Southern Cross Feature Film Company

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

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

They offered cash for Australian stories.[5]

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

The company was a subscriber to Carroll-Baker Australian Productions,[9] which made movies starring Snowy Baker, and had a five-twelfths interest in Southern Cross Picture Productions.[10] 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.[11]

The company was at its peak in 1921 with the successful release of The Sentimental Bloke and Ginger Mick.[12]

In 1923 there was a trial involving a man who falsely pretended to be from the company to abduct a young woman.[13]

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.[14] 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.[15] It appears to have wound up shortly afterwards.

Select Filmography

References

  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. ↑ "Advertising.". The Advertiser (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 3 September 1917. p. 12. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  4. ↑ "SEEN ON THE SCREEN.". The Sunday Times (Perth: National Library of Australia). 10 June 1917. p. 14 Section: First Section. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  5. ↑ "Advertising.". The Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW: National Library of Australia). 11 June 1917. p. 3. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  6. ↑ Merv Wasson, "The Woman Suffers: Why Ever Was She Banned?", Cinema Papers, July 1984 p158-160
  7. ↑ "THE WOMAN SUFFERS.". The Advertiser (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 25 March 1918. p. 9. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  8. ↑ "Advertising.". The Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 19 August 1920. p. 2. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  9. ↑ "AUSTRALIAN FILM MAKERS.". The Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW: National Library of Australia). 9 June 1920. p. 4. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  10. ↑ "SOUTHERN CROSS FEATURE FILM COMPANY, LIMITED.". The Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 23 December 1921. p. 5. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  11. ↑ "COMPANY NEWS.". The Sydney Morning Herald (National Library of Australia). 31 December 1920. p. 8. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
  12. ↑ "SOUTHERN CROSS FEATURE FILM COMPANY, LIMITED.". The Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 25 June 1921. p. 6. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
  13. ↑ "ALLEGED ABDUCTION.". The Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 2 October 1923. p. 9. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  14. ↑ "SOUTHERN CROSS FEATURE.". The Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 13 June 1925. p. 14. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
  15. ↑ "HIDES.". The Advertiser (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 13 June 1925. p. 19. Retrieved 25 July 2012.

External links