Rebel is a 1985 Australian musical drama set in World War Two.
Director Mike Jenkins decided to push the musical aspect, and went for a stylised approach in collaboration with designer Brian Thomson. The manager Matt Dillon, who was imported to play the lead, did not like the approach, saying it was too much like a Francis Ford Coppola movie which Thomson took as a compliment. He wanted his client to appear in a straight period film closer to Breaker Morant. However Jenkins and Thomsons vision prevailed.Its funny, Rebel has attracted some fierce critiques from intellectuals who subsequently liked other things that Ive done. But it also won five AFI awards and was the most nominated film of its year. It was a curious piece it didnt altogether work. I was interested in it because of the basic story about the American boy who wants to desert. It said something about Australia and Sydney in World War II. ........
Source: Wikipedia