The Story of the Kelly Gang

Plot

The Story of the Kelly Gang chronicles the life of Ned Kelly, Australia's most infamous bushranger, from his early conflicts with police through the formation of his gang and their criminal activities across rural Victoria. The film depicts the Kelly gang's daring bank robberies, their dramatic encounters with law enforcement, and the growing mythos surrounding Ned Kelly as a folk hero fighting against colonial authority. The narrative builds to the climactic siege at Glenrowan, where Kelly and his gang don their iconic homemade armor for a final stand against overwhelming police forces. The film concludes with Kelly's capture, trial, and execution, cementing his legacy as one of Australia's most controversial and enduring historical figures.

Historical Background

The film emerged during Australia's federation period, when the nation was grappling with its identity and the legacy of colonial rule. Ned Kelly, executed in 1880, was already a controversial figure in Australian folklore - seen by some as a criminal and by others as a symbol of resistance against British colonial authority. The early 1900s saw the birth of cinema as a popular entertainment medium, with films typically lasting only a few minutes. The Story of the Kelly Gang represented a bold leap forward, attempting to tell a complete narrative story in feature length. This period also saw growing Australian nationalism, and the film tapped into public fascination with homegrown stories and figures. The success of the film coincided with the burgeoning Australian film industry, which would become one of the most productive in the world during the silent era.

Making Of

The film was a family affair for the Tait brothers, who were established theater entrepreneurs in Melbourne. Charles Tait directed while his siblings John and Nevin produced and Elizabeth acted. The production faced numerous challenges typical of early cinema, including unpredictable weather for outdoor shoots and the limitations of cumbersome early film equipment. The filmmakers used innovative techniques for the time, including location shooting and action sequences that involved horse chases and shootouts. The armor scenes required careful choreography as the heavy metal costumes made movement difficult for the actors. The film was shot on 35mm film using a hand-cranked camera, and each scene had to be carefully planned to maximize the limited film stock available. The production team often had to wait for perfect lighting conditions, as artificial lighting was not yet feasible for location filming.

Visual Style

The film utilized natural sunlight for all scenes, creating a distinctive visual style that emphasized the Australian landscape. The cinematography, while basic by modern standards, was innovative for its time, featuring moving camera shots during action sequences. The filmmakers took advantage of outdoor locations to create depth and realism that was impossible in studio settings of the era. The surviving footage shows careful composition and an understanding of visual storytelling, with the camera positioned to maximize dramatic impact. The armor sequences were particularly well-photographed, using low angles to emphasize the imposing nature of the metal suits. The film's visual style helped establish the aesthetic of the Australian bushranger genre, emphasizing the vastness and harshness of the Australian landscape.

Innovations

The film pioneered the feature-length format, proving that audiences could sustain attention for over an hour. It was one of the first films to use extensive location shooting rather than relying on studio sets. The production developed techniques for filming action sequences, including horse chases and shootouts, that would influence later Westerns and action films. The film's use of authentic locations and props, particularly the recreation of Kelly's armor, set new standards for realism in cinema. The filmmakers also developed methods for managing continuity over longer narratives, a challenge that had not been faced in shorter films. The success of the film demonstrated that cinema could handle complex, multi-scene narratives, paving the way for the development of cinematic language and storytelling techniques.

Music

Like all films of its era, The Story of the Kelly Gang was silent and would have been accompanied by live music during screenings. The typical accompaniment would have been a pianist or small orchestra playing popular songs of the period and classical pieces appropriate to the mood of each scene. For the action sequences, rousing martial music would have been used, while dramatic moments would have featured slower, more emotional pieces. Some theaters may have used sound effects created backstage, such as gunshots or horse noises, to enhance the viewing experience. The choice of music was crucial to the film's impact, as it helped guide audience emotions and emphasized the dramatic moments in the narrative.

Memorable Scenes

• The armor sequence where Ned Kelly and his gang emerge in their homemade metal armor for the final showdown at Glenrowan, creating one of cinema's first iconic visual moments
• The bank robbery scenes that demonstrated early action filmmaking techniques
• The police pursuit sequences featuring horse chases through the Australian bush
• The final siege at Glenrowan Hotel, which showcased the film's ambition for large-scale action sequences

What Critics Said

Contemporary critics were amazed by the film's length and ambition. The Melbourne Argus praised it as 'a wonderful and realistic picture' and noted that 'the realism of the scenes is remarkable.' Critics particularly highlighted the authenticity of the locations and the dramatic impact of the armor sequences. The film's technical achievements, especially its outdoor photography and action sequences, were widely praised. Modern critics and film historians view the film as a groundbreaking achievement that established many conventions of narrative cinema. The surviving fragments are studied for their innovative camera work and early attempts at cinematic storytelling techniques. Film scholars consider it a crucial missing link in the evolution of cinema from short novelty films to feature-length narratives.

What Audiences Thought

The film was an enormous commercial success, playing to packed houses in Melbourne for weeks after its premiere. Audiences were reportedly thrilled by the action sequences and the familiarity of the Kelly story. The film's length was initially seen as risky, but audiences embraced the longer format, demonstrating a hunger for more substantial narrative content. The film became a cultural phenomenon, with people discussing it in streets and workplaces. Its success led to multiple re-releases and tours to other Australian cities and even overseas. Contemporary accounts suggest that audiences were particularly impressed by the realism of the outdoor locations and the dramatic armor scenes. The film's popularity helped establish cinema as a legitimate form of entertainment for all classes of society, not just novelty seekers.

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