The Bells (1911 film)

The Bells is a 1911 Australian feature-length silent film directed by W. J. Lincoln. It is based on the famous stage melodrama by Erckmann-Chatrian, adapted by Leopold Lewis, which in turn had been adapted for the Australian stage by W. J. Lincoln before he made it into a film.[3][4]

The Bells
Directed byW. J. Lincoln
Written byW. J. Lincoln
Based onthe play The Bells by Erckmann-Chatrian
adapted by Leopold Lewis
and W. J. Lincoln
Produced byWilliam Gibson
Millard Johnson
John Tait
Nevin Tait
StarringArthur Styan
Nellie Bramley
CinematographyOrrie Perry
Production
company
Release date
7 October 1911 (Melbourne)[1]
Running time
4,000 feet[2]
CountryAustralia
LanguagesSilent film
English intertitles

It is today considered a lost film.

It was one of several films Lincoln made with the Tait family, who had produced The Story of the Kelly Gang.[5] According to Lincoln's obituary in The Bulletin it was one of Lincoln's best films.[6]

Plot

Mathias (Arthur Styan) is an innkeeper in a village in Alsace, happily married to Catherine (Miss Grist) and with a daughter Annette (Nellie Bramley). However he is greatly in debt, so on Christmas Day 1833, he murders a Polish Jew (Mr Cullenane) who visits the inn for his gold. He uses this to pay off his debts and rise in society, becoming the burgomaster of the town – however he is always tormented by guilt.

Fifteen years later on Christmas Day, Mathias becomes delirious and hears the sound of the Jew's sleigh bells. He dreams he is being tried for the murder and is found guilty. He awakes and dies, leaving his family none the wiser.

Cast
  • Arthur Styan as Mathias
  • Nellie Bramley as Annette
  • Ethel Grist as Catherine
  • John Ennis as Walter
  • Ward Lyons as Hans
  • Charles Lawrence as Christian
  • Mr Johns as mesmerist
  • Mr Ebbsmith as Dr Zimmer
  • George Kensington as notary
  • Mr Devon as Tony
  • Mr Devine as Fritz
  • Mr Cullenane as the Polish Jew
  • Mr Coleridge as judge
  • Mr Sinclair as clerk
  • Marion Willis as Sozel

Production

The film was an adaptation of a well known play and featured the only known screen appearance of stage actor Nellie Bramley.[7] It was shot partly on location of Mount Donna Buang in Victoria.[8]

Sam Crews was the scenic artist, and John Ennis was the stage manager.[2] Stage scenery was hired from J.C. Williamson Ltd.[9] It was shot at a studio in St Kilda.[10]

Release

Screenings of the film were often accompanied by a lectured from J Ennis, who was in the film.

The film was released in the US in 1914 by Sawyers Inc.[11]

See also

References
  1. Mary Bateman, 'W. J. Lincoln', Cinema Papers, June–July 1980 p 214
  2. "The Picture World". Table Talk. Melbourne. 8 September 1927. p. 29. Retrieved 18 June 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. Mary Bateman, 'W. J. Lincoln', Cinema Papers, June–July 1980 p 174
  4. "The Picture World". Table Talk. Melbourne. 8 September 1927. p. 29. Retrieved 26 October 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. Endean, Lin (13 December 1933). "134 Years in the Industry: The Perrys' Record identifier". Everyones. p. 44.
  6. "AT POVERTY POINT". The Bulletin. 6 September 1917.
  7. "LIFE & LETTERS". The West Australian. Perth. 4 May 1946. p. 5. Retrieved 16 September 2013 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 25.
  9. "Film Year Book: The 1922–23 Film Daily Year Book of Motion Pictures" p 171 Retrieved 24 June 2015
  10. "Sam Crew Enters 'When London Sleeps' Controversy". Everyones. 12 October 1932. p. 19.
  11. "Motion Picture News - Lantern: Search, Visualize & Explore the Media History Digital Library".
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