The Oscar, according to David O. Selznick in 1943, was won for 'effectiveness in depicting simply yet forcefully the scene of war in New Guinea and for its moving presentation of the bravery and fortitude of our Australian comrades in arms'.
[1] In the documentary film, Australian troops from the 39th Battalion are shown along the Kokoda Track walking through a mountainous terrain and across a river.
The film through the utilisation of voice actor Peter Bathurst exemplifies the cruel conditions, the bravery of the troops, and the support and care displayed by the Papuans.
Footage of The Salvation Army includes a shot of Father Albert Moore lighting a cigarette of an injured soldier.
The last series of shots in the film were captured from heightened positions along the track of the Papuan carrying wounded troops climbing through steep terrains in harsh conditions.
The combat cameraman being made fully aware of the risk, Parer continued to film the campaign and routinely went to the frontline at Kokoda in order to fulfill his goal to present the true account of events as he saw them.
The nature of the mountainous terrain significantly negatively impacted Parer’s ability to shoot long sequences that didn’t include close-ups of the soldiers standing or trudging through the thick mud along the track.
Parer through the use of close-ups and long shots captures the wounded and sick soldiers being carried on stretcher bearers and cared for by the Papuans.
[2] The advantage of inoculation played a pivotal role in the initial success of the Japanese in the war prevented diseases such as malaria and scrub typhus.
This was the decisive point in the Kokoda Track campaign as the Japanese, mainly used a poor road system, budgeted six tons of supplies per thousand men per day.
Through the lugging of 35 mm camera and film stock, Parer would spend days perched in a tree in order to accurately capture the narrowness and steep inclines of the track.
The aerial footage in the film glanced over the thick jungle over a mountainous terrain, characterised with deep slopes of green plains.
Studies at the time concluded that three months in New Guinea directly led to an identifiable decrease in the effectiveness of a unit regardless of being in a battle or not.
In the narration Bathurst through colloquial language that at the time was acceptable states that, the Papuan carriers in their aid to the Australian troops are 'black skinned boys that are white'.
[7] This type of language will be recognised now as racist and discriminatory at the time was used to display the gratitude and respect they played in helping wounded Australian soldiers and educating the troops about the mountainous terrain and diseases.
The rhetorical style of the narration played a pivotal role in enhancing the Australian audience sense that Australia was in danger and through the capturing of the tropical landscape were able to come to the realisation that the soldiers at any moment could have been killed.