The Assigned Servant
| The Assigned Servant | |
|---|---|
 Production still from the film | |
| Directed by | John Gavin |
| Produced by |
Herbert Finlay Stanley Crick |
| Written by | Agnes Gavin |
| Starring | John Gavin |
| Cinematography | Herbert Finlay |
Production company |
Crick and Finlay |
Release dates | 26 August 1911 |
Running time | 3,000 feet[1] |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | Silent |
| Budget | ₤300[2] or £500[3] |
The Assigned Servant is a 1911 Australian silent film about a convict who is transported to Van Diemen's Land. It was made by the husband and wife team of John and Agnes Gavin and is considered a lost film.
Plot
In England, Ralph Frawley is arrested for rabbit poaching and transported to Van Diemen's Land as a convict. He is assigned as a servant to a settler and falls in love with the daughter of the house. He marries her in secret but when this is revealed he is sent back to prison to serve the rest of his term. He escapes by a spectacular leap and swims to freedom. He turns to bushranging and robs the mail coach. He is saved by his aboriginal friend during a fight with police. After learning his wife has died he returns to England.[2]
Cast
- John Gavin
- Alf Scarlett
- Charles Woods
- Dore Kurtz
- Sid Harrison
- Agnes Gavin
Production
Filming took under a month, which over a week spent on location.[4] During the shoot, two actors injured themselves during a scene where they fought on top of a cliff and fell twenty feet below into the water. The actor Frank Gardiner cut his head falling from a horse during a chase scene, and an actor playing a trooper had four teeth knocked out during a fight.[5]
Filming took place in the National Park, with Georges River heavily featured.[6]
References
- ↑ "Advertising.". Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954). Launceston, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 26 August 1911. p. 10 Edition: DAILY. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
- 1 2 Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 13.
- ↑ "FILM-MAKING IN AUSTRALIA.". The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 11 June 1936. p. 11. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ↑ "PHOTO PLAYS.". The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times (Tas. : 1899 - 1919). Tas.: National Library of Australia. 27 July 1911. p. 1. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "PHOTO PLAYS.". The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times (Tas. : 1899 - 1919). Tas.: National Library of Australia. 27 July 1911. p. 1. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
- ↑ "PHILLIPS' PICTURES.". The Grenfell Record and Lachlan District Advertiser (NSW : 1876 - 1951). NSW: National Library of Australia. 27 September 1911. p. 2. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
External links
- The Assigned Servant at the Internet Movie Database
- The Assigned Servant at the National Film and Sound Archive