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1952 New Zealand film From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Broken Barrier is a 1952 New Zealand film.[1] It was directed and produced by John O'Shea (director) and Roger Mirams, and written by O'Shea.[2] It starred Kay Ngarimu and Terence Bayler, and also featured Myra Hapi Smith, Bill Merito and George Ormond.
Broken Barrier | |
---|---|
Directed by | John O'Shea Roger Mirams |
Written by | John O'Shea |
Produced by | John O'Shea Roger Mirams |
Starring | Kay Ngarimu Terence Bayler |
Narrated by | Guy Smith |
Cinematography | Bill Hopper |
Production company | Pacific Films |
Distributed by | NZ Film Archives |
Release date |
|
Running time | 69 minutes |
Country | New Zealand |
Language | English |
The film addresses mistrust and prejudice between Pākehā and Māori in New Zealand, portraying a romance between a Pākehā man and a Māori woman.[2] The film was somewhat controversial at its release.
The film is about the relationship between Tom Sullivan, a Pākehā journalist, and Rawi, a Māori woman.[3] Sullivan meets Rawi while researching articles on rural Māori life, and he stays for a time with Rawi's family. Rawi's family disapproves of her relationship with a Pākehā man, ending in a quarrel. Later, however, the two are re-united in the city, where Rawi goes to work as a nurse. The two resume their romance, but this time meet with opposition from Sullivan's family and friends, who do not wish him to be involved with a Māori woman. Sullivan eventually comes to agree with their views, and the couple separate once again. Sullivan has a change of heart, however, when he is saved from a fire by a Māori friend's sacrifice. Sullivan and Rawi are reunited.
The film was the first real attempt at a feature film to be produced in New Zealand since the end of World War II and was filmed on a shoestring budget, and as such was fairly rudimentary and naive, yet was also important at re-establishing the New Zealand film industry.
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