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 dates	15 March 1911
Running time	2,500 feet[1] or 3,000 feet[2]
Country	Australia
Language	Silent film English intertitles

A Tale of the Australian Bush is a 1911 Australian silent film directed by Gaston Mervale. 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, p15
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 the Internet Movie Database