The Birth of White Australia
| The Birth of White Australia | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Phil K. Walsh |
| Written by | Phil K. Walsh |
| Starring | Bert Trawley |
| Cinematography |
Lacey Percival Walter Sully |
Production company |
Dominion Films |
Release dates | 24 July 1928 |
Running time | 6,000 feet |
| Country | Australia |
| Language |
Silent film English intertitles |
| Budget | £3,000[1][2] |
The Birth of White Australia is a 1928 Australian silent film. It is a historical drama about the settlement of white Australia, including scenes of Captain Cook's landing at Botany Bay, skirmishes with Australian Aborigines and the Lambing Flat riots.[3] There is also an appearance by Billy Hughes.
Plot
The film moves back and forth in time. It covers Captain Cook's landing at Botany Bay, clashes with Australian aborigines, and the discovery of gold. The main plot concerns the Lambing Flat riots, which is depicted as partly being caused by the Chinese attempting to murder a while girl after she criticises them for washing their clothes in the drinking water. The film ends with the introduction of legislation restarting Chinese immigration.
Cast
- Bert Trawley as John Davis
- Dot McConville as Mary Davis
- Rita Aslin as Miss Dinah Myte
- Alice Layton as Madame Sefton
- Frank Hardingham as Tom Kendrick
- Pietro Sosso as Portuguese Dick
- Gamboola
Production
The film was entirely financed by the townspeople of Young, New South Wales.[4] The director, Phil Walsh, formed the production company in February 1927 and raised capital of £5,000 of which £3,000 was allocated to the film.[2] Most of the investors were local farmers.[5]
Shooting began in September 1927, with most of the cast coming from Young. Chinese were played by whites wearing stockings over their faces.[1]
Reception
The film does not appear to have screened commercially outside Young and is believed to have lost its investors money.[1] Dominion Films went into liquidation in 1931.[6]
References
- 1 2 3 Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 146.
- 1 2 "AUSTRALIAN FILMS.". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 23 February 1927. p. 16. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ "EARLY MARRIAGE.". The Advocate. Burnie, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 26 July 1927. p. 8. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
- ↑ "NEW FILM.". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 25 July 1928. p. 17. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
- ↑ "AN AUSTRALIAN FILM.". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 23 May 1927. p. 16. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ↑ "Advertising.". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 21 May 1931. p. 1. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
External links
- The Birth of White Australia at the Internet Movie Database
- The Birth of White Australia at Australian Screen Online
- The Birth of White Australia at Oz Movies