film at 26:19

                       

Producers - Andrew Wiseman and Richard Keddie

Director - Jessica Hobbs

Screenplay - Alison Nisselle

Runtime – 1 hour 30 minutes

Released – April 22, 2007

Starring –

William McInnes as John Curtin                             

Asher Keddie as Miss Elsie Curtin                        

Geoff Morrell as Ben Chifley                                   

Paul English as H. V. Evatt                                      

William Zappa as General Vernon Sturdee              

Robert Grubb as Percy Spender                                

Noni Hazlehurst as Mrs. Elsie Curtin

Drew Lindo as Arthur Fadden

Tony Rickards as Eddie Ward

Shingo Usami as Tatsuo Kawai

Bille Brown as Robert Menzies

Frank Gallacher as Jack Beasley

Ben Esler as John Curtin, Jr.