Mark Lee, actor in new play called Breaker Morant, pictured at his Gladesville home today. Picture: Sam Ruttyn Source: The Sunday Telegraph
The Sunday Telegraph reports
Mark Lee shot to fame in the 1981 film Gallipoli when at age 22 he played Archy Hamilton, a fresh-faced, young sprinter who died at the battle of The Nek.
Now 54, Lee is about to star in the stage version of another classic Australian wartime film: Bruce Beresford's Academy Award-nominated Breaker Morant, which hit the screens in 1980.
The film of Breaker Morant was adapted from a 1978 play by Kenneth G. Ross, a newly revised version of which will be used for the theatre production opening in Sydney next month.
Based on true events, Breaker Morant is set in 1901 in South Africa during the Second Boer War.
Harry "Breaker" Morant and two other Australian lieutenants are accused of murdering Boer prisoners and a German missionary despite receiving orders from the British High Commission to fight the Boer on its own guerrilla terms and take no prisoners.
Lee has been cast as defence lawyer Major J.F. Thomas - played by Jack Thompson in the film - who represents them at one day's notice.
"It's a beautiful role. He was a fascinating man," says Lee who has clearly done his research, talking in detail about the case. He has avoided the film.
"I haven't seen the film for 25 years but I do remember Jack Thompson's performance, which was really beautiful," he says. "But I don't want to see it now because when someone gives a terrific performance like that if you are trying to build a character, it's really hard to shake."
Though he has worked solidly as an actor, Lee's career did not hit the heights of his Gallipoli co-star Mel Gibson.
"It's probably the highest profile thing I ever did," he acknowledges. "It's not my best work but it's worked its way into the public psyche."
During his 30s, he spent nine years off-and-on working with a builder - which is why he is now able to renovate his home on Sydney's north shore.
He seems philosophical about his career, saying: "Life is what it is. I've had some great work. It just hasn't been as high profile."
He has just appeared in a short film called Dovetail written by actor Peter Maple - who is also in Breaker Morant - and directed by Lee's nephew Alex Lee-Rekers, 20, the son of his actor sister, Anna Lee.
Lee has worked on several short films and in 2006 directed his debut feature film, The Bet, starring Matthew Newton and Aden Young.
He is keen to direct another film. "I love directing, probably more than acting," he says. "I've got a couple of projects we're looking at."
Meanwhile, he is excited about returning to the theatre, having last performed on stage in 2009. Next, he and Breaker Morant director Gareth Boylan collaborate on a Sydney season of The Time Machine, a one-man theatre adaptation of H.G. Wells' novel, which Lee first did in 2002.
"I love the stage," he says. "And it's great when you get two plays (back to back). You feel wasted but energised."
Breaker Morant, Seymour Centre, April 12-21. Bookings: 9351 7940
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