The Legend of Ben Hall

Last updated

The Legend of Ben Hall
The Legend of Ben Hall Poster, Ross Morgan, Oct 2016.jpg
Theatrical film poster
Directed by Matthew Holmes
Written byMatthew Holmes
Based on Ben Hall
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyPeter Szilveszter
Edited byCaitlin Spiller
Music byRonnie Minder
Production
companies
  • RLC Motion Picture Entertainment
  • Two Tone Pictures
  • Emu Creek Pictures
  • Running Panda Films
  • Odin's Eye Productions
  • SunJive Studios
  • Palmarium LLC
Distributed by
  • Pinnacle Films (Australia)
  • Vega Baby/Sony Pictures (North America)
  • WVG Medien (Germany)
  • High Fliers Films (UK/Ireland)
Release dates
  • 1 December 2016 (2016-12-01)(Australia)
  • 28 April 2017 (2017-04-28)(Germany)
  • 1 August 2017 (2017-08-01)(US)
  • 2 July 2018 (2018-07-02)(UK/Ireland)
Running time
139 minutes
CountryAustralia

The Legend of Ben Hall is a 2016 Australian bushranger film. Written and directed by Matthew Holmes, it is based on the exploits of bushranger Ben Hall and his gang. The film stars Jack Martin in the title role, Jamie Coffa as John Gilbert, and William Lee as John Dunn.

Contents

Holmes' goal with The Legend of Ben Hall was to produce a historically accurate film that focuses on the last nine months of Hall's life, when he was a well-established bushranger along with his accomplices Gilbert and Dunn. [1] It explores the relationships within the gang and depicts many of their robberies and clashes with the police. The film also explores the details surrounding Hall's betrayal and his controversial death at the hands of the police on 5 May 1865.

The film was shown on 12 October 2017 at the 7º Almería Western Film Festival. [2] [3] [4]

Plot

After two years on the road and with the law closing in around him, Ben Hall has gone in hiding and is considering surrender. However, he is drawn back into bushranging by the reappearance of his old friend and gang member, John Gilbert. Reforming the gang with a new recruit John Dunn, the trio soon become the most wanted men in Australian history after a series of robberies that result in the death of two policemen. Ben Hall also struggles to reconcile himself with his estranged son now living with his ex-wife and the man she eloped with many years earlier. When the Government moves to declare the gang outlaws, the gang make plans to flee the colony, but they are sold out by a trusted friend.

Cast

Production

Production for The Legend of Ben Hall began in Melbourne in February 2015. Principal photography started on 29 March in Lauriston in regional Victoria and continued for over four weeks. [5] Other locations included Nulla Vale, Spring Hill, Trentham and Maldon. Because the story is set in New South Wales, locations were selected to accurately represent various regions in New South Wales connected to the Ben Hall story, such as Forbes, Jugiong, Binalong and the Araluen Valley. Some scenes were filmed in New South Wales around Forbes and Jugiong. [6]

Outdoor sets were constructed around the Lauriston area by Production Designer Das Patterson. The production also recycled existing film sets from previous film productions, such as The Man From Snowy River , which was also used in the American western television series Ponderosa . The now defunct Porcupine Historical Village at Maldon was also used for various indoor and outdoor scenes. Filming moved to the Melbourne Docklands Studios in May for another two weeks. [7] The film's post production was completed in Melbourne on 5 May 2016, which coincided with the 151-year anniversary of shooting of Ben Hall at Billabong Creek on 5 May 1865. [8]

Short film origin

The Legend of Ben Hall started as a Kickstarter [9] crowd-funded 40-minute short film, [10] which exceeded its target production goal of $75,000. [11]

American production company Palmarium LLC joined the project as producers, as did filmmaker Jessica Pearce, who stepped up from production manager to producer as the film geared up for filming. Victorian financier Ross Angelo also joined as a producer.

The production filmed for three weeks in August–September 2014. Locations included Lauriston, Trentham and Spring Hill in Victoria, as well as Jugiong and Forbes in New South Wales. [12] The short film was financially supported by the Forbes Shire Council who believed in the film's potential to boost and promote tourism in the Forbes area due to its affiliation with Ben Hall history. [13]

The project was picked up by Fox Studios Australia based producer Russell Cunningham from RLC Motion Picture Entertainment and Michael Favelle from Odin's Eye Entertainment, who came on board to develop the project as a full-length feature. [14] The script was expanded with new characters and events so that the scenes already shot for the short film could be integrated into the feature. [15] All of the short film cast reprised their roles, as did most of the film crew.

Historical accuracy

Holmes sought to make the film as historically accurate as possible. [16] Since 2007, he worked closely with New South Wales historian and author Peter Bradley, who acted as a historical advisor on the script to ensure the film's accurate portrayal of events. Bradley is a descendant of Ben Hall's younger brother, Henry Hall. [17] Much of the dialogue used by Ben Hall, John Gilbert and John Dunn in the film comes directly from newspaper articles and eye-witness accounts. The film's story is based on real life events that occurred between August 1864 and May 1865.

Cast members were chosen to physically resemble their historical counterparts, with their personalities, wardrobe and hair based on descriptions or photographs of the real person.

Release

The Legend of Ben Hall premiered in Forbes, New South Wales on 12 November 2016 at the Forbes Showgrounds. [18] Almost 800 people attended the premiere. Forbes was chosen due to its historical affiliation with the outlaw and because the Forbes Shire Council had supported the project in its crowdfunding stage. [19] The Forbes showgrounds are less than a kilometre from where Ben Hall is buried in the Forbes cemetery. The premiere was followed by an extensive two-week regional and metro tour throughout New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia. [20]

The Legend of Ben Hall had a limited theatrical release in Australia in December 2016. It was released on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital platforms on 2 March 2017. Distribution rights were picked up by Vega Baby for an 1 August 2017 release in North America. [21] The film was also released in Germany in early 2017. It was to be released in the UK and Ireland on DVD by High Fliers Films PLC on 2 July. [22] Both the North American Blu-Ray release and the Australian Blu-Ray release feature the 90-minute documentary Stand & Deliver: Making The Legend of Ben Hall, an in-depth look at how the film was conceived and its journey to completion. [23]

Reception

The Legend of Ben Hall received mixed reviews, with several critics mentioning overly lengthy scenes, although its historical veracity was praised. [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 50% based on 12 reviews, with an average score of 6.08/10. [29] In 2020, it was listed amongst '10 Great Australian Westerns' in an article by the British Film Institute. [30]

Awards and nominations

The score by Swiss-born composer Ronnie Minder was announced as one of the 145 scores eligible in the Best Original Score category in the 2017 Oscars by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. [31] The film was declared "Best Foreign Western 2017" by True West Magazine [32] and received the 'Audience Award' from the Cinema Australia website in 2016. [33]

The Legend of Ben Hall has also participated in the following film festivals:

Planned anthology

Not long after its release, it was announced that the screenplays for a planned trilogy about bushranging in News South Wales had been written and were in the process of raising funds. [41] Going under the umbrella title of The Legends Anthology, the next two films would be companion pieces to the Ben Hall story, following the criminal careers of Hall's former accomplices, Frank Gardiner and John Vane. Jack Martin and several of the other actors would reprise their roles in the new films, The Legend of Frank Gardiner and The Legend of John Vane. [42] In 2021, director Matthew Holmes announced on Facebook that all plans for the prequel films had now shelved permanently. [43]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bushranger</span> Australian outlaws active during the 19th century

Bushrangers were originally escaped convicts in the early years of the British settlement of Australia who used the bush as a refuge to hide from the authorities. By the 1820s, the term had evolved to refer to those who took up "robbery under arms" as a way of life, using the bush as their base.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Gilbert (bushranger)</span> Australian bushranger

Johnny Gilbert was an Australian bushranger who was shot dead by the police at the age of 23 near Binalong, New South Wales on 13 May 1865.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Hall (bushranger)</span> Australian bushranger

Ben Hall was an Australian bushranger and leading member of the Gardiner–Hall gang. He and his associates carried out many raids across New South Wales, from Bathurst to Forbes, south to Gundagai and east to Goulburn. Unlike many bushrangers of the era, Hall was not directly responsible for any deaths, although several of his associates were. He was shot dead by police in May 1865 at Goobang Creek. The police claimed that they were acting under the protection of the Felons Apprehension Act 1865, which allowed any bushranger who had been specifically named under the terms of the Act to be shot, and killed by any person at any time without warning. At the time of Hall's death, the Act had not yet come into force, resulting in controversy over the legality of his killing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Gardiner</span> Australian bushranger (1830–1882)

Frank Gardiner was an Australian bushranger who gained infamy for his lead role in the a robbery of a gold escort at Eugowra, New South Wales in June 1862. It is considered the largest gold heist in Australian history. Gardiner and his gang, which included bushrangers Ben Hall, John O'Meally, Johnny Gilbert, Henry Manns, Alexander Fordyce, John Bow and Dan Charters, made off with a pile of cash and 77 kilograms of gold, worth about $10 million today. After several years in prison for the robbery, Gardiner was exiled and moved to the United States, where he died in or about 1882.

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"Streets of Forbes" is an Australian folksong about the death of bushranger Ben Hall. The song is one of the best-known elements of the Australian folk repertoire. It has been recorded by many folk and popular artists and groups including Martin Carthy, The Bushwhackers, Gary Shearston, Niamh Parsons, June Tabor, Steam Shuttle, and Weddings Parties Anything. Paul Kelly made his public debut singing the Australian folk song 'Streets Of Forbes' to a Hobart audience in 1974. The Streets of Forbes is usually listed as traditional or anonymous, but Gary Shearston writes that "there are reasons for thinking John McGuire,, may well have been the original author".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Dunn (bushranger)</span>

John Dunn was an Australian bushranger. He was born at Murrumburrah near Yass in New South Wales. He was 19 years old when he was hanged in Darlinghurst Gaol. He was buried in the former Devonshire Street Cemetery in Sydney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bathurst Rebellion</span> Rebellion in Australia in 1830

The Bathurst Rebellion of 1830 was an outbreak of bushranging near Bathurst in the British penal colony of New South Wales.

The Life and Adventures of John Vane, the Notorious Australian Bushranger is a 1910 Australian silent film about the bushranger John Vane, who was a member of Ben Hall's gang. It is considered a lost film.

<i>Bushrangers Ransom, or A Ride for Life</i> 1911 film

Bushranger's Ransom, or A Ride for Life was an Australian silent film produced by Pathé Frères' in 1911, their first motion picture production in Australia after establishing a branch office in Sydney in April 1910. It was adapted from a stage play first performed in 1907 by E. I. Cole's Bohemian Dramatic Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Western</span> Sub-genre

Australian Western, also known as meat pie Western or kangaroo Western, is a genre of Western-style films or TV series set in the Australian outback or "the bush". Films about bushrangers are included in this genre. Some films categorised as meat-pie or Australian Westerns also fulfil the criteria for other genres, such as drama, revisionist Western, crime or thriller. A sub-genre of the Australian Western, the Northern, has been coined by the makers of High Ground (2020), to describe a film set in the Northern Territory that accurately depicts historical events in a fictionalised form, that has aspects of a thriller.

The Gardiner–Hall Gang was an informal group of bushrangers who roamed the central west of the Colony of New South Wales, Australia in the 1860s. Named after leaders Frank Gardiner and Ben Hall, the gang was involved in numerous shootouts and robberies, including Australia's largest ever gold robbery, at Eugowra Rocks. The gang had its origins in 1861; its demise came with the execution of John Dunn in 1866.

The bushranger ban was a ban on films about bushrangers that came in effect in Australia in 1911–12. Films about bushrangers had been the most popular genre of local films ever since The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906). Governments were worried about the influence this would have on the population and bans against films depicting bushrangers were introduced in South Australia (1911), New South Wales and Victoria (1912).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles White (writer)</span>

Charles White, was an Australian journalist, author and historian, notable for his books on bushranging and other aspects of Australian history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John O'Meally</span> Australian bushranger

John O'Meally, known informally as 'Jack' O'Meally, was an Australia bushranger. He was recruited to join the Gardiner–Hall gang to carry out the gold escort robbery near Eugowra in June 1862, Australia's largest gold theft. O'Meally became a member of the group of bushrangers led by Johnny Gilbert and Ben Hall, which committed many robberies in the central west of New South Wales. Considered to be the most violent and hot-headed of the group, O'Meally was probably responsible for two murders during this time. The gang managed to evade the police for long periods and became the most notorious of the bushranging gangs of the 1860s. Jack O'Meally was shot and killed during an attack on the 'Goimbla' station homestead in November 1863.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Martin (actor)</span> Australian actor

Jack Martin is an Australian actor. He is best known for his role as Ben Hall in the feature film The Legend of Ben Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluecap (bushranger)</span> Australian bushranger

Bluecap was an Australian bushranger. Born and raised in New South Wales, he began bushranging in 1867, leading a gang responsible for robberies throughout the Riverina region. He suffered from ophthalmia, and earned his alias on account of a piece of cloth he wore to protect his eyes from sunlight. Captured in November 1867, Bluecap was tried and convicted of armed robbery. He was imprisoned in Parramatta Gaol and released in 1874.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Escort Rock</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Escort Rock is a heritage-listed geological formation at Escort Way, Eugowra, Cabonne Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of a group of historic sites labelled the Ben Hall Sites for their association with bushranger Ben Hall, along with Ben Hall's Death Site, the Bushranger Hotel, Cliefden, the Grave of Ben Hall and Wandi. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 8 October 2010.

Bushranger Hotel is a heritage-listed hotel at 24 Church Street, Collector, Upper Lachlan Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of a group of historic sites labelled the Ben Hall Sites for their association with bushranger Ben Hall, along with Ben Hall's Death Site, Cliefden, Escort Rock, the Grave of Ben Hall and Wandi. It was built from 1860 to 1861. It is also known as Kimberley's Commercial Hotel and Kimberley's Inn. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 8 October 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Hall's Death Site</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Ben Hall's Death Site is a heritage-listed site at Billabong Creek, Ben Halls Road, Forbes, Forbes Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of a group of historic sites labelled the Ben Hall Sites for their association with bushranger Ben Hall, along with the Bushranger Hotel, Cliefden, Escort Rock, the Grave of Ben Hall and Wandi. It is also known as Blowclear Pastoral Run and Ben Hall's Place. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 8 October 2010.

References

  1. ↑ "Look Australia! Our bushrangers are far more interesting and complex than you realise!". A Guide To Australian Bushranging. 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  2. ↑ "The Legend of Ben Hall". Almería Western Film Festival (in Spanish). 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  3. ↑ "Comienza la VII edición de Almería Western Film Festival de Tabernas". Telealmería Noticias (in Spanish). KL Prensa y Comunicación. 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  4. ↑ Jerez, Diego; Europa Press (11 October 2017). "Arranca el VII Almería Western Film Festival". Almería Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  5. ↑ "Local Properties Transformed into Movie Sets". Hepburn Advocate. 1 May 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  6. ↑ "The Legend of Ben Hall movie". Twin Town Times. 30 July 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  7. ↑ "Emerging Filmmakers Update". Docklands Studios. 21 July 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  8. ↑ "Ben Hall's story ready for release". Forbes Advocate. 9 May 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  9. ↑ "The Legend of Ben Hall – an Australian Bushranger film". Kickstarter. 30 May 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  10. ↑ "The Legend of Ben Hall: KICKSTARTING AUSSIE HISTORY ONTO THE BIG SCREEN". if.com.au. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  11. ↑ "Ben Hall will be bigger, bolder: $100,000 in crowd funding for film". Forbes Advocate. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  12. ↑ "Filming of The Legend of Ben Hall happened in Forbes this week". Forbes Advocate. 11 September 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  13. ↑ "Ben Hall will be bigger, bolder: $100,000 in crowd funding for film". Forbes Advocate. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  14. ↑ "Odin's Eye boards bushranger feature". IF. 11 November 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  15. ↑ "Hall's gang keeps growing". Forbes Advocate. 10 April 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  16. ↑ "Film reveals true story of Ben Hall". Goulburn Post. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  17. ↑ "Family urges new Ben Hall inquest". The Age. 31 March 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  18. ↑ "Hall comes to life". Forbes Advocate. 14 November 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  19. ↑ "Ben Hall Returns to Forbes to Complete Journey". The Forbes Phoenix. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  20. ↑ "Forbes Welcomes Cast and Crew for World Premiere". FilmInk. 12 November 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  21. ↑ "Berlin: Vega Baby Takes Western 'Legend of Ben Hall' for North America (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 12 February 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  22. ↑ "The Legend of Ben Hall". High Fliers Films PLC. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  23. ↑ "Legend of Ben Hall, The". jbhifi.co.nz. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  24. ↑ "THE LEGEND OF BEN HALL". urbancinefile.com.au.[ permanent dead link ]
  25. ↑ "The Legend of Ben Hall review: The last days of a mystery man – SMH". 30 November 2016.
  26. ↑ "The Legend of Ben Hall Review – Hollywood Reporter". The Hollywood Reporter . 16 December 2016.
  27. ↑ "Aussie western 'The Legend of Ben Hall' goes on and on – LA Times". Los Angeles Times . 15 December 2016.
  28. ↑ "Film reviews: Legend of Ben Hall; Up for Love; Dancer".
  29. ↑ "The Legend of Ben Hall (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  30. ↑ "10 great Australian westerns".
  31. ↑ "Oscars 2017: Best Original Score Category Whittled Down, with 'La La Land' and 'Jackie' Moving Forward". indiewire.com. 14 December 2016.
  32. ↑ "Best of the West 2017: Western Movies, DVDs and TV Shows". 12 December 2016. Archived from the original on 14 August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  33. ↑ "Cinema Australia 2016 Audience Award winner announced!". cinemaaustralia.com.au. January 2017.
  34. ↑ "THE LEGEND OF BEN HALL" . Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  35. ↑ "Opening night film announced for Made in Melbourne Film Festival". 4 November 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  36. ↑ "Monster Fest Announces Final Wave of the 2016 Film Lineup – Monster Fest 2016". Monsterfest.com.au. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  37. ↑ "THE LEGEND OF BEN HALL – Almería Western Film Festival 2018". almeriawesternfilmfestival.es. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  38. ↑ "Australian Film Legend of Ben Hall Hits Global High". 7 April 2017. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  39. ↑ "The Legend of Ben Hall". GBRFF. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  40. ↑ "The Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival" (PDF).
  41. ↑ "Director Matthew Holmes on his Australian Bushranger Trilogy". Cinema Australia. 14 May 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  42. ↑ "The legend of Ben Hall". Archived from the original on 5 February 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  43. ↑ "The Legend of Ben Hall". Facebook . 2021. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2023.

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