The Sealed Room (1926 film)
The Sealed Room is a 1926 Australian silent film directed by and starring Arthur Shirley. It is considered a lost film.
The Sealed Room | |
---|---|
Directed by | Arthur Shirley |
Produced by | Arthur Shirley |
Written by | Arthur Shirley |
Starring | Arthur Shirley |
Cinematography | Lacey Percival |
Production company | Pyramid Pictures |
Distributed by | Union Theatres |
Release date | 3 July 1926[1] |
Running time | 7,000 feet |
Country | Australia |
Language | Silent film English intertitles |
Synopsis
Paul Craig (Arthur Shirley) is an aviator-inventor who becomes blind due to overwork. He stumbles into a room as a person is being killed by foreign agents – who decide to let Craig live because he cannot identify them. The murder is part of a plot to overthrow the monarchy of fictional Ruvania. Paul regains his sight and marries Angela (Grace Glover), whose brother was killed by the gang, and who is the ward of Carlo Gelmini (George Bryant), head of the gang. Angela lost her memory with the shock of her brother's death but manages to recover it and help Paul save Ruvania.[2]
Cast
- Arthur Shirley as Paul Craig
- Grace Glover as Angela Scardon
- George Bryant as Carlo Gelmini
- Nellie Ferguson as Della Giovanna
- Cora Warner
- Leslie Woods
- Cecil Scott
- Carlton Stuart
- Eric Harrison
- Muriel Veck
- John Bruce
- Harry Halley
- Walter Bentley
Production
Filming began in May 1925 at Australasian Films' studio in Rushcutters Bay and on location in the Blue Mountains.[3] One scene included a recreation of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.[4]
Release
The film was poorly reviewed and not a success at the box office.[5] Shirley was unable to make his planned version of J. H. M. Abbott's novel Castle Vane called 1840. He left Australia and went to England and Rhodesia to launch a new production company.[3]
References
- ""THE SEALED ROOM."". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 3 July 1926. p. 12. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
- "AMUSEMENTS". The Mercury. Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 14 October 1926. p. 10. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
- Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 133.
- ""RANSOM'S FOLLY."". The Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 1 November 1926. p. 14. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
- "NEW FILMS". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 5 July 1926. p. 6. Retrieved 24 March 2012.