The Hero of the Dardanelles explained

The Hero of the Dardanelles
Starring:Guy Hastings
Loma Rossmore
Studio:Australasian Films
Runtime:59 minutes (4,000 feet)
Country:Australia
Language:English

The Hero of the Dardanelles is a 1915 Australian film directed by Alfred Rolfe, made as a patriotic war recruiting film.[1]

Plot

Will Brown (Guy Hastings) enlists in the Australian Army after the outbreak of World War I. He goes through training at Liverpool, near Sydney, and encourages other men to join up, putting up a recruiting poster. A pacifist tears the poster down but Will sees him off. Before leaving Australia, he proposes to Lily Branton (Loma Rossmore).

Arriving in Egypt, Will is stationed at Mena camp near the Great Pyramid at Giza, and trains with the other troops. They then move to Gallipoli, where Will takes part in the first wave ashore on 25 April 1915. He fights a Turkish sniper hand to hand and drowns him. He returns home wounded and marries Lily. The film ends with a call for Australian men to enlist.

Cast

Production

The movie was the first feature from Australasian Films since 1912, although they had made newsreels and short films during that time. It was a sequel to Will they Never Come? (1915), using many of the same cast and crew.[2] It too was made with the co-operation of the Department of Defence.[3]

The film was written by the same team who had done Will They Never Come?. Co-writer Phil Gell allegedly wanted to enlist but was asked not to until he had written this film.[4]

Some commentators believe Australasian Films were partly motivated to make the movie to ensure government protection of the film industry during the war.[5]

The landing at Gallipoli was restaged with one thousand real troops from Liverpool Camp at Tamarama Beach in Sydney.[6]

Lead actor Guy Hastings was at the time best known for appearing on stage in Bert Bailey's production of On Our Selection.[7]

The original film ran for approximately 4,000 feet (59 minutes at 18 frames per second), but only 21 minutes survives.

Reception

The film was very popular at the box office and was screened to the Prime Minister and Premier of Victoria. A copy was placed in the archives of Federal Parliament.[8] It was used as a recruiting tool, taken around the country by members of the armed forces for special screenings.[9]

Footage from the film was later used in the movie The Spirit of Gallipoli (1928).

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Vagg, S., & Reynaud, D. (2016). Alfred Rolfe: Forgotten pioneer Australian film director. Studies in Australasian Cinema, 10(2),184-198. doi:10.1080/17503175.2016.1170950
  2. News: AID TO RECRUITING. . . Melbourne . 8 June 1915 . 30 March 2012 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
  3. News: Advertising. . . 21 July 1915 . 30 March 2012 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  4. News: PERSONAL. . . Melbourne . 9 September 1915 . 23 November 2014 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
  5. http://aso.gov.au/titles/features/hero-of-the-dardanelles/notes/ Paul Byrnes, 'The Hero of the Dardanelles'
  6. News: JOHNSON'S PICTURES. . . Broken Hill, NSW . 31 July 1915 . 30 March 2012 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  7. News: THE PICTURE WORLD. . . Sydney . 17 July 1915 . 19 November 2014 . 1 Supplement: SATURDAY REFEREE GLOBE PICTORIAL . National Library of Australia.
  8. News: A RECRUITING FILM. . . Broken Hill, NSW . 30 July 1915 . 30 March 2012 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  9. News: Heroes of The Dardenelles (sic). . . Heathcote, Vic. . 21 June 1917 . 30 March 2012 . 2 . National Library of Australia.