The Year of Living Dangerously

Mel Gibson once again proves there's more to his mystique than "Mad Max" in this political thriller directed by Peter Weir . Set in Indonesia during the 1965 coup against President Sukarno, the film stars Gibson as Guy Hamilton, an Australian wire-service reporter covering the scene. Whenever Hamilton becomes too glib or indifferent for his own good, he is brought back to earth by his "conscience," photographer Billy Swan (played in male drag by diminutive actress Linda Hunt , who won an Academy Award for her performance). As all of Jakarta sinks into disarray, Hamilton pursues a romance with British attache Jill Bryant ( Sigourney Weaver ). Filmed on location in the Philippines and Australia, the film was financed by MGM, in the first such American-Australian financial collaboration. — Hal Erickson