Fortress (1985 film)

Sally Jones, a teacher, and her students at a small rural school in Australia are kidnapped and held for ransom by a band of violent shotgun-wielding masked thugs wearing Christmas character masks. Held for ransom in a cave, she and the children escape from their captors, are pursued, establish a stronghold, and fight for their lives.

• Rachel Ward as Sally Jones
• Sean Garlick as Sid
• Elaine Cusick as Mrs. O'Brien
• Laurie Moran as Mr. O'Brien
• Marc Aden Gray as Tommy
• Ray Chubb as Publican
• Bradley Meehan as Richard
• Rebecca Rigg as Narelle
• Beth Buchanan as Leanne
• Asher Keddie as Sue
• Anna Crawford as Sarah
• Richard Terrill as Toby
• Robin Mason as Derek
• Vernon Wells as Dabby Duck
• Peter Hehir as Father Christmas
• David Bradshaw as Pussy Cat
• Roger Stephen as Mac the Mouse

The novel Fortress by Gabrielle Lord was inspired by the 1972 Faraday Primary School kidnapping of an isolated rural single teacher school and was influenced by William Golding's 1954 novel Lord of the Flies. At one stage it was thought the novel would be filmed by Murdoch and Stigwood's R & R Films as a follow up to Gallipoli (1981). However this never eventuated.[2] The film rights were purchased by Crawford Productions who intended to make a feature film for local release and a telemovie for HBO in the US. Half the budget was from HBO who insisted the lead be played by an actress who was familiar to the American public.

Everett De Roche wrote the script and originally Bruce Beresford was announced as director. He dropped out and then Arch Nicholson was hired. Crawfords and HBO wanted Bess Armstrong to play the lead. Actors Equity objected, so Sigrid Thornton was accepted as a compromise. However two months prior to shooting Thornton fell pregnant and HBO and Crawfords insisted on Armstrong. Actors Equity would not relent and the film shut down, despite the fact $700,000 had already been spent.[3] The project was later re activated when Rachel Ward (a British actress who had moved to Australia) was approved.[4] The movie was then shot in Australia during 1985 over 12 5-day weeks at Hillside, the school they used in the film was the Rosehill primary school, near Bairnsdale, East Gippsland and in the Grampians.[4]

The film was initially released directly to cable television by the HBO channel in the United States on 24 November 1985.[5] It contains scenes of graphic violence unusual for TV productions of the time. It was released to cinemas in Australia on 26 June 1986.

It won the American Cinema Editors for direction of Photography in 1986.

• Fortress at IMDb
• Fortress at Crawford Productions website
• Fortress at Oz Movies