Hills of Hate
| Hills of Hate | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Raymond Longford |
| Written by | E. V. Timms |
| Based on | novel by E. V. Timms |
| Starring | Dorothy Gordon |
| Cinematography | Arthur Higgins |
Production company |
Australasian Films A Master Picture |
Release dates | 27 November 1926[1] |
Running time | 6,000 feet |
| Country | Australia |
| Language |
Silent film English intertitles |
Hills of Hate is a 1926 Australian silent film directed by Raymond Longford, based on the debut novel by E. V. Timms, who also did the screenplay. It is considered a lost film.
Synopsis
A feud exists between two outback families, the Blakes and the Ridgeways, caused by Sam Ridgeway having married a woman Jim Blake was in love with. The feud goes on for over thirty years. Blake's eldest son, also called Jim (Gordon Collingridge) returns from being away for ten years and falls in love with Ridgeway's daughter Ellen (Dorothy Gordon). Matters are complicated by Sam Ridgeway's villainous overseer, Cummins (Big Bill Wilson).
Cast
- Dorothy Gordon as Ellen Ridgeway
- Gordon Collingridge as Jim Blake
- Big Bill Wilson as Black Joe Cummins
- Clifford Toone as Jim Blake Snr
- Kathleen Wilson as Peggy Blake
- Stanley Lonsdale as Stanley Ridgeway
Original Novel
E. V. Timms' original novel was published in 1925.
Production
Shooting began in March 1926 and went for around five weeks, mostly on location in Gloucester, New South Wales.[2]
The female lead, Dorothy Gordon, had worked in Hollywood for six years and did art direction on For the Term of His Natural Life (1927).[3] She and later became a radio commentator and newspaper columnist under the name of Andrea.[4][5]
'Big' Bill Wilson was a professional boxer before being discovered by a casting agent at the Sydney Stadium and cast in Tall Timber (1927).[6]
Raymond Longford's son Victor served as associate producer.[7]
Reception
The Northern Times said Collingridge played his role "with a skill remarkable in such a young actor, whilst Dorothy Gordon's portrayal is a powerfully competing proof of her ability."[8]
The film was not a success at the box office – although it was screening in cinemas as late as 1933[9] – and it was several years before Longford managed to direct another feature, The Man They Could Not Hang (1934). This turned out to be his last movie as director.
References
- ↑ "Advertising.". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 27 November 1926. p. 1. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, p136
- ↑ "BRAINS AND BEAUTY." Cairns Post 20 Jul 1926: 9 accessed 7 December 2011
- ↑ "ANDREA: Darlings l've had a ball!." The Australian Women's Weekly 8 Oct 1975: 67 accessed 7 December 2011
- ↑ Dorothy Gordon Biography at Australian Dictionary of Biography
- ↑ "MASTER PICTURE NEWS." Queanbeyan-Canberra Advocate 2 Sep 1926: 5 accessed 7 December 2011
- ↑ "Raymond Longford", Cinema Papers, January 1974 p51
- ↑ "Master Picture News.". The Northern Times. Carnarvon, WA: National Library of Australia. 17 September 1926. p. 3. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Advertising.". The Delegate Argus. NSW: National Library of Australia. 23 March 1933. p. 2. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
External links
- Hills of Hate at the Internet Movie Database
- Hills of Hate at National Film and Sound Archive
- The Hills of Hate novel at AustLit
- The Hills of Hate film at AustLit
- Complete abridged version of original story at Australian Woman's Weekly in 1936
- Serialised version of story from 1927 – 29 Oct, 5 Nov, 19 Nov, 26Nov, 3 Dec, 10 Dec, 17 Dec, 24 Dec, 31 Dec