STACK NZ March 2017 Issue 82

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The Maeda Escarpment – known as
Hacksaw Ridge for its sawed-off appearance –
stood in the way of the 77th and 96th Infantry
divisions’ advancement in the spring of 1945.
The number of lives Desmond Doss saved
is debatable – he estimated it to be 50, while
the military put it closer to 100. 75 was the
figure finally settled upon.
Severe damage to his arm
prevented Doss from continuing his
career in carpentry following the war.
He’s a rising young British star
playing an American marine
in a Second World War epic
set in the Pacific. But for Andrew
Garfield, it was the Australian
component of the movie that
made it so special.
“I’ve loved it, it really felt
like an extension of home,” the
star enthuses of his time in
Australia. “The crew here is really
something. So unpretentious, so
hardworking, and there’s no such
thing as a hierarchy. It’s a company
and it’s a real community effort.
You don’t often get
that in films, you find it
more often in theatre
in my experience. But
when you find a real
sense of camaraderie
and community on a
film set, you can’t get better than
that.”
Hacksaw Ridge tells the true
story of Desmond Doss, the
first conscientious objector to be
awarded the American Medal of
Honor for his bravery during one
of the bloodiest battles of the
Second World War on the Island of
Okinawa in the Pacific.
Garfield was immediately
attracted by the inspirational story
and had no hesitation in signing up
for the film. “It was a compelling
script and a compelling person to
go on a journey with,” he explains.
“There’s something about a
person following the beat of their
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18 MARCH 2017
own drum. No matter what the
resistance to that will be by the
society he finds himself in, or she
finds herself in, he sticks to his
principles and his inner voice.”
Another big drawcard was the
opportunity to work with Mel
Gibson, whose work both in front
of and behind the camera Garfield
had long admired. He admits that
he had to pinch himself to believe
that he was getting the chance to
work with such a Hollywood icon.
“A real highlight for me of my
short time being an actor so far is
working with Mel as a director,”
Garfield says. “He just tells a story
in such a beautiful, compelling and
From director Mel Gibson to the local cast and
crew, Hacksaw Ridge star Andrew Garfield has
nothing but praise for Australia.
PACIFIST
PACIFIC
exciting way, and it’s never boring.
He’s like Desmond in a strange
way; he’s got this real innocence
and purity; you know exactly what
he’s feeling at all times. He’s just
so sincere, and passionate, and it’s
this infectious thing, and I think it’s
been a very happy shoot for the
entire crew because everything
trickles down from the top.”
“And of course, having someone
who’s such a great actor with their
eyes on you just makes you feel
so safe. It’s not really an actor’s
medium film, you know, it’s really a
director’s medium. So that feeling
of being able to give yourself
entirely to your director is really
important.”
Garfield is equally full of praise
for his Australian co-stars, who
include Hugo Weaving, Teresa
Palmer, Luke Bracey and Sam
Worthington. Weaving plays his
character’s “incredibly damaged,
bruised, and scary father”, but
Garfield was delighted to discover
that off camera, the Aussie star
was “like a clown in the most
wonderful way – so funny and
playful”.
The camaraderie that developed
between himself and the actors
playing fellow marines was
another highlight. “The boys
really made this job for me,” he
says. “The boys in the barracks,
they’re all such incredible actors
in their own rights, and there’s
some beautiful scenes with Luke.
And then the other boys like Jake
Warner, Ben Mingay, Ben O’Toole,
and Firass [Dirani], they really
made this experience rich but also
really fun. I think we all needed to
keep each other light and joyous,
and, you know, the Aussie lads are
good at that!”
Despite the fun of the shoot,
Hacksaw Ridge carries a serious
message and Garfield hopes
audiences will be similarly inspired
by what is an incredible true story
of courage and faith.
“I think it’s going to be
impossible not to be touched
by it because Desmond Doss is
impossible not to be moved and
totally awestruck by,” he
says. “So I hope that
people get to know
someone who
could potentially be
an inspiration for
their lives.”
• Hacksaw
Ridge
is out on
March 15
HACKSAW FACTS