Thunderbolt

Thunderbolt (1910)

Frederick Ward is accused of cattle theft and sent to Cockatoo island for seven years. After he escapes he finds that his fiancée has died of grief. For revenge he undertakes a life of crime.

Date of release
1910-11-12
TMDB
5.3 / 10 (3)
Runtime
1h 6m
Genres
Western
Director
Jack Gavin

Casting

Interesting facts

Thunderbolt is a 1910 Australian feature film based on the life of the bushranger Captain Thunderbolt. It was the directorial debut of John Gavin who later claimed it was the first "four-reel movie" made in Australia. It has also been called the first film made in New South Wales.

Production

The film was based on the book Three Years With Thunderbolt and its play adaptation Thunderbolt. R.F. Stephens later claimed he was the one who suggested adapting the play to John Gavin.

H. A. Forsyth produced the film and adapted the play into a screenplay. He also appeared in the film as a young bushranger. John Gavin directed and played the lead role.

The female lead, Ruby Butler, was a model and beauty contest winner.

Because the film was longer than the typical movies of the time Gavin later claimed that "everyone warned him that his venture was doomed to failure".

Shooting took place in October and November 1910 Lithgow and Hartley Vale, with extras recruited from local miners who were then on strike. Forsyth told the press Lithgow was chosen due to its resemblance to the area where Thunderbolt operated. The scene depicting the death of Thunderbolt was shot near the second junction bridge, on tho road from Bowenfels to Rydal. One scene was shot at the Gap, ten miles from Lithgow. Gavin later recalled:

Read on Wikipedia · Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Data from Wikidata.

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