'Neath Austral Skies
'Neath Austral Skies is a 1913 Australian silent film directed by Raymond Longford.
| 'Neath Austral Skies | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Raymond Longford |
| Produced by | A.C. Tinsdale |
| Written by | Raymond Longford |
| Starring | Lottie Lyell |
Production company | Commonwealth Film Producing Company[1] |
| Distributed by | Co-Operative Film Exchange |
Release date | 2 December 1913[2] |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | Silent film English intertitles |
It is considered a lost film.
Plot
Captain Frank Hollis (Martyn Keith) is engaged to Eileen Delmont (Lottie Lyell). When her brother Eric commits a theft, Frank accepts the blame in order to protect her family's name. He leaves for Australia and joins the New South Wales mounted police. Eric confesses and Eileen and her father go to Australia to track down Frank. They buy a property, some of their cattle is stolen and request a trooper come to their aid – it is Frank. On the way out to see them, Frank is captured by the thieves and is thrown in the river, but Eileen comes to his aid and the lovers are reunited.
Cast
- Lottie Lyell as Eileen Delmont
- Robert Henry as Colonel Delmont
- George Parke as Eric Delmont
- Martyn Keith as Captain Frank Hollis
- Charles Villers as Gidgee Dan
- Mervyn Barrington as Snowy, boundary rider
- Walter Warr as Ah Lum, cook
- T Archer as Monaro Jack
Production
Neath Austral Skies was the name of a popular collection of poetry from E.B. Loughran published in 1894.[3]
The film was not widely screened and is not one of Longford's better known movies.[4]
Reception
One contemporary critic said the film "has many exciting and sensational scenes, relieved with pure Australian comedy to hold the audience. The photography is very true."[5] The Argus wrote about one screening being "well received."[6]
Raymond Longford's name was used extensively in advertising.[7]
References
- "Advertising". The Age (18, 333). Victoria, Australia. 20 December 1913. p. 20. Retrieved 6 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
- "Raymond Longford", Cinema Papers, January 1974 p. 51
- "REVIEW: 'Neath Austral Skies". The Brisbane Courier. LI (11,376). Queensland, Australia. 30 June 1894. p. 6. Retrieved 6 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
- Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 46
- "MOVING PICTURES". The Referee. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 19 November 1913. p. 15. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
- "MUSIC AND DRAMA". The Argus (Melbourne) (21, 033). Victoria, Australia. 22 December 1913. p. 11. Retrieved 6 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
- "Advertising". The Leader. Orange, NSW: National Library of Australia. 6 February 1914. p. 3. Retrieved 1 September 2013.