A Tale of the Australian Bush

A Tale of the Australian Bush
Directed by	Gaston Mervale
Written by	P. W. Marony
Starring	Godfrey Cass
Production company	Australian Life Biograph Company
Release date	15 March 1911 (1911-03-15)
Running time	2,500 feet [1] or 3,000 feet [2]
Country	Australia
Languages	Silent English intertitles

A Tale of the Australian Bush is a 1911 Australian silent film directed by Gaston Mervale. Set in colonial Australia, it was also known as Ben Hall, the Notorious Bushranger and is considered a lost film.

Plot

The story of the bushranger Ben Hall, including his duel with Melville, last stand and death. A contemporary review said that "unlike the usual bushranging films, instead of glorifying the villainy of the criminals of the bush, recorded a triumph of the law over the lawless." ^[3]

Cast

• A.J. Patrick as Ben Hall
• Godfrey Cassas Melville
• Harry Beaumont as Gilbert
• James Martin as Keightley
• Gilbert Emery as chief of police
• Harrie Ireland as Mrs Keightley
• Isma Owe and Robbie Hall
• Louise Carbasse as Mrs Hall

Production

It was the first film from the production company Australian Life Biograph Company. ^[4]

Release

The film was first released in Sydney as Ben Hall, the Notorious Bushranger ^[5] before being screened nationally under the other title.

References

1. "Advertising". The Brisbane Courier . National Library of Australia. 30 September 1911. p. 2. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
2. "Advertising". The Referee . Sydney: National Library of Australia. 22 May 1912. p. 16. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
3. "NEW BUSH PICTURE-STORY". The Sydney Morning Herald . National Library of Australia. 18 March 1911. p. 9. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
4. Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, p. 15.
5. "Advertising". The Barrier Miner . Broken Hill, NSW: National Library of Australia. 15 March 1911. p. 1. Retrieved 27 January 2012.

External links

• A Tale of the Australian Bush at IMDb