Hammers Over the Anvil

"An aristocratic Englishwoman, an Australian horseman and a young boy on a journey towards the exciting but forbidden world of adults."

Jul 22 1994 Not Rated 1h 37m
Biography, Drama, Romance

Set in the summer of 1910 in Australia the film follows the story of 14 year old Alan Marshall (Alexander Outhread) as he stumbles out of childhood towards the exciting yet forbidding world of adulthood. For Alan, despite the effects of polio, there is only one passion in life - to become a great horseman just like his hero, the reclusive horse trainer East Driscoll (Russell Crowe). Alan is one of East's few friends and also one of the few who knows about the affair between East and the aristocratic English woman Grace McAlister (Charlotte Rampling). Things inevitably take a turn towards the tragic when East becomes determined to force Grace to leave her husband and run away with him. Hammers Over The Anvil is an evocative coming of age film from Australian director Ann Turner.

Plot

This is the story of the crippled young Alan Marshall and his hero worship of the local he-man horse trainer East Driscoll, the schoolboy crush Alan has on the local aristocratic English beauty Grace McAlister and the affair that young Alan witnesses developing between Grace and East. Things inevitably take a turn towards the tragic when East becomes determined to force Grace to leave her husband and run away with him.

Written by

Alan Marshall, Peter Hepworth, Ann Turner

Directed by

Ann Turner

Cast

Charlotte Rampling, Russell Crowe, Alexander Outhred

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

Australia

Production Companies

Harvest Productions Pty. Ltd., South Australian Film Corporation, Australian Film Finance Corporation

Languages

English

Awards

2 wins & 1 nomination

Scores
# of Votes
668
Average Rating
5.6 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA