Actors Luke Bracey and Travis Fimmell says don’t make film Battle of Long Tan political
Luke Bracey and Travis Fimmell say their latest film has made a huge impact on them. But they hope “wankers” don’t hijack Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan for political reasons.
Actors Luke Bracey and Travis Fimmell say their latest film has impacted them more than many of their previous big screen efforts.
And they’re hoping Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan isn’t hijacked for any political reasons.
“I hope there’s no wankers that make it some political thing,” Fimmel told Confidential.
“This is about a group of brave Aussies that really deserve our respect.”
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Directed by Kriv Stenders, The Battle of Long Tan is released on August 8 and tells the real life story of Australian soldiers in the Vietnam War with Fimmel playing Major Harry Smith and Bracey as Sargeant Bob Buick.
“We want it to be a statement about ordinary blokes doing extraordinary things and mateship,” Bracey added. “It is a very Aussie film in that way, it is a simple thing mateship.”
Both actors are working on big projects in Hollywood and returned home to work on The Battle of Long Tan as they believe it is a story that had to be told.
On August 18, 1966 some 108 Australian and New Zealand soldiers fought against an overpowering force of more than 2000 Vietnamese.
Eighteen died and many of the soldiers were conscripted.
“It is definitely more important,” Fimmel said. “Half the stuff you do, so many people think it is very important but we are playing expensive dress ups at the end of the day.”
Bracey continued: “Every war movie is an anti war movie. I don’t think it is about the Vietnam War in general. It is about these guys and their story. We don’t want to get involved in any other discussion about the Vietnam War in that way because it is not the story we are telling. We are telling their story on August 18, 1966, and the four hours that day that they were in a battle that has affected them for the next 53 years of their lives.”
Two years after the battle, the US government awarded Delta Company the Unit Citation for Gallantry, the highest honour a unit could get.
“It took 45 years for the Australian government to give them that recognition. It does not make sense,” Bracey said. “The hope for us is that people from every generation in this country see this film. It is important that young people see it but also that everyone sees it, for people that were in the country at that time to remember what these guys went through especially when they came back. It could have been any of us.”
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