Braidwood’s historic buildings and inspiring scenery have featured in several well-known Australian films. ‘Ned Kelly’ with Mick Jagger, ‘The Year My Voice Broke’ and ‘On Our Selection’ are ones that come to mind.
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Not so well known is the 1920 version of ‘Robbery Under Arms’.
Many of the scenes were filmed in and around the Braidwood district. The sticking-up of the mail coach took place on the Araluen-Majors Creek road. Local grazier, Top Hassall was the driver of the Cobb & Co coach drawn by four of his own spanking horses. The race track scene featuring Starlight’s black charger was at Majors Creek and the other starters in the race were local lads. The Turon gold field scenes were actually enacted at Araluen with the work on the cradles being done by old Araluen miners. The cattle-duffing episode took place in one of Mr Hassall’s Araluen paddocks with a mob of 500 or so bullocks used for the purpose. The gaol break was filmed at Braidwood Gaol, since demolished, but at the time was still in use as a lock-up.
When the film was released at Braidwood’s Electric Pictures the Braidwood Review newspaper reported, “The picture drew packed houses. That of Saturday night in particular was very large: in fact many people were unable to gain admission at all, the hall being packed to its utmost carrying capacity.”
The film went on to be a national success which was no surprise. Australians loved their bushranging films, and there had not been any since state governments brought in strict censorship laws in 1911-12 banning bushranging films, citing the lawlessness of the plots and the ridicule police received in films.
The 1920 adaption of Rolf Boldrewood’s novel ‘Robbery Under Arms’ was crafted to get around the tight censorship laws by the inclusion of the following intertitles: “The bad men were punished, and that is as it should be.” “That in good only is happiness to be attained.” “The women suffered as is their lot.”
Australia’s film production had been one of the highest in the world, with bushranging films the most popular genre with local audiences.
The first full length feature film in the world was produced in Australia in 1906. It was ‘The Story of the Kelly Gang’. However following from the enforcement of the censorship laws, the Australian film industry went into decline and increasingly local theatres were dominated by imported American westerns. If you are a baby boomer, like me, the most common of childhood games was cowboys and Indians. What a pity it could not have been Bobbies and Bushies.
Braidwood and District Historical Society is planning to screen ‘Robbery Under Arms’ in the newly renovated Oddfellows Hall within the Museum following our AGM on Friday, September 21. Stay tuned for more information closer to the date.
