AustLit

'The Australian drama "The Girl from Outback" is one of intense interest, and deals with the life of the great Australian heiress, Miss Tyson. This young lady's guardian, while she is still a baby, sends her away, and passes his own daughter off as heiress.The appearance on the scene of one of Tyson's servants, just when the supposed heiress is to take possession of the property, leads to the real heiress being found.'

Source:

'Paeroa Entertainment', Ohinemuri Gazette, 2 August 1912, p.3.

'John, a newly released ticket-of-leave man, comes to the aid of Lady Norton, who has sustained a motor accident. In her sweet face he sees his ideal, but he also recognises the great gulf between them. Passing along he meets his two old accomplices, Yellow Rose, a pretty girl, and Milton. Yellow Rose is deeply in love with John and she persuades him to plan an attempt to rob the bank. That night, while Milton is on watch outside, the girl and the man enter the strong room. John is about to open the safe when his fingers touch the card given him by Lady Norton. Instantly he decides to go straight, and turning away refuses to carry out the crime. Yellow Rose commits the burglary and hides the bonds behind a loose board in a fence.

'The next morning, John and his friends are seated in a low thieves kitchen when the police raid the premises. The scene is instantly one of confusion, and in the melee the three escape. This, combined with other experiences, makes John more than ever determined to live a self-respecting life and ultimately succeeds in persuading the other two to do likewise. Yellow Rose becomes a servant, Milton a porter, while John joins an engineering firm and rapidly rises to eminence.

'Two years pass and John is passionately in love with Lady Norton, and his affection is reciprocated. Only one cloud mars the horizon—Detective Barley, believing the bank robbery to have been committed by John, still seeks to trace him. His suspicions rest upon 'Mr. Warming,' the eminent engineer, but the latter foils him at every point.

'Meanwhile, Yellow Rose, pining for John's love, is on her death-bed, and wishing to clear up the matter of the stolen bonds, she writes to John asking him to visit her. He does so but, dropping the letter, it is found by Lady Norton, who follows him.

'The detective is also on the look-out, and thinking he has cornered his prey, rushes to make the arrest. But Yellow Rose confesses that she stole the bonds and hid them. Both men make their way to the place indicated and there find the stolen notes. They return to Yellow Rose to find her soul has passed into the Great Unknown.'

Source: 'The Ticket of Leave Man', The Grenfell Record and Lachlan District Advertiser, 22 July 1913, p.2.

An adaptation of Dion Boucicault's melodrama about the Fenians in Ireland.

'A drama teeming with thrilling situations, with the orthodox tale of love and hate skilfully interwoven in a network of crime and intrigue, it could not fail to attract. The escape, in an open boat, of the hero from the French penal settlement at New Caledonia, and his rescue in mid-ocean by a British man-of-war formed the incidents on which the story turned.'

Source:

'Lyric Pictures', The Advertiser, 10 February 1912, p.17.

'Briefly, the story is woven round James Hare, a young married man, who has the habit of gambling, and through this vice loses his position. He secures a ticket in Tatt's on the Adelaide Cup, and is lucky in drawing the favorite. He interviews Fallows, the owner of the favorite, and lays two-thirds of the sweep money with him. The horse wins, and after Hare secures the prize money, he goes to Fallows' house to celebrate the occasion. He there meets Mrs. Fallows, and Wynne, and friends of Fallows. Wine and cards are introduced, and Hare becomes intoxicated, and falls asleep on a couch in the room. Later a quarrel ensues between Fallows and Wynne, and Fallows, in the heat of passion, murders Wynne; realising what he had done, he places the knife all stained with blood in Hare's hand, and leaves the room. Hare, on awakening from his drunken stupor, finds Wynne lying dead on the floor, and on finding the knife in his hands, thinks he has committed the crime. Fallows enters the room, and accuses Hare of the deed, and suggests that Hare should write and tell his wife, and leave the district. Fallow starts to lead a double life, which gives his wife room for suspicion on his movements. She decides to follow him, and finding Fallow in another woman's company, accosts him. Fallow resents, and 'knocks her' down with a stick, and but for the occupants of an electric tram passing, would have killed her. Hare, away from home, has the one desire–to see his wife and child. He dreams of them nightly, and finally decides to go back and see them and risk all chances. He arrives home, but is arrested five minutes after arrival. Fallow's wife becomes seriously ill from the effects of the blow she received from Fallow, and believing herself near unto death, confesses that Hare was innocent and that her husband murdered Wynne. Fallow is tried and convicted, and pays the penalty, while Hare is restored once more to his wife and child.'

Source:

'Amusements. Lenard's Pictures', Barrier Miner, 30 September 1911, p.5.

A convict drama, which turns on false imprisonment and transportation to Australia. Little else is known about the plot of this film, which is a filmed version of a successful stage melodrama.

Film adaptation of Dion Boucicault's popular stage melodrama.

'The scene is laid on the outskirts of the Indian Reservation, a country made famous by the exploits of the renowned Buffalo Bill, and the story of the play treats of the adventures of the colonel in charge of the milltary post and a notorious cattle stealer whom he eventually makes captive. The play Is well staged, and the acting Is of a high order, and, on the whole, the film augurs well for the success of the industry in the Commonwealth.'

Source:

'Town Hall. Empire Pictures', The Daily News, 11 May 1911, p.5. (Via Trove Australia)

A young Englishman is wrongfully convicted and transported to Norfolk Island, but the Englishwoman who loves him manages to secure his pardon and release.

Bushranger drama.