Eureka Stockade (film)
| EUREKA STOCKADE | |
|---|---|
 Movie poster |
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| Directed by | Harry Watt |
| Produced by | Michael Balcon |
| Written by | Harry Watt Walter Greenwood Ralph Smart |
| Starring | Chips Rafferty Gordon Jackson |
| Music by | John Greenwood |
| Cinematography | George Heath |
| Editing by | Leslie Norman |
| Studio | Ealing Studios |
| Distributed by | General Film Distributors |
| Running time | 103 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | ₤200,000[1] |
Eureka Stockade is a 1949 British film of the story surrounding Peter Lalor and the gold miners' rebellion of 1854 at the Eureka Stockade in Ballarat, Victoria. It was produced by Ealing Studios and directed by Harry Watt.[2][3][4]
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[edit] Production
Following the success of The Overlanders, Ealing announced plans to make one film in Australia a year, the first one to be Eureka Stockade starring Chips Rafferty.[5] The script was derived from an original research document prepared by Australian writer Rex Rienits.[6]Watt said this in itself was too long to make a film script and that Australians were not good film script writers, as they were too influenced by radio.[7] Watt brought out Walter Greenwood, author of Love on the Dole, to Australia.
Production was threatened when Actor's Equity placed a black ban on film contracts issued by Ealing Studios, Columbia Pictures Ltd. and Charles Chavel.[8]
Peter Lalor's great-grandson complained about Chips Rafferty's casting, claiming he was nothing like Lalor.[9]
Pagewood and Cinesound studios were completely refurbished to make the film.[10]
Shooting finished by August 1948.[11] The budget blew out from £160,000 to £200,000, in part because of the need to import British cast and crew so the movie qualified as "British" and escaped a recently introduced tax on foreign films.[12] However Ealing were delighted with the footage and bought Pagewood Studios off Cinesound Productions with a view of making it a base for their Australian operations.[13]
[edit] Reception
The movie was given a gala premiere in Sydney.[14]
It was not as well received as The Overlanders, either critically[15] or with the public. Ealing wound back it's Australian production plans, including a proposed version of Robbery Under Arms.[16]
[edit] Cast
- Chips Rafferty - Peter Lalor
- Jane Barrett - Alicia Dunne
- Jack Lambert - Commissioner Rede
- Peter Illing - Raffaello Carboni
- Gordon Jackson - Tom Kennedy
- Ralph Truman - Governor Hotham
- Grant Taylor - Sergeant Major Mil
- Peter Finch - Humffray
[edit] Alternate title
An abridged version of the film was released in the United States of America under the title, Massacre Hill.[17]
[edit] External links
[edit] Notes
- ^ Graham Shirley and Brian Adams, Australian Cinema: The First Eighty Years, Currency Press, 1989 p181
- ^ Monthly Film Bulletin review; February 1949, page 21
- ^ Variety film review; 2 February 1949
- ^ Motion Picture Exhibitor review; 27 September 1950, page 2942
- ^ "BRITISH PRODUCER TO FILM EUREKA STOCKADE.". The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956) (Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia): p. 3. 2 November 1946. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22383863. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
- ^ "PLAN TO MAKE ONE FILM YEARLY IN AUSTRALlA.". The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954) (Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia): p. 2. 16 November 1946. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article26368862. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
- ^ "Film Director To Use U.S. Script Writer.". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) (NSW: National Library of Australia): p. 3. 25 November 1946. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18003506. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
- ^ "FILM CONTRACTS BANNED.". The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia): p. 7. 18 November 1946. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article35767279. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
- ^ "English Critic's Coo-ee To "The Overlanders".". Worker (Brisbane, Qld. : 1890 - 1955) (Brisbane, Qld.: National Library of Australia): p. 17. 2 December 1946. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71428557. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
- ^ "AUSTRALIAN FILM PROSPECTS.". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) (NSW: National Library of Australia): p. 4. 27 March 1947. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18007868. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
- ^ "HOLLYWOOD LETTER HOW WE REBUILT BALLARAT.". Advocate (Burnie, Tas. : 1890 - 1954) (Burnie, Tas.: National Library of Australia): p. 12. 16 September 1949. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69348814. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
- ^ "AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTION GETS CRACKING.". The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia): p. 2 Supplement: SUNDAY MAGAZINE. 28 February 1948. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55906803. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
- ^ "BIG FILM DEAL.". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) (NSW: National Library of Australia): p. 3. 25 October 1948. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32153920. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
- ^ "Students' Trick At Film Premiere.". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) (NSW: National Library of Australia): p. 1. 7 May 1949. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18114349. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
- ^ "Critics Say "Eureka" Not Another "Overlanders".". The Sunday Herald (Sydney, NSW : 1949 - 1953) (Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia): p. 1. 23 January 1949. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18473444. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
- ^ ""Robbery Under Arms" To Be Filmed.". Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 - 1954) (Broken Hill, NSW: National Library of Australia): p. 6. 9 January 1947. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48486924. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
- ^ "Eureka Stockade". National Film and Sound Archive. http://colsearch.nfsa.afc.gov.au/nfsa/search/display/display.w3p;adv=;group=;groupequals=;holdingType=;page=0;parentid=;query=Eureka%20Stockade%20Media%3A%22FILM%22%20. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
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