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The Bells (1911 film)
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Wikipedia article
'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.Mary Bateman, 'W. J. Lincoln', 'Cinema Papers', JuneJuly 1980 p 174
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'. According to Lincoln's obituary in 'The Bulletin' it was one of Lincoln's best films.
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
Production
The film was an adaptation of a well known play and featured the only known screen appearance of stage actor Nellie Bramley. It was shot partly on location of Mount Donna Buang in Victoria.Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, 'Australian Film 19001977: A Guide to Feature Film Production', Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 25.
Sam Crews was the scenic artist, and John Ennis was the stage manager. Stage scenery was hired from J.C. Williamson Ltd.[http://lantern.mediahist.org/catalog/filmyearb1922192223newy_0187 "Film Year Book: The 192223 Film Daily Year Book of Motion Pictures" p 171] Retrieved 24 June 2015 It was shot at a studio in St Kilda.
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.
See also
* 'The Bells' (US 1918)
* 'The Bells' (US 1926)
* 'The Bells' (UK 1931)
* 'The Burgomeister' (Australia 1935)
References
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