Southern Cross Feature Film Company was a short lived film production company that made some of Australia's most famous silent films, mostly directed by

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 ...

. One of the key figures behind it was Sir David Gordon.

History

The company was incorporated in Adelaide in 1917 and announced they would make five dramas and three comedies over the next 12 months. Another report said they hoped to make "six or eight five reelers" over twelve months. One hundred shares were offered at £1 a share. Their first picture was to be ''The Black Opal'' but this does not seem to have been made. They offered cash for Australian stories. According to Raymond Longford, they initially secured the serves of American director, Mr Walter May Plank, but he left Australia and Longford was called in instead.Merv Wasson, "The Woman Suffers: Why Ever Was She Banned?", ''Cinema Papers'', July 1984 p158-160 Their first feature was the successful ''

The Woman Suffers ''The Woman Suffers'' is a 1918 Australian silent film directed by Raymond Longford. It is a melodrama starring Lottie Lyell. Two-thirds of the movie still survives.Merv Wasson, "The Woman Suffers: Why Ever Was She Banned?", ''Cinema Papers'', Ju ...

'' (1918). which was followed by ''

The Sentimental Bloke ''The Sentimental Bloke'' is a 1918 Australian silent film based on the 1915 verse novel ''The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke'' by C. J. Dennis. Produced and directed by Raymond Longford, the film stars Arthur Tauchert, Gilbert Emery, and Lottie ...

''. In 1920 the company paid out a dividend of a shilling per share. The company was a subscriber to Carroll-Baker Australian Productions, which made movies starring

Snowy Baker Reginald Leslie "Snowy" Baker (8 February 18842 December 1953) was an Australian athlete, sports promoter, and actor. Born in Surry Hills, New South Wales, Surry Hills, an inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Baker excelled at a numbe ...

, and had a five-twelfths interest in Southern Cross Picture Productions. Southern Cross Picture Productions Ltd was incorporated in 1920 with a value of £37,600 and directors including

E. J. Carroll Edward John Carroll (28 June 1874 - 28 July 1931), better known as E. J. Carroll, was an Australian theatre and film entrepreneur. He produced several films of Snowy Baker and Raymond Longford and helped establish Birch, Carroll and Coyle. Diffi ...

, Snowy Baker and D. Gordon. The company was at its peak in 1921 with the successful release of ''

'' and ''

Ginger Mick ''Ginger Mick'' is a 1920 Australian silent film directed by Raymond Longford based on ''The Moods of Ginger Mick'' by C. J. Dennis, which had sold over 70,000 copies. It is a sequel to ''The Sentimental Bloke'' (1919) and is considered a lost ...

''. In 1923 there was a trial involving a man who falsely pretended to be from the company to abduct a young woman. In 1925, E. J. Carroll suggested the company make a film adaptation of

C. J. Dennis Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis (7 September 1876 – 22 June 1938), better known as C. J. Dennis, was an Australian poet and journalist known for his best-selling verse novel ''The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke'' (1915). Alongside ...

's ''The Rose of Spadgers'' at £1,000-£2,000 but after consideration the company directors elected not to do this. By that stage the company was reporting consistent losses, due in part to its inability to recoup costs incurred in Great Britain and the US. It appears to have wound up shortly afterwards.

Select filmography

*''

'' (1918) *'' Algie's Romance'' (1918) – facilities provided only *''

'' (1919) *''

'' (1920) *''

The Jackeroo of Coolabong ''The Jackeroo of Coolabong'' is a 1920 Australian silent film starring renowned Australian sportsman Snowy Baker. It was the last of three films he made with the husband and wife team of director Wilfred Lucas and writer Bess Meredyth, both of ...

'' (1920) – a Southern Cross Picture Production *'' Rudd's New Selection'' (1921) – a Southern Cross Picture Production *''

The Blue Mountains Mystery ''The Blue Mountains Mystery'' is a lost 1921 Australian silent film directed by Raymond Longford and co-directed by Lottie Lyell. It is considered a lost film. Plot ''The Blue Mountains Mystery'' involves the alleged murder of a wealthy bus ...

'' (1921) – a Southern Cross Picture Production

References

{{reflist

External links

Southern Cross Feature Film Company

Southern Cross Feature Film Company
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 ...

Film production companies of Australia