The Magic Shoes (1935 film)

The Magic Shoes is a 1935 Australian short film based on the fairy tale Cinderella. It features the first screen performance by Peter Finch and Helen Hughes, daughter of former Prime Minister William Hughes and was the first dramatised movie to be shot at the National Studios, built to make The Flying Doctor (1936).

The Magic Shoes
Directed byClaude Flemming
Written byPeggy Graham
Based onthe fairy tale Cinderella
Produced byFrederick Davies
StarringPeter Finch
CinematographyMel Nichols
Production
company
Pacific Productions
Release date
1935
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish

Today The Magic Shoes is considered a lost film.[1] However 33 production and publicity stills relating to the film were discovered in 2006.[2][3]

Premise

A "pantomine fantasy".[4]

Cast
  • Peter Finch as Prince Charming
  • Gloria Gotch
  • Helen Hughes
  • Norman French
  • Sheilah Parry as the fairy princess
  • Andrew Higginson as the policeman
  • Phil Smith
  • Peter Dawson as the equerry[5]
  • Bertie Wright as the jester[6]
  • George Hurt
  • Carleton Stuart

Production

It was the first production from Pacific Productions.[4] This was a new company capitalised at £10,000 headed by George Wirth, a wealthy circus personality, which wanted to focus on making shorts.[7]

The crew included future war photographer Damien Parer and among the cast were Phil Smith, father of actor Mona Barrie; Peter Dawson, a New Zealand comedian, dancer and eccentric dancer; Helen Hughes, daughter of Billy Hughe; Peter Finch; and a number of children who were students at an acting school run by director Claude Flemming with Frank Harvey.[8]

Filming finished by November 1935.[9] It was originally scheduled for 11 days and finished in eight.[10]

Editing was completed the following month.[4]

Reception

The film failed to find a distributor and was not a financial success.

See also

References
  1. "Australia's 'Lost' Films at National Film and Sound Archive". Archived from the original on 15 September 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
  2. 'Film Find Snap for an Intern' ANU Newsletter 24 May 2006
  3. 'Lost Treasure Trove Discovered' AFC website
  4. "Advertising". Everyones. 11 December 1935. p. 45.
  5. "Pantomime at Pagewood". The Sun. New South Wales, Australia. 17 November 1935. p. 18. Retrieved 16 April 2020 – via Trove.
  6. "Untitled". The Sun. New South Wales, Australia. 1 December 1935. p. 26. Retrieved 16 April 2020 – via Trove.
  7. "Influential Business Leaders". Everyones. 13 November 1935. p. 4.
  8. "Face Value". The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 January 1936. p. 9 Supplement: Women's Supplement. Retrieved 14 February 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ""Magic Shoes" Completed at National Studios". Everyones. 27 November 1935. p. 8.
  10. "Magic Shoes Production Speed". Everyones. 11 December 1935. p. 24.


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