The Year My Voice Broke (1987)

Director:

John Duigan

Writer:

John Duigan (written by)

Release Date:

17 October 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

It was incredible. It was the year that changed everything. Forever.

Plot:

During the year 1962, a young prepubescent boy in rural Austrailia watches painfully as his best friend and first love...

Plot Keywords:

First Love | Bullying | Affection | Childhood Friend | Unrequited Love

Awards:

5 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Noah Taylor	...	Danny Embling
Loene Carmen	...	Freya Olson
Ben Mendelsohn	...	Trevor Leishman
Graeme Blundell	...	Nils Olson
Lynette Curran	...	Anne Olson
Malcolm Robertson	...	Bruce Embling
Judi Farr	...	Sheila Embling
Tim Robertson	...	Bob Leishman
Bruce Spence	...	Jonah
Harold Hopkins	...	Tom Alcock
Nick Tate	...	Sergeant Pierce
Vincent Ball	...	Headmaster
Anja Coleby	...	Gail Olson
Kylie Ostara	...	Alison
Kelly Dingwall	...	Barry

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Braidwood, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Kennedy Miller Productions

Trivia:

The 'Spirit of Progress' was the name given the train that ran from Melbourne to Sydney.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Danny and Freya stand on the line watching the train pass, the crew's image is reflected in the shiny side of the train carriages.

Movie Connections:

References The Seven Year Itch (1955)

Soundtrack:

One Hundred Pounds of Clay

Communicates the pain of growing up

John Duigan's The Year My Voice Broke stands out from other coming of age films because of its simple honesty and natural performances. Gorgeously photographed in Braidwood, New South Wales, Australia, the film avoids the usual "rites of passage" cliches and makes real the heartbreak of awakening sexuality and feeling alone. Set in 1962, Danny Embling (Noah Taylor) is a sensitive, scrawny 15-year old who is obsessed with his childhood friend, 16-year old Freya Olson (Leona Carmen).

He writes poetry and tries to emulate rock stars to win her over but his voice is always breaking when he tries to sing. Freya, orphaned as a baby and now something of a wild spirit, shares her secrets with Danny in their private place on the nearby rocky crags. Both teens feel isolated, Danny from the macho attitudes of his schoolmates and Freya because of the truth she senses about her mother.

Freya is increasingly attracted to Trevor (Ben Mendelsohn), a rugby player who is given to petty crime. Though the mood grows dark, Duigan uses humor to lighten things up when Danny attempts to hypnotize Freya into loving him, and when the boy tries mental telepathy to prevent Freya from kissing Trevor. Danny's loneliness is painfully evident when he tags along with Freya and Trevor on a date and has to endure the agony of watching them make love at a "haunted house". This house plays a significant part in Danny, Freya, and Trevor's relationship and in the film's dramatic climax. Duigan ties his story to the dark secret of the town whose discovery will change the lives of the characters forever and leave you reflecting on the pain of growing up.