Breaking the News

Breaking the News is a 1912 Australian melodrama film directed by W. J. Lincoln based on John Longstaff's 1887 painting of the same name.[3]

This article is about the 1912 film. For the John Longstaff painting, see Breaking the News (painting).

Breaking the News
Original painting
Directed byW. J. Lincoln
Produced byWilliam Gibson
Millard Johnson
John Tait
Nevin Tait
Written byW. J. Lincoln
Based onthe painting by Sir John Longstaff
StarringHarrie Ireland
Arthur Styan
CinematographyOrrie Perry
Production
company
Release date
16 March 1912 (Melbourne)[1]
Running time
4,000 feet[2]
CountryAustralia
LanguageSilent film
English intertitles

It is considered a lost film.

Plot

A prospector looks for a wife to live with him and eventually gets married. While he is in town, the mine floods and miners need to be rescued. The main scenes were:

  • mining machinations;
  • a woman's sacrifice;
  • a man's desperation and love;
  • a father's sad mistake
  • man's sure revenge.[4]

Cast
  • Harrie Ireland[5]
  • Arthur Styan

Production

The film was shot at Diamond Creek, near Melbourne.[6]

Reception

The movie was a popular success with critics drawing particular attention to a scene of an underground mine being flooded.[7] In March 1912 The Bulletin wrote "cheers for the big black and white item, “Breaking the News.” The yarn is excellently acted and photographed, but the plot is not too conspicuous for common-sense."[8]

References
  1. Mary Bateman, 'W. J. Lincoln', Cinema Papers, June–July 1980 p 214
  2. "GRAND EMPIRE THEATRE". Daily Post (Hobart, Tas. : 1908 - 1918). Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 6 June 1912. p. 7. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  3. "ACADEMY OF MUSIC". The Examiner. Launceston, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 29 May 1912. p. 6 Edition: DAILY. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  4. "Advertising". The Mercury. Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 5 June 1912. p. 6. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  5. "GRAND EMPIRE THEATRE". The Mercury. Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 7 June 1912. p. 3. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  6. Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, p32
  7. Graham Shirley and Brian Adams, Australian Cinema: The First Eighty Years, Currency Press, 1989, p42
  8. "SUNDRY SHOWS". The Bulletin. 28 March 1912. p. 11.


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