1 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Earned back only 13% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Paradise Road
"Courage echoes forever."
1997 2h 2m EN
😐
6.3
MID
★6.3TMDB · 95
WarDramaHistory
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A group of English, American, Dutch and Australian women creates a vocal orchestra while being imprisoned in a Japanese POW camp on Sumatra during World War II.
“Courage echoes forever.”
Cast
Glenn Close
Adrienne Pargiter
Frances McDormand
Dr. Verstak
Pauline Collins
Daisy 'Margaret' Drummond
Cate Blanchett
Susan Macarthy
Julianna Margulies
Topsy Merritt
Jennifer Ehle
Rosemary Leighton-Jones
Wendy Hughes
Mrs. Dickson
Johanna ter Steege
Sister Wilhelminia
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Bruce Beresford
- Writers
- Bruce Beresford
- Languages
- Japanese, English, Dutch, Malay
- Countries
- Australia, United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
29 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 4 languages: Japanese, English, Dutch, Malay.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 2 countries: Australia, United States of America.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Bruce Beresford, shot by Peter James. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Ross Edwards. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Tim Wellburn shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Glenn Close and Frances McDormand and Pauline Collins carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Bruce Beresford directs. Peter James behind the camera. Ross Edwards scores. Tim Wellburn cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Australia, United States of America. Dialogue in Japanese, English, Dutch, Malay.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Earned back only 13% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
- 229 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 3Dialogue crosses 4 languages: Japanese, English, Dutch, Malay.
- 4International production across 2 countries: Australia, United States of America.
- 5Directed by Bruce Beresford, shot by Peter James. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 6Original score by Ross Edwards. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 7Editor Tim Wellburn shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 8Glenn Close and Frances McDormand and Pauline Collins carry the top of the cast.
- 9Marketing tagline: "Courage echoes forever.".
- 10IMDB entry: tt0119859 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 11Only 95 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
- 12Classified under 8 themes, including "prison", "island", "singapore", "world war ii".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Peter James
- Original score
- Ross Edwards
- Editing
- Tim Wellburn
- Production design
- Herbert Pinter
- Costume design
- Terry Ryan
- Makeup / hair
- Nikki Gooley
- VFX supervisor
- Dale Duguid
- Sound
- Peter Fenton
- Stunt coordinator
- Glenn Boswell
- Runtime
- 122 min · 2h 2m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $16,000,000
- Box office
- $2,007,100
- Return
- 13% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
Also by
Bruce Beresford
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
- SA
Samson Productions
AU
Fox Searchlight Pictures
US
Village Roadshow
AU
Australian Film Commission
AU
- PA
Pacific Film and Television Commission
AU
Key crew
- Stunt CoordinatorGlenn Boswell
- StuntsZelie Bullen
- StuntsJohnny Hallyday
- StuntsBrit Sooby
- StuntsBernadette Van Gyen
- Stunt DoubleMarijke Rikki van Gyen
- StuntsAvril Wynne
- Production AccountantJames Bramley
- Assistant AccountantBen Breen
- First Assistant DirectorColin Fletcher
- Second Assistant DirectorJames McTeigue
- Third Assistant DirectorNoni Roy
- Second Second Assistant DirectorJane Griffin
- Second Unit First Assistant DirectorCarolynne Cunningham
- Second Unit Director of PhotographyAndre Fleuren
- First Assistant CameraDarrin Keough
- Camera OperatorBrad Shield
- Steadicam OperatorBrad Shield
- Dolly GripMichael Vivian
- Focus PullerFrank Hruby
- Key GripDavid Nichols
- Co-Executive ProducerDavid Giles
- Co-Executive ProducerMartin Meader
- Co-Executive ProducerGraeme Rattigan
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- prison
- island
- singapore
- world war ii
- prisoner of war
- indonesia
- pacific war
- 1940s
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical1997-04-11R
