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Southern Cross Feature Film Company

From Wikipedia - Reading time: 3 min

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. One of the key figures behind it was Sir David Gordon.[1]

History

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The company was incorporated in Adelaide in 1917 and announced they would make five dramas and three comedies over the next 12 months.[2] Another report said they hoped to make "six or eight five reelers" over twelve months.[3] One hundred shares were offered at £1 a share.[4] Their first picture was to be The Black Opal but this does not seem to have been made.[5]

They offered cash for Australian stories.[6]

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.[7] Their first feature was the successful The Woman Suffers (1918).[8] which was followed by The Sentimental Bloke. In 1920 the company paid out a dividend of a shilling per share.[9]

The company was a subscriber to Carroll-Baker Australian Productions,[10] which made movies starring Snowy Baker, and had a five-twelfths interest in Southern Cross Picture Productions.[11] Southern Cross Picture Productions Ltd was incorporated in 1920 with a value of £37,600 and directors including E. J. Carroll, Snowy Baker and D. Gordon.[12]

The company was at its peak in 1921 with the successful release of The Sentimental Bloke and Ginger Mick.[13]

In 1923 there was a trial involving a man who falsely pretended to be from the company to abduct a young woman.[14]

In 1925, E. J. Carroll suggested the company make a film adaptation of C. J. Dennis's The Rose of Spadgers at £1,000-£2,000 but after consideration the company directors elected not to do this.[15] 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.[16] It appears to have wound up shortly afterwards.

Select filmography

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References

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  1. ^ Southern Cross Feature Film Company at AustLit
  2. ^ "MOTION PICTURES MANUFACTURED IN S.A." The Mail. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 2 June 1917. p. 5. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  3. ^ "Moving Picture World - Lantern: Search, Visualize & Explore the Media History Digital Library".
  4. ^ "Advertising". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 3 September 1917. p. 12. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  5. ^ "SEEN ON THE SCREEN". The Sunday Times. Perth: National Library of Australia. 10 June 1917. p. 14 Section: First Section. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Advertising". The Barrier Miner. Broken Hill, NSW: National Library of Australia. 11 June 1917. p. 3. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  7. ^ Merv Wasson, "The Woman Suffers: Why Ever Was She Banned?", Cinema Papers, July 1984 p158-160
  8. ^ "THE WOMAN SUFFERS". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 25 March 1918. p. 9. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  9. ^ "Advertising". The Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 19 August 1920. p. 2. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  10. ^ "AUSTRALIAN FILM MAKERS". The Barrier Miner. Broken Hill, NSW: National Library of Australia. 9 June 1920. p. 4. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  11. ^ "SOUTHERN CROSS FEATURE FILM COMPANY, LIMITED". The Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 23 December 1921. p. 5. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  12. ^ "COMPANY NEWS". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 31 December 1920. p. 8. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
  13. ^ "SOUTHERN CROSS FEATURE FILM COMPANY, LIMITED". The Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 25 June 1921. p. 6. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
  14. ^ "ALLEGED ABDUCTION". The Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 2 October 1923. p. 9. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  15. ^ "SOUTHERN CROSS FEATURE". The Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 13 June 1925. p. 14. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
  16. ^ "HIDES". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 13 June 1925. p. 19. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
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