Abhiroop Das
While ‘Bring Her Back‘ is primarily concerned with grief and its transformative effects on a person, it does not limit its exploration to the fictional realm. The movie ends with the directors, Danny and Michael Philippou’s heartfelt dedication to Harley Wallace, a close family friend who died during the pre-production stages of the movie. The young man’s untimely death significantly changed the creative team’s perception of the film, informing crucial aspects of not just the script, but also characters, particularly that of Laura, a mother who’s yearning to reunite with her deceased daughter sets off a chain of events that end up bringing harm to everyone involved, and particularly the three children. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Harley Wallace Was Actively Involved in the Culture of His Home Town
Harley Kwementyaye Wallace was born on August 21, 2008. He was a resident of Alice Springs and completed his high school education in Centralian Senior Secondary College. Being of Arrernte descent, he expressed great pride in learning his native language as a part of his vocational education course, stating in a 2018 interview, “My Nanna told me to always be proud of who I am and my culture. To be happy to have Arrernte in my blood.” Furthermore, he was also a volunteer for the Clontarf Foundation, which is dedicated to developing and improving the education and job prospects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Thus, Wallace’s childhood was marked by his continued interest in the culture of his region and his efforts to preserve and enhance it.
Wallace was also a talented football player, having participated in the Central Australian Football League in 2022. He played for the South Reserve Grade team, which went on to make it to the preliminary finals that year, in part due to his contribution. In the same year, the Philippou brothers released their debut feature film, the supernatural horror ‘Talk to Me,’ and Wallace stood out as one of its earliest and proudest supporters. In a podcast episode with iHeart South Australia, the directors mentioned their friend’s love and dedication towards the film, which compelled him to drive from his home for an hour and a half, a total of seven times, just to catch a screening. Thus, it was evident that the brothers’ friendship and creative expression meant a lot to the young man.
Wallace was in a long-term relationship with Elise Palmer, a fellow alumna of Centralian Senior Secondary College and a seasoned football player, just like Wallace, having played for the Alice Springs Women’s Football Club. He often posted snippets of his happy life with Elise on social media, and the two welcomed a child in 2024, with Wallace breaking the wholesome news on Facebook on February 10, 2024. While it was a moment of great celebration for the new father, it only amplified the tragedy of his untimely demise.
Harley Wallace’s Death Deeply Affected His Friends and Family
Harley Wallace died on June 22, 2024, with his family receiving an outpouring of love and condolences from the people who knew him. The funeral service for his death was held on August 20, 2024, which was also livestreamed for the people who could not attend. Following the service, he was buried at the Garden Cemetery, situated south of Stuart Highway in Alice Springs. The news about his passing was broken on social media by his siblings, elder sister Kelly and younger brother Junior Wallace. The suddenness of his death took his near and dear ones by shock, and strongly affected Danny and Michael Philippou, who by then had begun work on ‘Bring Her Back.’
The Philippou brothers, who affectionately called him Holly, stated in an interview with Den of Geek that they heard of his passing when the movie was beginning pre-production, leaving them with no time to process their grief. As such, they had instead used the film’s script as an outlet for all of their emotions. Wallace’s death fundamentally changed the film’s narrative, reportedly inducing a change in its original ending, which the directors hinted to be more gruesome but lacking the emotional punch of the ending that they ultimately went with. In an interview with USA Today, Danny Philippou expressed his reasons for the decision, saying, “Death is really unfair and it’s really sudden. People don’t get a resolution. Harley died at 22, 23. His story wasn’t finished.” While Wallace was unable to watch the film himself, his passing infused it with the depth required to sensitively handle the subject of grief.
Read More: Is Bring Her Back Based on a True Story?
