"Gallipoli" is a story about two young men who sign up to join the ANZAC or Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during WWI. Both are runners but from a different background. Archie is a farm boy and perhaps one of the fastest runners in Australia and Frank is a drifter who goes from town to town trying to trick people out of their money. After meeting after a race they decide to travel together to Perth, only Archie wishes to join the army at first but Frank decides to after seeing what kind of respect he'll be given if he does. They are split up though during recruiting, Archie put in the light horse and Frank (who's not able to ride a horse) goes into the infantry. They soon meet up in Cairo experiencing many things there and seeing their old rivals the British. Before leaving for Gallipoli, Frank requests to be switched to the light horse with Archie and later is.
English: New Zealand soldiers' encampment at Anzac...
English: A New Zealand soldier stands on the left,...
English: Monument commemorating the evacuation by ...They then travel to Gallipoli where they begin to see the true horrors of war. The ANZAC need to break the Turkish line there, Frank is ordered to be a message runner and Archie fights. The attempt is suicidal as most if not all of the Australians are shot down before they can even get out of their trenches. At the last minute though Frank is given a message to stop the attack but doesn't get there in time to save Archie. Examples of fact, opinion and propaganda are seen throughout this movie.
Three examples of fact are seen throughout the movie. First is that Archie's running time in the race is 1:02. Second is that Frank can't ride a horse. And third is that Harry Leeds is a world champion sprinter. All of...