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''Captain Starlight, or Gentleman of the Road'' is a 1911 Australian silent film about the
bushranger Bushrangers were armed robbers and outlaws who resided in The bush#Australia, the Australian bush between the 1780s and the early 20th century. The original use of the term dates back to the early years of the British colonisation of Australia ...
Captain Starlight. It was based on
Alfred Dampier Alfred Dampier (28 February 1843? 1847? – 23 May 1908) was an English-born actor-manager and playwright, active in Australia.John Rickard,Dampier, Alfred (1843–1908), ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'', Vol. 4, Melbourne University Pre ...
's stage adaptation of the 1888 novel ''
Robbery Under Arms ''Robbery Under Arms'' is a bushranger novel by Thomas Alexander Browne, published under his pen name Rolf Boldrewood. It was first published in serialised form by ''The Sydney Mail'' between July 1882 and August 1883, then in three volumes in ...
''. It is considered a lost film.


Film

It is possible to gauge some idea of the plot from contemporary reviews. One critic wrote that "plenty of relief in the way of comedy has been introduced; and whilst there are many grim incidents, these are not allowed to unduly obtrude themselves." The film starts at the home of the Marston family. Some troopers, led by Sergeant Goring, are looking for Captain Starlight. Goring harasses Aileen Marston when a Mr Beresford appears. Beresford introduces himself as Captain Starlight and tells them to put their hands up. According to a contemporary report, "Sergeant Goring, with both hands in the air, carries the situation off with as much dignity as can be expected, but some of his men fall to the ground in terror." Starlight and his friends go to the horse races at Turon where Starlight enters his horse Rainbow in the Goldfield Cup under the name Darkie. Starlight encourages all his friends to bet on the horse, but his jockey is found to be too drunk to ride and Starlight has to run the race himself. He wins but is chased off the course by police. Starlight and his gang, including the vicious Dan Moran, hold up the mail coach at Rocky Rises. Moran robs a pretty young girl but Starlight points his revolver at him and persuades him to hand the young lady back her money. When Starlight discovers that the young lady has no other money apart from that on her possession, he takes her purse and puts a wad of bank notes in it, then restores it to her. Later Sir Ferdinand Morringer is captured by Moran. He is tied to a tree at Terrible Hollow in order to make him confess where the money to pay the troopers has been concealed. Morringer will not tell so Moran starts beating him. The bushranger is about to kill Morringer when Starlight intervenes, overpowers Moran and sets Morringer free. Moran is captured by the police. He leads Sergeant Goring and the troopers to Starlight's stronghold. During the final battle, Moran is mortally wounded but Starlight's life is saved by Warrigul, his faithful aboriginal servant who carries him across a river to safety. Starlight and Dick Marston are subsequently pardoned for their crimes, due in part to the influence of Morringer. This happy ending was in contrast to the novel but consistent with the play adaptation. Contemporary advertisements listed a synopsis of scenes and events. They were as follows: * The Home of the Marstons * Starlight Protects Aileen from Insult * The Race for the Gold Cup * The Favourite Wins * The Rocky Rises * Sticking up the Mail Coach * An Awkward Situation * Sir Ferdinand in a Tight Corner * Storefield's Homestead * Moran and His Gang Foiled * The Burning Stables * Rescue of the Horses * Starlight's Last Stand * Warrigal's Devotion * The Day of Reckoning and Consolation According to contemporary reports the character of "Warrigul is always funny-except in the touching scene where, careless of his own life, he brings the wounded Starlight to a place of safety."


Cast

* Alfred Rolfe as Captain Starlight *
Lily Dampier Katherine Annabel Lily Dampier (1867 or 1868 – 6 February 1915), known as Lily Dampier, was an Australian actress of stage and screen. She was the daughter of Alfred Dampier and married to Alfred Rolfe (director), Alfred Rolfe. Her best known ...
as Eileen Marston *
Raymond Longford Raymond Longford (born John Walter Hollis Longford; 23 September 18782 April 1959) was a prolific Australian film director, writer, producer, and actor during the silent era. Longford was a major director of the silent film era of the Australia ...
* Augustus Neville *
Lottie Lyell Lottie Lyell (born Charlotte Edith Cox, 23 February 1890 – 21 December 1925) was an Australian actress, screenwriter, film editing, editor and filmmaker. She is regarded as Australia's first film star, and also contributed to the local industr ...
*
Stanley Walpole Stanley Walpole (b. 1886 – d: March 14, 1968 (age 82) was an Australian actor of stage and screen who was one of the first Australians to succeed in American films. Biography Walpole worked for Bland Holt, then with J.C. Williamson for six yea ...
*
Gilbert Emery Gilbert Emery Bensley Pottle (June 11, 1875 – October 28, 1945), known professionally as Gilbert Emery, was an American actor who appeared in over 80 movies from 1921 to his death in 1945. He was also a playwright, author of seven Broadway pla ...
as Warragul According to a contemporary review, "the parts of Sir Ferdinand Morringer and of Sergeant Goring were played by two officials in the police force, who, as most people will agree, would have made their mark at acting had they not taken to the more prosaic business of preserving the peace." Warrigul was played by a white actor.


Original stage adaptation

See '' Robbery Under Arms (play)'' Alfred Rolfe, who later directed the movie, was well versed with the play, having played Sir Ferdinand Morringer in its first production, George Storefield in a revival, and Dick Marston in later productions. In 1893 he married Dampier's daughter Lily, who played Aileen Marston in numerous productions of the play.


Production

It is likely the name of the story was changed from ''Robbery Under Arms'' to avoid confusion with the 1907 film version of the novel which was still playing in cinemas.


Reception

It appears the film was a success at the box office, screening in cinemas as late as 1917. The ''Moving Picture World'' called it "a brilliant success and record breaker, and highly eulogised by the press and public."


Critical response

It also received good reviews, the ''Sunday Times'' saying "the 'chase scene' through the bush and across a lagoon is very realistic." The ''Register'' called it "a thrilling and absorbingly interesting story of Australian bush life, and several daring feats of horsemanship are displayed." The ''Sydney Morning Herald'' stated that "one of the most applauded of the scenes ... was the burning of the stables and the rescue of the horses, Starlight's Last Stand also excited enthusiasm." The ''Argus'' said the film was:
A series of exciting incidents, situations, and escapades... sustained interest throughout and tells the story in a straightforward businesslike way, with a judicious mixture of comedy to relieve it from too great a weight of
sensationalism In journalism and mass media, sensationalism is a type of editorial tactic. Events and topics in news stories are selected and worded to excite the greatest number of readers and viewers. This style of news reporting encourages biased or emoti ...
. Much picturesque scenery is introduced, and many fine views of the bush are shown the most notable examples being Terrible Hollow, the Rocky Rises and the localities selected for the sticking up of the mail coach, and Starlight's last stand against the police.


US release

It was released in the US in 1914 by Sawyers Inc. as ''The Bandit Terrors of Australia''.


References


Sources

* Fotheringham, Richard, "Introduction", ''Robbery Under Arms'' by Alfred Dampier and Garnet Walch, Currency Press 1985


External links

*
''Captain Starlight''
at
AustLit AustLit: The Australian Literature Resource (also known as AustLit: Australian Literature Gateway; and AustLit: The Resource for Australian Literature) is a national bio-bibliographical database of Australian literature. It is an internet-based, ...

''Captain Starlight''
at
National Film and Sound Archive The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting, and providing access to a national c ...

Copy of screenplay at the University of Queensland
{{Bushrangers 1911 films 1911 lost films 1911 Western (genre) films 1910s Australian films Australian black-and-white films Bushranger films Australian films based on plays Films based on Robbery Under Arms Films directed by Alfred Rolfe Lost Australian Western (genre) films Silent Australian Western (genre) films Lost silent films