Smash Palace

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Smash Palace
Directed by	Roger Donaldson
Written by	Roger Donaldson
Starring	Bruno Lawrence Anna Maria Monticelli
Editing by	Michael J. Horton
Release date(s)	April 30, 1982
Running time	108 min.
Language	English
IMDb profile

For the band, see Smash Palace (rock band).

Smash Palace was a New Zealand feature film, released in 1981. It was directed by Roger Donaldson and starred Bruno Lawrence, Anna Jemison, Greer Robson and Keith Aberdein.

The film features a number of excellent performances, notably those of Bruno Lawrence and the ten-year-old Greer Robson. The film was successful in its home land, and received good critical reviews in the United States, with Pauline Kael describing it as "amazingly accomplished", and the New York Times picking it as one of its ten movies of the year. Bruno Lawrence received an award for Best Actor at the 1982 Manila Film Festival for his portrayal of Al Shaw in the film.

The soundtrack was composed and performed by Sharon O'Neill.

The action of the film centres around a car wrecking yard called Smash Palace, where Al Shaw (Lawrence), a former racing driver, lives with his unhappy French wife Jacqui (Jemison). Jacqui begins a relationship with Al's best friend, local cop Ray Foley (Aberdein), and — after a violent argument she leaves Al, taking daughter Georgie (Robson) with her. Al kidnaps Georgie, but is cornered in Smash Palace, but agrees to hand her over in return for Ray.

The car wrecking yard Smash Palace still exists today, and is located in Horopito, near Ohakune.