THE HIGHEST HONOUR
Australia, 1982, 110 minutes, Colour.
George Mallaby, Michael Atikens, Vincent Ball, Tony Bonner, Slim de Grey, John Howard, Harold Hopkins, Steve Bisley, Alan Cassell, Gary Waddell, Stuart Wilson.
Directed by Peter Maxwell, Seiji Maruyama.
The Highest Honour is a standard war film. Produced in Australia by John Mc Callum, it tells the story of a raid of twenty-three Australian and British soldiers (11 September, 1944) from Fremantle to Singapore, Operation Rimau. In the previous year, Operation Jaywick had destroyed almost sixty ships in Singapore harbour.
This film traces the action, gives insights into the characters and their interactions, also gives a focus on the Japanese and their rituals. The film is patriotic but also shows the plight of the prisoners of war in the Japanese camps.
The style of filming is somewhat old-fashioned, yet it has a particular vividness and would make a strong impression on Australian and British audiences who remember World War Two.
1. Interesting, entertaining? For what audience? Australians? Japanese? older audiences? Younger? Impact on an '80s audience? The old-fashioned war film? For younger audiences?
2. The title and its reference to Japanese honour? For Australians? The Australian war effort, stoicism? The original title of Southern Cross and its impact?
3. The use of Malaysian locations? Period re-creation? Singapore? The war action sequences: land, sea? Sabotage? Eric Jupp's score - conventional war film score for atmosphere?
4. The fact that the film was based on a true story: use of names, dates? The historical records of the events? The Australian war effort? Japanese response? Themes of war honour? The impact of the events on the conduct of the war? The film as historical? Portrait of characters and types? Patriotism?
5. The sequences of war action: conventional presentation, raids on Singapore, Japanese response? The focus on the raids? The blowing up of the ships? The attack on the Malay police launch? The escape and island battles, deaths and capture?
6. The focus on the Japanese: authorities, their discussions about the conduct of the war, the arrest of Australian soldiers, torture, the gentle style of persuasion? Their techniques for interrogation? The experience of prison? How accurate a presentation of the Japanese - for Japanese audiences, Australians? Some kind of reconciliation - propitiation? Themes of mutual respect?
7. Tannija and his imprisonment by the British, release on the taking of Singapore? His background, ordinary personality, work? His role as interpreter? Sympathy for the Australian prisoners? Help? Gentleness? Support? Poetry? The interrogations? The information given to him - and the reaction? His being hit? Presence at the court sequence? The Bushido and tradition and the executions? His decapitating the hero? A humane portrait of a Japanese in the war situation? Credible for audiences?
8. The presentation of the Australians - their sabotage work? Worth the honour given by the Japanese? The background of the fall of Singapore, Ivan Lyon and his mission. his aides? The patrol boat and its use? The Jaywick raid? The skills? The regrouping in Australia? The small submarines? The Riernau expedition, its failure and the decisions made for retreat?
9. Page and his background, the interview, his demonstrating the techniques for disguise as a Malay, his participation, leadership in the retreat, prison experience and leadership, friendship with Tannija? His giving information to Tannija about the small submarines? The contrast with the Chinese prisoners? His discovery of the truth about their being executed for the Jaywick raid? His telling the truth? The court sequence and his behaviour? His being beheaded by Tannija? The Australian hero?
10. The Ocker types amongst the soldiers? Steve Bisley and his cheeky style for his personality? The more ordinary, conventional soldiers? Their participation in the raids, the attack and their retreat, deaths, fear, the focus on the personalities as a group in prison? Their various reactions to their death sentence? The executions?
11. Ingleton and the background of English interest in the raids, the contrast between the Englishman and the Australians? His English behaviour? Execution?
12. The impact on the Australians in prison: the bonds between them, the court sequence, the condemnation, the vigil before their deaths, the singing of Waltzing Matilda, dignity and honour?
13. The Japanese rituals, uniforms, salutes, the execution by decapitation?
14. The comparison with war films of the '40s and '50s? Impact on audiences: entertainment, memories of World War Two, the repercussions in the post-war world? The contribution of Australian awareness of Asia?
