The Spirit of Gallipoli

The Spirit of Gallipoli is a 1928 silent Australian film. Originally running at 5,000 feet length only 1,554 feet survive.[2]

The Spirit of Gallipoli
Directed byKeith Gategood
William Green
Written byHal Carleton
Produced byKeith Gategood
William Green
StarringKeith Gategood
CinematographyJack Fletcher
Distributed byFox Film Corporation
Release date
  • 17 March 1928 (1928-03-17)[1]
Running time
5,000 feet
CountryAustralia
LanguageSilent

Plot

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A rebellious young man, Billy Austin, is conscripted into the Australian Army. Initially an unwilling soldier, he eventually becomes a good one, and dreams of serving with the ANZACs at Gallipoli. He eventually leaves the army, gets married and settles down on a farm.

Cast

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  • Keith Gategood as Billy Austin
  • William Green as Jack Thomas
  • Samuel Harris as William Austin
  • Gwen Sherwood as Mrs Austin
  • Marie Miller as Gladys Merton

Production

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The film was made by two young army trainees of the 55th Battalion with a cast of amateurs in early 1928. It was a propaganda piece to promote the role of the army in peacetime. Army co-operation meant enabled several scenes to be shot at Liverpool camp.[1]

The footage of the Gallipoli dream sequence is taken from the silent movie The Hero of the Dardanelles (1915).[3]

Release

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Commercial reception appears to have been limited.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "NEW FILMS". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 19 March 1928. p. 6. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  2. ^ a b Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 181.
  3. ^ Paul Byrne, 'The Hero of the Dardanelles' at Australian Screen Online
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