For the Term of His Natural Life (1908 film): Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox film
{{Infobox film
| name = For the Term of His Natural Life
| name = For the Term of His Natural Life
| image =
| image = For the Term of His Natural Life 1908.jpg
| caption =
| caption =
| director = [[Charles MacMahon (theatrical entrepreneur)|Charles MacMahon]]
| director = [[Charles MacMahon (theatrical entrepreneur)|Charles MacMahon]]
Line 14: Line 14:
| distributor =
| distributor =
| released = 8 August 1908
| released = 8 August 1908
| runtime = 2,000 feet (45 - 60 mins)<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60312252 "DRAMA BY ANIMATED PICTURES." ''The Register (Adelaide)'' 6 Jul 1908: 3] accessed 26 November 2011</ref>.
| runtime = 2,000 feet (45 - 60 mins)<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60312252 "DRAMA BY ANIMATED PICTURES." ''The Register (Adelaide)'' 6 Jul 1908: 3] accessed 26 November 2011</ref>
| language = [[Silent film]]<br>English intertitles
| language = [[Silent film]]<br>English intertitles
| country = Australia
| country = Australia
Line 25: Line 25:


==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
The film's plot was a collection of highlights from the novel, such as "The Convict Mutiny in the 'Malabar'," "The Burning of the 'Hydaspes'," "The Murder on Hampstead Heath," "The Solitary of Grummet Island," and "The Life and Death Struggle Between Gabbett and his Famished Escapees". The movie kept the tragic ending of the novel, with Rufus Dawes and Sylvia perishing in a storm after Reverend North had helped Dawes escape.<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50392694 "FOR THE TERM OF HIS NATURAL LIFE." ''Examiner (Launceston)'' 10 Nov 1909: 6] accessed Web. 26 November 2011</ref>.
The film's plot was a collection of highlights from the novel, such as
*"The Convict Mutiny in the 'Malabar',"
*"The Burning of the 'Hydaspes',"
*"The Murder on Hampstead Heath,"
*"The Solitary of Grummet Island," and
*"The Life and Death Struggle Between Gabbett and his Famished Escapees".
The movie kept the tragic ending of the novel, with Rufus Dawes and Sylvia perishing in a storm after Reverend North had helped Dawes escape.<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50392694 "FOR THE TERM OF HIS NATURAL LIFE." ''Examiner (Launceston)'' 10 Nov 1909: 6] accessed Web. 26 November 2011</ref>.

⚫
==Production==
⚫
The MacMahon brothers, James and [[Charles MacMahon (theatrical entrepreneur)|Charles MacMahon]], had enjoyed success producing a version of the novel on stage, and allocated a considerable budget for the movie, including a shooting schedule of several months and location work in [[Port Arthur, Tasmania|Port Arthur]]. The scene involving the burning of a sailing ship was staged with a model ship in a tank.<ref name="Pike"/>

⚫
==Reception==
⚫
Based on a popular stage adaptation of the novel, the movie was a big success at the box office, running in cinemas on and off until [[World War I]]<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50392995 "MACMAHON AND CARROLL'S PICTURE DRAMA." ''Examiner (Launceston, Tas)'' 12 Nov 1909: 3] accessed Web. 26 November 2011</ref><ref>Graham Shirley and Brian Adams, ''Australian Cinema: The First Eighty Years'', Currency Press, 1989 p 26.</ref>. Screenings were usually accompanied by an actor, who would provide descriptive commentary to what was on screen.<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19612256 "HIS NATURAL LIFE" BY BIOGRAPH." ''The Brisbane Courier (Qld)'' 24 Dec 1909: 2] accessed 26 November 2011</ref>


==Cast==
==Cast==
Line 43: Line 43:
*Fred Francis as Lieutenant Frere
*Fred Francis as Lieutenant Frere
*Charles Morse as Jemmy Vetch
*Charles Morse as Jemmy Vetch

⚫
==Production==
⚫
The MacMahon brothers, James and [[Charles MacMahon (theatrical entrepreneur)|Charles MacMahon]], had enjoyed success producing a version of the novel on stage, and allocated a considerable budget for the movie, including a shooting schedule of several months and location work in [[Port Arthur, Tasmania|Port Arthur]]. The scene involving the burning of a sailing ship was staged with a model ship in a tank.<ref name="Pike"/>

⚫
==Reception==
⚫
Based on a popular stage adaptation of the novel, the movie was a big success at the box office, running for eight weeks in Sydney at Queens Hall in 1908.<ref>[http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/macmahon-charles-7773/text12911 Margaret Williams, 'MacMahon, Charles (1861–1917)', ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'', National Centre of Biography, Australian National University] accessed 4 December 2012.</ref> It played in cinemas on and off until [[World War I]]<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50392995 "MACMAHON AND CARROLL'S PICTURE DRAMA." ''Examiner (Launceston, Tas)'' 12 Nov 1909: 3] accessed Web. 26 November 2011</ref><ref>Graham Shirley and Brian Adams, ''Australian Cinema: The First Eighty Years'', Currency Press, 1989 p 26.</ref>. Screenings were usually accompanied by an actor, who would provide descriptive commentary to what was on screen.<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19612256 "HIS NATURAL LIFE" BY BIOGRAPH." ''The Brisbane Courier (Qld)'' 24 Dec 1909: 2] accessed 26 November 2011</ref>


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 11:37, 4 December 2012

For the Term of His Natural Life
Directed byCharles MacMahon
Produced byCharles MacMahon
E.J. Carroll
StarringMartyn Keith
CinematographyByers Coates
Release date
8 August 1908
Running time
2,000 feet (45 - 60 mins)[1]
CountryAustralia
LanguagesSilent film
English intertitles
Budget£7,000[2]

For the Term of His Natural Life is a 1908 Australian silent film based on the 1874 novel by the same name by Marcus Clarke. The film is an adaptation of MacMahon's stage adaptation of the novel. It is considered a lost film.

The 1908 film was the first screen adaptation of Clarke's novel, which was also later filmed in 1911, 1927 and 1983.

Synopsis

The film's plot was a collection of highlights from the novel, such as

  • "The Convict Mutiny in the 'Malabar',"
  • "The Burning of the 'Hydaspes',"
  • "The Murder on Hampstead Heath,"
  • "The Solitary of Grummet Island," and
  • "The Life and Death Struggle Between Gabbett and his Famished Escapees".

The movie kept the tragic ending of the novel, with Rufus Dawes and Sylvia perishing in a storm after Reverend North had helped Dawes escape.[3].

Cast

  • Martyn Keith as Rufus Dawes
  • Rosie Knight Phillips as Sylvia Vickers
  • Mrs Barry Lane as Mrs Vickers
  • Frank Kenn as Lord Bellasis
  • Augustus Neville as Gabbett
  • Roland Conway as Reverend North
  • Mr Jerdan as Reverend Meekin
  • Fred Francis as Lieutenant Frere
  • Charles Morse as Jemmy Vetch

Production

The MacMahon brothers, James and Charles MacMahon, had enjoyed success producing a version of the novel on stage, and allocated a considerable budget for the movie, including a shooting schedule of several months and location work in Port Arthur. The scene involving the burning of a sailing ship was staged with a model ship in a tank.[2]

Reception

Based on a popular stage adaptation of the novel, the movie was a big success at the box office, running for eight weeks in Sydney at Queens Hall in 1908.[4] It played in cinemas on and off until World War I[5][6]. Screenings were usually accompanied by an actor, who would provide descriptive commentary to what was on screen.[7]

References

  1. ^ "DRAMA BY ANIMATED PICTURES." The Register (Adelaide) 6 Jul 1908: 3 accessed 26 November 2011
  2. ^ a b Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 9
  3. ^ "FOR THE TERM OF HIS NATURAL LIFE." Examiner (Launceston) 10 Nov 1909: 6 accessed Web. 26 November 2011
  4. ^ Margaret Williams, 'MacMahon, Charles (1861–1917)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University accessed 4 December 2012.
  5. ^ "MACMAHON AND CARROLL'S PICTURE DRAMA." Examiner (Launceston, Tas) 12 Nov 1909: 3 accessed Web. 26 November 2011
  6. ^ Graham Shirley and Brian Adams, Australian Cinema: The First Eighty Years, Currency Press, 1989 p 26.
  7. ^ "HIS NATURAL LIFE" BY BIOGRAPH." The Brisbane Courier (Qld) 24 Dec 1909: 2 accessed 26 November 2011
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