The Story of
the Kelly Gang
(1906) Australia
B&W : Five reels / 4000 feet
Directed by Charles Tait
Cast: Elizabeth Veitch [Kate Kelly], John Tait [Schoolmaster Curnow], Ollie Wilson, Frank Mills, Bella Cole, Vera Linden, Charles Tait, Ivan Tait, L.A. Haslett, Vincent Coghlan, Sammy Cruise, Frank Tait [extra], E.J. Tait [extra]
J. & N. Tait production; distributed by [?] Colonial Picture Combine? / Produced by John Tait and Nevin Tait [?] + [Charles Tait]?, with Millard Johnson and William A. Gibson. Assistant director, Sam Crewes. Cinematography by Millard Johnson, [?] William A. Gibson, Orrie Perry and/or Reg Perry? / Premiered 26 December 1906 at the Athenaeum Hall and at the Town Hall in Melbourne, Australia. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The first Australian feature film; and, possibly, the world’s first feature film. The production was shot on-location at Whitehorse Road, Mitcham, at Rosanna, and at Charles Tait’s property at Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia. Trains were supplied by the Victorian Railways Commission. The film was released in the United Kingdom in January 1908.
Drama: Crime.
Synopsis: [From a contemporary advertisement] SCENE 1. — The Kelly Homestead — Mrs. Kelly at Home — Kate Overhears the Troopers Discussing the Warrant for Dan’s Arrest, and Rides off to Warn them, Followed by the Police — Kate Arrives with the News that the Police are after Dan — The Trooper Rides up to Arrest Dan for Cattle Stealing — He Produces a Warrant for Dan’s Arrest and is Repulsed by Mrs. Kelly, whom he Handles Roughly — Kate Rushes to her Mother’s Assistance — The Trooper Asks for “Just One Kiss, Katie, Dear, and I’ll Let Dan Go?” — Ned Comes to Katie’s Assistance, and Shoots the Trooper in the Wrist — First Blood — He is Held at Bay by Kate with a Loaded Revolver. / SCENE 2. — Police in Camp on the Wombat Ranges — Kennedy and Scanlon Leave the Others to go in Search of a New Camp — MacIntyre and Lonergan Left in Charge Amuse Themselves by Shooting Parrots — The Surprise — The Police Surrounded — “Up with your Hands, or We Fire!” — “Mind, MacIntyre, if you Run I’ll Drive a Bullet Through You!” — The Gang take Afternoon Tead, when Hart Rushes in to say the Police are Returning — Trooper Kennedy and Scanlon Arrive on the Scene, When They are Shot Down before They Can Take Proper Cover — Ned Kelly remarks, “If we had not Shot Them, they would have Shot Us. We had to do it.” — Constable MacIntyre Jumps on Kennedy’s Horse as it is Rushing By, and Escapes The Gang Fire Many Shots after him, but Without Effect — The Gang Leave the Scene of the Fight — Outlawed, and a Price Upon Their Heads — The Government Issue a Proclamation Offering a Reward of £3000 for the Apprehension of the Gang. / SCENE 3. — The Gang Stick Up Younghusband’s Station — All the Hands are Rounded Up and Forced into the Store Room, where They are Kept Close Prisoners — Ned Kelly Instructs Steve Hart to Go Through the Pockets of All the Men — The Ladies are Unmolested, Ned Kelly Remarking in a Jocular Manner that “We Do Not Rob Ladies or Children;” — Arrival of Sandy Gloster, the Hawker, with His Van — Sandy Gloster is Compelled to Bail Up, Very Much Against His Will; but, Finally, Does So — “Ha! ha! Some New Togs, Boys, at Last!” “A Box of Cigars! Good Enough” — “Get Behind the House, Dan and Steve. Here Comes a Trap, with Four Men in it” — Arrival of Four Sportsmen, who are Immediately Made Prisoners with the Rest — Mr. Macauley, the Station Manager, Rides Up on Horseback, and at the Point of the Revolver He is Compelled to Dismount — Disguised in the Borrowed Clothes, the Gang Depart to Stick up the Bank at Euroa — Joe Bryne Left on Guard at Younghusband’s — Bailing up the Bank — The Clerks are Discovered Shutting up the Bank at Three O’clock to Depart for Their Homes — When Ned Kelly, who Feigns to be a Customer, Prevails on Them to Open the Door, as They State That They Want to Deposit Some Money — The Manager, When Brought in, Refuses to Hand Over the Keys, and is Threatened with Instant Death if He Refuses — The Gang Make a Good Haul of Gold and Notes, and Force Their Prisoners into the Van, and Drive them Back to Younghusband’s — On Arriving There, Ned gives Steve Hart a Bag of Money, When He Mounts and Rides Away with It. / SCENE 4. — Kate Kelly, Acting as a Bush Telegraph, is Chased by the Police — Black Trackers at Work in the Strathbogle Ranges — Mrs. Skillian Leads the Police on a Wild-Goose Chase, and Finally Fools Them with a Dummy Parcel Filled with Empty Bottles and Stones — Mrs. Bryne Discovers Aaron Sherritt with the Police Ready to Give Information about the Gang — She Informs Kate and Mrs, Skillian, who go to warn Them — They Are Chased by a Trooper, and to Lose Him, Ford a Billabong — Joe Bryne and Dan Kelly Capture Farmer Wicks, when They Handcuff and Lead to Aaron Sherritt’s Hut, and Compel Him to Call Out that He has Lost His Way — Aaron is Seen Conferred with the Police, who Rush into the Bedroom, when they Hear Farmer Wicks’ Voice — Sherritt Goes to the Door, when Joe Byrne, his old Schoolfellow, Steps into the Doorway, saying, “Death to all Traitors” and Shoots him Dead — The Policemen Become Panic-Stricken, and Two of Them Get Under the Bed, and the Others Keep Mrs. Sherritt in the Room for Their Own Safety. This is the Only Blot on the Police. / SCENE 5. — The Gang Meet and Capture the Platelayers, Whom They Drive as the Point of the Pistol and Make Them Tear up the Rails — Scenes at the Glenrowan Inn — Schoolmaster Curnow, to Win Confidence of the Gang, Tells Ned Kelly that Mr. Stannistreet, the Station Master, has a Loaded Revolver on Him, which they Compel Him to Give Up and Treat him Rather Roughly — Curnow Gets Away and, Hastening Home, Gets a Red Scarf and a Candle. Thus Taking his Life in his Hands, he Proceeds Along the Railway and Stops the Pilot Engine, and, Thank God, he Saved the Train — The Gang Surprised at the Glenrowan Inn — The Police Surround the Hotel and Fire Into It — The Gang Fire in Return; but Ned Kelly, Weighted Down with His Armour, Finds it Awkward to Handle His Gun — The Police Resolve to Set Fire to the Hotel, when Father Gibney Implores the Police not to do do, as There are Women and Children Inside — They Try to Prevent Fathe Gibney from Going Into the Burning Building — The Brave Priest to the Rescue — Death of Mrs. Jones’ Little Boy, Shot Down by a Stray Bullet — Joe Byrne, whilst Standing at the Bar, is Shot Dead — Father Gibney Carried Out the Wounded Plate-layer to a Place of Safety — Dan Kelly and Steve Hart, Seeing that the Game is Up, and that They Have no Chance of Escaping, Decide to Die by Each Other’s Hands. / SCENE 6. — The Closing Scenes — Ned Kelly, who Had Successfully Made His Escape in the Night, but, Being Heavily Weighted with His Armour, Decides to Come Back at the Break of Day to See if he Can rejoin His Comrades — He is Seen Approaching from the Bush, and the Troopers Fire Shot After Shot at the Tall, Silent Figure; But the Shots Seem to Take no Effect, Except to Cause Him to Stagger — He is Wounded in the Left Hand and, Owing to the Armour, Cannot Take Straight Aim — Ned Kelly at Bay — He Fights Hard for His Life — The Police Find His Vulnerable Spot, and Fire Into His Legs. They Bring Him Down at Last — The Capture — His [sic] Begs the Troopers to Spare His Life — Thus Falls the Last of the Kelly Gang, and, With the Fall of Ned Kelly, the Last of the Bushrangers.
Survival status: The film is presumed lost : Print exists in the National Film and Sound Archive, Australia, film archive [incomplete (approximately 210 feet — possibly outtakes from the film)].
Current rights holder: (unknown)
Keywords: Australia: Victoria: Heidelberg - Crime - Weapons: Guns
Listing updated: 30 June 2008.
References: Robertson-Guinness pp. 6, 7; Shirley-Australian pp. vii, 16-19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 41, 86a, 99, 274, 282-284 : Website-IMDb; Website-NFSA.
Home video: DVD.
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