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Hills of Hate
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Wikipedia article
'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. The 'Bulletin' called it "A virile Australian story, though rough-cut and without pretence to literary quality."
Production
Master Pictures bought the screen rights in January 1926 and Timms was hired to write the script. 'Everyone's' said it "presents a new type of Australian character set amid the wide open spaces, and should make an excellent photo play. " The studio would make it after two other outdoors adventures, 'The Pioneers' and 'Tall Timber'. Raymond Longford, who directed both 'Pioneers' and 'Hills of Hate' later said at the 1927 Royal Commission that both films "were selected by the directors of the combine; they were produced at an inadequate expense an in many cases the cast was chosen despite my protests. During the filming of these pictures I recognised that these pictures were absurdly cheap and inadequate to secure even an English market."
The films stars were Dorothy Gordon and Gordon Collingrdige, who 'Everyones' said was "well known to fans" having "established him self by his remarkable work opposite Lotus Thompson and now, as a leading man he is greatly in demand." Kevin Gallagher was a recent arrival from Ireland. Gordon had worked in Hollywood for six years and did art direction on 'For the Term of His Natural Life' (1927).[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article40558340 "BRAINS AND BEAUTY." 'Cairns Post' 20 Jul 1926: 9] accessed 7 December 2011 She and later became a radio commentator and newspaper columnist under the name of Andrea.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55189497 "ANDREA: Darlings l've had a ball!."] 'The Australian Women's Weekly' 8 October 1975: 67 accessed 7 December 2011[http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/jenner-dorothy-hetty-fosbury-andrea-12697 Dorothy Gordon Biography] at Australian Dictionary of Biography
'Big' Bill Wilson was a professional boxer before being discovered by a casting agent at the Sydney Stadium and cast in 'Tall Timber' (1927).[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article31690497 "MASTER PICTURE NEWS." 'Queanbeyan-Canberra Advocate' 2 Sep 1926: 5] accessed 7 December 2011
Shooting
In late March 1926 the unit left for Gloucester, New South Wales for a six week shoot near Avon.Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, 'Australian Film 19001977: A Guide to Feature Film Production', Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, p136Filming was delayed by weather. Willian Thornton, juvenile lead, was injured on location but recovered by May. Studio work in Bondi started in late April and was finished by May.
Raymond Longford's son Victor served as associate producer."Raymond Longford", 'Cinema Papers', January 1974 p51
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." 'Everyones' said it was "chiefly remarkable for some excellent photography... There is plenty of fast action and some hard riding in this typical outback Australian story."
The film was not a success at the box office although it was screening in cinemas as late as 1933 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.
In July 1926 Australasian Pictures decided to move into bigger budgeted territory making a version of 'For the Term of His Natural Life'.
References
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