Botany Bay (film)

Botany Bay is a 1953 American drama film directed by John Farrow and starring Alan Ladd, James Mason and Patricia Medina. It was based on a novel of the same name by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall.[2]

Botany Bay
Directed byJohn Farrow
Produced byJoseph Sistrom
Written byJonathan Latimer
Based onnovel by Charles Nordhoff
James Norman Hall
StarringAlan Ladd
James Mason
Patricia Medina
Music byFranz Waxman
CinematographyJohn F. Seitz
Edited byAlma Macrorie
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
October 28, 1953
Running time
93 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1.9 million (US)[1]

The story combines real life character (Gilbert and Phillips]] and the true ship Charlotte with its one time true role as a convict transport, with fictional persons as convicts. Its understanding of the route and particulatly of the Mutiny act is however very flawed.

Plot

In 1787 a group of prisoners are shipped in Newgate Jail receive notice that their death sentences are commuted to life imprisonment in New South Wales. They are boarded onto the Charlotte and joined by a smaller group of female prisoners.

Gilbert, the captain, offers the pretty female prisoner free run of the ship on certain conditions. One prisoner Tallant admits guilt but is expecting a pardon to arrive within hours. The captain declines and Tallant jumps overboard. When caught he is sentenced to 50 lashes with a cat-o-nine-tails. Recovering below deck he offers £1000 to any person helping. As Tallant has medical training he is offered a position a ship's surgeon, which also gives him free run of the ship.

Gilbert is cruel to prisoners and crew alike. A young boy in a small cell dies of hypothermia when the cell floods with cold water. He is buried at sea. His mother tries to stab the captain and he shoots her. Tallant and the second mate excape in a row boat but are found. They are sentenced to be keel hauled. The captain is upset that they are living so orders a second haul. Spencer dies on the second haul. Tallant survives. Rev Thynne threatens to inform Governor Philip of the barbary when they arrive at Botany Bay.

The ship sails via South America (this would have been very unusual, the Africa route was the norm). There first port of call is Rio de Janeiro. However they later discuss being off the coast of Africa. The journey has taken 237 days.

Governor Phillip refuses to hang Tallant lant and sentenced him to hard labour in the penal colony in Botany Bay, New South Wales.[3] However Gilbert demands that Tallant is charged with mutiny.Despite the fact that the Mutiny Act 1703 only has provisions only to punish members of the Royal Navy (which Tallant clearly is not, even were the Charlotte a Royal Navy ship) Governor Phillip raises no objection to this. Tallant escapes with a small group of men, and tracks down Gilbert at Stillwater Cove. He demands the Charlotte. But they in turn are surrounded by British troops and recaptured.

As a further twist the group are surrounded by aborigines. Gilbert is hit by a spear and killed before the British fire power pushes them back. As the prisoners now have muskets they take charge again. Rather than escape he returns to Botany Bay.

Cast

Production

There was film interest in the book even before its publication because of the success of Mutiny on the Bounty, also from a novel by Nordhoff and Hall. The film rights were sold in July 1940 for a reported $50,000 and was intended to be a vehicle for Joel McCrea.[4][5]

In 1941 Joel McCrea expressed interest in playing the lead.[6] The film was originally planned to be made in 1946, starring Ray Milland with location shooting in Australia.[7] However these plans were delayed when Paramount became concerned about the cost.[8]

The project was re-activated in 1951 as a vehicle for Alan Ladd.[9]

Four koalas and two kangaroos were flown from Australia to appear in the film.[10][11] The koalas were the first to be exported from Australia in 25 years and were later transferred to San Diego Zoo.[12]

The only Australian-born members of the cast were Murray Matheson and Brendan Toomey. Aboriginal characters were played by African-American actors.[13] (Peter Pagan was reported as going to feature in the film[14] but this did not seem to eventuate.)

Historical Basis

The ship Charlotte, under the command of Captain Gilbert, sailed with the First Fleet.

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References
  1. 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1953', Variety, January 13, 1954
  2. "Botany Bay". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  3. "FILMS". The Argus. Melbourne. 27 March 1953. p. 16. Retrieved 3 March 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "NEWS OF THE SCREEN New York Times". July 26, 1940. p. 12.
  5. THOMAS M. PRYOR (Nov 16, 1951). "JAMES MASON DEAL SET AT PARAMOUNT: Will Co-Star With Alan Ladd in 'Botany Bay' for Studio-- Farrow Directing Film Guarding Cowboy Actors Of Local Origin". New York Times. p. 22.
  6. "JOEL McCREA IN BOTANY BAY?". The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 June 1941. p. 19. Retrieved 4 August 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "Ray Milland to Make Film at Botany Bay". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 March 1946. p. 11 Supplement: The Sydney Morning Herald Magazine. Retrieved 3 March 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Hollywood Goes All Australian". The Argus. Melbourne. 11 September 1946. p. 13 Supplement: Woman's Magazine. Retrieved 3 March 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "FOX WILL REMAKE 'DADDY LONG-LEGS': Studio Plans Musical Version of Romantic Story Already Twice Filmed on Coast Of Local Origin". New York Times. June 27, 1951. p. 25.
  10. "Koalas To Go To U.S. For Film". The Sydney Morning Herald. 4 January 1952. p. 1. Retrieved 3 March 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. "Kangaroos, Koalas Go To U.S." The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 January 1952. p. 4. Retrieved 3 March 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. "Our Koalas Draw Big Crowds To U.S. Zoo". The Sydney Morning Herald. 10 January 1952. p. 1. Retrieved 3 March 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. "Early adventure in "Botany Bay"". The Australian Women's Weekly. 18 June 1952. p. 31. Retrieved 3 March 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. Schallert, Edwin (Dec 21, 1951). "Drama: 'Mr. Congressman' Cast Well Set Up; Martin Promotes Discoveries". Los Angeles Times. p. B7.
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