Sentenced for Life (1911 film)

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For the 1960 film, see Sentenced for Life (1960 film).

Sentenced for Life
Hamilton Spectator 10 May 1911
Directed byEdward Irham Cole
Based onplay Sentenced for Life
StarringBohemian Dramatic Company
Production
company
Australian Biograph Company[2]
Distributed byPathes Freres[3]
Release date
29 May 1911[1]
Running time
2,000 feet[4] or 1,250 feet[5]
CountryAustralia
LanguagesSilent film
English intertitles

Sentenced for Life is an Australian film directed by E. I. Cole. It was an adaptation of a play performed by Cole and his Bohemian Dramatic Company as early as 1904.[6][7][8]

It has been called, Sentenced for Life, or the ship owner's daugter.[9]

It is considered a lost film.[10]

Plot[edit]

A man is wrongly convicted and sentenced as a convict.[11] According to a contemporary report, "Vivid convict scenes are enacted, ending with a revolt by the prisoners. There is a happy ending of wedding bells."[2] It turns out the young man's rival was responsible and he is punished.[12]

It was set in Van Diemen's Land[13] although one report claims it was New South Wales[14]

The story starts in England, A shipowner's daughter is loved by two men, an artistocrat, Captain Hood, and a poorer man, Hayward. The aristocrtat frames Hayward for a crime he did not commit and is transported to Australia. The daughter proves the aristocrat a criminal and he is transposrted too. In Australia, prisoners revolt. Hayward is accused of leading the rebellion by the aristocrat and is whipped. However Hood on his deathbed confesses to his crimes. Hayward is restored to his girl and they get married.[15][16][17]

Chapter headings were:

  • the Favourite
  • it did look suspicious
  • the Blackmailer
  • Outlaw and the Child
  • Slight Breeze
  • Malaysia
  • General Commotion
  • Blighted Hopes
  • Manufacture of Almonds[4]

Original play[edit]

Sentenced for Life
Written byEdward Irham Cole
Directed byEdward Irham Cole
Date premiered1904
Original languageEnglish
Subjectmelodrama

The play debuted in 1904.[18]

One review said "The convict scenes in Australia were well mounted, and the entertainment as a whole most praiseworthy."[19]

The play was popular and was revive in 1906,[20] 1907,[21] 1908[22] and several other times.

The play was also known as A Convict's Sweetheart.[23]

Cast of theatre production[edit]

In 1911 the cast of a theatre production of the play in Geelong was listed as follows:

  • E. I. Cole as Mr. Bertram,
  • Mr. Frank Mills as Richard Hayward,
  • W. S. Marshall as Jabez Ooh
  • J. R. Wilson as Sammy Traddles
  • Vene Linden as Mary Bertram[24]

It is highly likely at least some of these actors repeated their performance in the film.

Reception[edit]

The Adelaide Register called it "a particularly fine film".[25]

Perth's Sunday Times said "This paper's recent remarks on the general awfulness of bushranging films has had a desired effect. More than one Westralian bio. firm has wired over to the East excerpts from our notice on some of the celluloid atrocities. "Sentenced, for Life" and "Ben Hall" are therefore gone to join the English Clarendon comic films that shocked this State a while back."[26]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "People's Concert". Geelong Advertiser. National Library of Australia. 29 May 1911. p. 4. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Amusements". The Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 12 June 1911. p. 9. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  3. ^ "Advertising". The Referee. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 26 April 1911. p. 16. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Advertising". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 17 June 1911. p. 2. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  5. ^ "Australasian Christian Endeavor Convention". Yorke's Peninsula Advertiser. Vol. XXXVII, , no. 2694. South Australia. 22 June 1911. p. 2. Retrieved 10 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  6. ^ "Bohemian Dramatic Comedy." The Sydney Morning Herald 18 Jan 1904: 3. Retrieved 31 December 2011
  7. ^ "BOHEMIAN PICTURE PLAYS". The Bendigo Independent. No. 13, 133. Victoria, Australia. 15 February 1913. p. 5. Retrieved 4 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "SOUSA AND HIS BAND". The Age. No. 17, 521. Victoria, Australia. 13 May 1911. p. 16. Retrieved 9 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "LEITCH PICTURES". Hamilton Spectator. No. 8034. Victoria, Australia. 11 May 1911. p. 4. Retrieved 9 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 21.
  11. ^ "Shaftesbury Picture Gardens". The Daily News. Perth, WA: National Library of Australia. 8 June 1911. p. 2 Edition: 3rd. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  12. ^ "Local and General Topics". Bunyip. Gawler, SA: National Library of Australia. 30 June 1911. p. 2. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  13. ^ "North's Concerts". The Prahran Telegraph. Vol. XLX, , no. 2586. Victoria, Australia. 13 May 1911. p. 5. Retrieved 9 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  14. ^ ."Sentenced for Life". Chronicle And North Coast Advertiser. Vol. VIII, , no. 417. Queensland, Australia. 5 August 1911. p. 2. Retrieved 9 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  15. ^ "Picture Entertainments". The Murchison Times And Day Dawn Gazette. Vol. 17, , no. 137. Western Australia. 6 July 1911. p. 3. Retrieved 9 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  16. ^ "VITOSCOPE PICTURES". The Express And Telegraph. Vol. XLVIII, , no. 14, 334. South Australia. 12 June 1911. p. 1 (5 o'clock.). Retrieved 9 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  17. ^ "AMUSEMENTS". The Advertiser. Vol. LIII, , no. 16, 428. South Australia. 12 June 1911. p. 12. Retrieved 9 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  18. ^ "Advertising". The Daily Telegraph. No. 7681. New South Wales, Australia. 18 January 1904. p. 2. Retrieved 5 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "Bill of the Play". The Newsletter: an Australian Paper for Australian People. Vol. 6, no. 70. New South Wales, Australia. 23 January 1904. p. 7. Retrieved 5 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ^ "Stage, Song and Show". The Australian Star. No. 5610. New South Wales, Australia. 5 February 1906. p. 2. Retrieved 5 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  21. ^ "Advertising". The Age. No. 16, 377. Victoria, Australia. 7 September 1907. p. 18. Retrieved 5 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  22. ^ "Advertising". The Age. No. 16596. Victoria, Australia. 22 May 1908. p. 10. Retrieved 5 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  23. ^ ""A Convict's Sweetheart"". Daily Standard. No. 1761. Queensland, Australia. 8 August 1918. p. 7 (second edition). Retrieved 5 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  24. ^ "Advertising". Geelong Advertiser. National Library of Australia. 1 July 1911. p. 1. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  25. ^ "PATHE'S PICTURES". The Register (Adelaide). Vol. LXXVI, , no. 20, 176. South Australia. 12 July 1911. p. 3. Retrieved 9 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  26. ^ "The PRINTED WORD". Sunday Times (Perth). No. 703. Western Australia. 25 June 1911. p. 17. Retrieved 10 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.

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