Based on the testimony of survivors, this historical drama recounts the WWII heroism of female prisoners of war. (Glenn Close) stars as Adrienne Partiger, a society doyenne who flees Singapore with other expatriate women, mostly the wives of servicemen, when Japanese forces invade in 1942. When their gunboat is sunk in an air attack, the survivors wash ashore on Japanese-held Sumatra. The women are interned in a grim POW camp where punishments for even minor infractions are extreme. With the help of a missionary (Pauline Collins), Partiger corrals the women, including a tough American (Julianna Margulies), an Australian nurse (Cate Blanchett) and a young wife (Jennifer Ehle) into a musical group. Since singing is not allowed, the a cappella chorus dubs itself "a vocal orchestra" and is tolerated -- if barely -- by their Japanese captors. Though living conditions are squalid, food is scarce, and a thin sliver of soap inspires a shower brawl, the music keeps spirits uplifted and a Jewish-German doctor (Frances McDormand) provides some medical aid. Writer-director Bruce Beresford interviewed real-life participants in similar POW musical groups. Some provided, from memory, sheet music of the pieces they performed, which were used in the film. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Elizabeth Spriggs - Mrs. Roberts; Jennifer Ehle - Rosemary Leighton-Jones; Wendy Hughes - Mrs. Dickson; Tessa Humphries - Celia Roberts; Sab Shimono - Colonel Hiroyo; Susie Porter - Oggi
Credit
Ian Gracie - Art Director, Patsy Pollock - Casting, Alison Barrett - Casting, Joseph Middleton - Casting, Terry Ryan - Costume Designer, Colin Fletcher - First Assistant Director, Bruce Beresford - Director, Tim Wellburn - Editor, Graham Burke - Executive Producer, Andrew Yap - Executive Producer, Ross Edwards - Composer (Music Score), Herbert Pinter - Production Designer, Peter James - Cinematographer, Gregory Coote - Producer, Sue Milliken - Producer, Brian Edmonds - Set Designer, Brian Cox - Special Effects, Gary Wilkins - Sound/Sound Designer, David Giles - Screen Story, Martin Meader - Screen Story, Bruce Beresford - Screenwriter
The film examines and explores how, in times of adverse danger and suffering, people have the capacity to make it through by means of moral support and strength. The film highlights the atrocities of war. One example of this is the woman doused in petrol, then set alight. The film also effectively explores the control of the Sumatran society and the disregard for the sanctity of Red Cross services.
The story is based on the testimonies of Helen Colijn and Betty Jeffrey written in their books Song of Survival and White Coolies. It represents an alternative take on female imprisonment by the Japanese during World War II compared with BBC's dramatic offering from the early 1980s, Tenko.
