The Year of Living Dangerously

The Year of Living Dangerously Lobbycard Set
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Year_of_Living_Dangerously

Djakarta, Indonesia, June 1965

Guy Hamilton (Mel Gibson), an Australian journalist, arrives in Djakarta unprepared and without contacts. Billy Kwan (Linda Hunt), a photographer familiar with Indonesia and the political climate, takes Hamilton under his wings as he has done with Jill Bryant (Sigourney Weaver) and other foreign journalists. Smitten with Hamilton's determination, lust for action and danger, Billy introduces Hamilton to Jill who holds a post at the British Embassy and is equally enthralled with change and adventure. Of course the two fall for each other (I guess movies without romance and sex don't sell well). When the Embassy receives a coded message that a load of weapons are on the way to the PKI (Communist Party of Indonesia) Jill shares the news with Guy, hoping to entice him to leave before the start of the civil war. Guy, however, sees the possibilities the messages opens up for him as a journalist and as an adventurist. Despite the fact that following the lead could endanger Jill, he picks up the story and investigates. As the events of the 1965 coup unfold through the eyes of Guy Hamilton, the different film characters relay the sides of the conflict to the viewer.

Through Billy Kwan's eyes we see Indonesian President Sukarno. Sukarno, who has been president since 1947, not only liberated the country from the Netherlands but also managed to unite a country that is spread out over 17,000 islands and is home to many ethnic and religious groups. As Billy remarks, however, in his attempt under Guided Democracy to please and unite the different fractions, Sukarno lost his reputation and turned to empty speeches. Scenes from the film show great poverty while officials live lavishly. In the end, Billy is murdered by security forces as he displayes an anti-Sukarno banner from his hotel.

Kumar, the PKI official introduced to Guy by Billy, shows Guy the situation from PKI perspective. "My country suffers under great poverty and corruption. Is it wrong to want to change?" When Guy wants to know if his loyality to the PKI will continue when the fighting and killing starts, Kumar simply states that sometimes there's no other way. Like Billy, Kumar has taken a liking to Guy and seems to protect him.

In the end the coup falls, the PKI looses and Sukarno is still in power. Although able to stay, Guy decides to leave Indonesia.

I have not quite decided how to interpret Billy Kwan. Played by Linda Hunt, he comes across as a person who bends gender lines and likes to direct and manage people. Compassionate about the people of Indonesia, Billy attempts to spread his compassion to Guy. At first I actually thought Billy was female. Vincent Canby, NY Times, writes "It's Billy's fate to play God, and gods are, if not androgynous, then not necessarily condemned to a single sexual identity." http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9951A0C0173BF932A35750C8BF67.