''Rebel'' is a 1985 Australian musical drama directed by Michael Jenkins and starring

Matt Dillon Matthew Raymond Dillon (born February 18, 1964) is an American actor. He has received various accolades, including a Screen Actors Guild Award and two Independent Spirit Awards alongside nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, ...

, Debra Byrne, and Bryan Brown. It is set in World War Two.

Cast

as Sergeant Harry Rebel * Debra Byrne as Kathy McLeod * Bryan Brown as Tiger * Bill Hunter as Browning *

Ray Barrett Raymond Charles Barrett (2 May 19278 September 2009) was an Australian actor. During the 1960s, he was a leading actor on British television, where he was best known for his appearances in '' The Troubleshooters'' (1965–1971). From the 1970s, ...

as Bubbles * Julie Nihill as Joycie * John O'May as Benie * Kim Deacon as Hazel * Sheree da Costa as Barbara *

Ned Manning Ned Manning is an Australian playwright, actor and teacher. His film credits include the lead role in '' Dead End Drive-In'' (1986), and television credits include '' The Shiralee'' and ''Prisoner'', and '' Brides of Christ''. His plays include ...

as Private Jones *

Cassandra Delaney Cassandra Delaney (born 8 September 1961) is an Australian actress best known for her marriage to and divorce from American singer John Denver. Career Delaney started her career in show business in 1982 with a one-off single, "Boots"—a r ...

as All Girl Band *

Joy Smithers Joy Smithers (born 15 July 1963) is an Australian actress, best known for her acting performances on television, and her role as a television news presenter, such as with MTV Australia in the late 1980s. Her credits include: '' All The Way' ...

as All Girl Band * Antoinette Byron as All Girl Band *

Nikki Coghill Nicola Vicars Coghill (born 4 January 1964) is an Australian actress. She is best known for playing the roles of Sister Jackie Crane in '' The Flying Doctors'', and Miranda Parker in ''Neighbours''. Career Coghill was born in Melbourne. She h ...

as All Girl Band * Richard Carter as Harry De Wheels * Todd Boyce as Mary's GI * John O'May as Benie

''No Names No Pack Drill''

The movie was based on the play ''No Names, No Packdrill'', by Bob Herbert, uncle of

Louis Nowra Mark Doyle, better known by his stage name Louis Nowra, (born 12 December 1950) is an Australian writer, playwright, screenwriter and librettist. He is best known as one of Australia's leading playwrights. His works have been performed by all o ...

. The play had its premiere in 1979 at the University of New England. The play was performed by the

Sydney Theatre Company Sydney Theatre Company (STC) is an Australian theatre company based in Sydney, New South Wales. The company performs in the Wharf Theatre at Dawes Point in The Rocks area of Sydney as well as the Roslyn Packer Theatre (formerly Sydney Theatre ...

in 1980 starring

Mel Gibson Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Mel Gibson, multiple accolades, he is known for directing historical films as well for his act ...

and Noni Hazlehurst, directed by

George Ogilvie George Buchan Ogilvie (5 March 1931 – 5 April 2020) was a prolific Australian theatre director and actor, who also worked as a director and actor in film and television. He was known for being the founding artistic director of the State Theat ...

. The production was so popular the season was extended at the Theatre Royal. It has been revived several times, notably in 2006.

Production

Considerable changes were made from the play, including turning the female lead from a postal worker into a singer in a female band. It was originally hoped to cast

Olivia Newton-John Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British and Australian singer and actress. With over 100 million records sold, Newton-John was one of the List of best-selling music artists#100 million to 119 million record ...

in this role but Debra Byrne was cast instead and made a great personal success in it.David Stratton, ''The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry'', Pan MacMillan, 1990 p114 Director Mike Jenkins decided to push the musical aspect, and went for a stylised approach in collaboration with designer Brian Thomson. The manager of

, who was imported to play the lead, did not like the approach, saying it was too much like a

Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola ( ; born April 7, 1939) is an American filmmaker. He is considered one of the leading figures of the New Hollywood and one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. List of awards and nominations received by Francis Ford Coppo ...

movie - which Thomson took as a compliment. He wanted his client to appear in a straight period film closer to ''Breaker Morant''. However Jenkins and Thomson's vision prevailed.Paul Kalina, "Seeing Red", ''Cinema Papers'', January 1986 p23-25

Reception

The film was not a success. Director Mike Jenkins later said that:

It's funny, ''Rebel'' has attracted some fierce critiques from intellectuals who subsequently liked other things that I've done. But it also won five AFI awards and was the most nominated film of its year. It was a curious piece; it didn't altogether work. I was interested in it because of the basic story about the American boy who wants to desert. It said something about Australia and Sydney in World War II.Interview with Mike Jenkins, 25 March 1996
accessed 19 October 2012

Soundtrack

A Soundtrack was released in December 1985 and credited to

and Debbie Byrne. The album peaked at number 75 on the

Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music historian David Kent from May 1974 through to January 1999. The chart was re-branded the Australian Music Report (AMR) in July 19 ...

References

External links

*
''Rebel''
at ''The New York Times'' * * {{Debra Byrne 1985 films Australian musical drama films Australian films based on plays Films about deserters Films scored by Chris Neal (songwriter) 1980s English-language films Films directed by Michael Jenkins 1980s Australian films