For the Term of His Natural Life (1927 film)

Australasian Films
Company type	Film production company
Industry	Film production
Founded	1920s
Area served	Australia, international (limited)
Key people	William Gibson (executive)
Products	Films

For the Term of His Natural Life is a 1927 Australian motion picture adapted from the 1874 novel of the same name by Marcus Clarke. The film was directed, produced, and co-written by Norman Dawn. It stands as the most costly silent film produced in Australia and is regarded as one of the era's most distinguished silent films.

Plot

Following a dispute, Lady Elinor Devine confesses to her husband, Sir Richard, that their son Richard is actually the child of her cousin, Lord Bellasis. Sir Richard repudiates his son and leaves abruptly. Soon after, Richard discovers Bellasis’s lifeless body in the woods. Only the audience and an unknown observer are aware that John Rex, Bellasis’s son, is responsible for the killing. Nevertheless, Richard is apprehended beside the corpse. To shield his mother’s honor, he assumes the identity of Rufus Dawes.

The convict vessel transporting Dawes to Van Diemen's Land also carries Governor Vickers along with his family. The voyage is overseen by the harsh commander Maurice Frere. Nurse Sarah Purfoy onboard covertly supports John Rex in a failed convict uprising led by the criminal Gabbett. Although Dawes alerts authorities about the conspiracy, he is wrongly accused as its leader.

Years later, Frere shows an interest in Sylvia, Governor Vickers’ daughter. After escaping captivity, Gabbett returns and hints at resorting to cannibalism to survive. Dawes, confined alone on an island, attempts to end his life. Frere orders the penal settlement to be moved to Port Arthur. During this transfer, John Rex seizes control of a smaller boat carrying Frere, Mrs. Vickers, and Sylvia, leaving them stranded ashore. Dawes discovers them days later and motivates their efforts to survive; Mrs. Vickers passes away but extracts a promise from Dawes to look after Sylvia. Eventually rescued by Vickers, Frere takes credit for saving Sylvia who suffers from amnesia. Dawes is returned to prison.

Before Sylvia’s marriage to Frere, Sarah Purfoy threatens to reveal Frere’s past unless he intervenes to save John Rex from execution. Frere agrees. Dawes testifies but is dismayed that Sylvia has no memory of him. He escapes custody to meet her but is recaptured. The following day, Dawes refuses to administer a flogging to a young convict despite objections and is punished with flogging himself; after the convict dies, Dawes curses Frere.

John Rex plans another breakout with Gabbett’s assistance; Dawes declines involvement but requests Rex send a letter on his behalf. With Sarah’s help, Rex escapes while Gabbett and others become lost; Gabbett kills some companions for survival but is ultimately killed by sailors upon reaching land. In Sydney, Rex reads Dawes’s letter and realizes their shared parentage due to their resemblance. He returns to England where Lady Devine initially accepts him but grows suspicious as he squanders the family wealth; Rex then reveals the truth.

Years later on Norfolk Island, Frere arrives intending to restore order and finds Dawes leading a rebellious faction exacting violent revenge for punishments endured. Harsh penalties eventually break Dawes after prolonged isolation. Reverend North befriends Sylvia and visits Dawes in hospital; Dawes urges North to speak with Sylvia. After North angers Frere and finds him embracing Sylvia—whom he suspects of infidelity—Frere punishes Dawes again. Sylvia departs for the mainland; North confesses to Dawes that he witnessed Lord Bellasis’s murder but remained silent due to blackmail involving forged currency. He gives Dawes his coat and encourages him to seek out Sylvia.

A storm erupts as North releases Norfolk Island convicts who attack Frere’s group. Before the ship sinks, Sylvia recognizes Dawes; amid the chaos convicts kill Frere. The next morning, Dawes and Sylvia survive adrift on a plank in calm waters.

Cast

George Fisher portraying Rufus Dawes / John Rex
Eva Novak as Sylvia Vickers
Dunstan Webb in the role of Maurice Frere
Jessica Harcourt playing Sarah Purfoy
Arthur McLaglen as Gabbett
Katherine Dawn cast as Mrs. Vickers
Gerald Kay Souper appearing as Major Vickers
Marion Marcus Clarke in the role of Lady Devine
Arthur Tauchert as Warden Troke
Beryl Gow portraying young Sylvia Vickers
Compton Coutts as Reverend Meekin
Mayne Lynton in the part of Reverend North
Carlton Stuart as Commandant Burgess
William O'Hanlon playing The Crow
Arthur Greenaway as Lord Bellasis
Edward Howell cast as Kirkpatrick
Fred Twitcham as Surgeon Pine
Charles Weatherby portraying Captain Blunt
Steve Murphy in the role of Jeremy Vetch
Jimmy McMahon as Convict Boy 1
Hartney Arthur as Convict Boy 2

Pre-production

The story had previously been adapted into films in 1908 and 1911. After restarting its production activities in the mid-1920s with modest international reach, Australasian Films sought to elevate its standing by producing a lavish adaptation of this renowned novel, targeting audiences both within Australia and abroad.

Originally, the project was allocated a budget of £15,000 and was set to be directed by Raymond Longford, featuring Frank Harvey in a leading role. However, aiming for distribution in the American market, Australasian replaced Longford with American filmmaker Norman Dawn, bringing in stars from the United States. Despite assurances of future opportunities, Longford’s contract was allowed to expire.

Norman Dawn, who was already in Australia working on scenic short films, was approached by Australasian’s William Gibson to take over the production, with the budget subsequently increased to £40,000.

During pre-production, debates emerged within Commonwealth Parliament concerning the export of a film that portrayed Australia's convict history. The film was marketed alongside Hollywood productions filmed on location such as Chang, The Trail of '98, and The Covered Wagon, reflecting a growing interest in grand narratives set against unique natural backdrops.

Differences from novel

The film concludes on a hopeful note; conversely, in the novel, both Dawes and Sylvia perish by morning.
Maurice Frere is depicted as Richard Devine's cousin in the book.
In the movie, North lends his coat to Dawes to facilitate his escape; whereas in the novel, Dawes escapes due to a guard's drunkenness.
Frere survives according to the book but dies in the film adaptation.
"The Crow" is originally James "Jemmy" Vetch’s nickname; the film divides this into two separate characters.
Sylvia is eleven years old during the mutiny in the novel but portrayed as a young adult in the film.
Peter "Cranky" Brown is a twelve-year-old who commits suicide in the book; the film’s Cranky Brown character aligns more closely with Kirkland from the novel.
The book includes John Rex’s death following a stroke, which is omitted from the film.

Casting

William Gibson noted challenges in locating Australian actors meeting their standards, leading to four principal roles being assigned to American performers Eva Novak, George Fisher, Steve Murphy, and Katherine Dawn, who arrived in Australia by August 1926. Additional cast members included:

Arthur McLaglen, a boxer and vaudeville artist touring Australia and brother of Victor McLaglen
Marion Marcus Clarke, daughter of author Marcus Clarke
Jessica Harcourt, known for her modeling career
Dunstan Webb, an actor who also served as director at Australasian Films

Shooting

Production commenced on 10 August 1926, with a strong emphasis on authenticity through the use of period-appropriate costumes and sets borrowed from a museum in Hobart. Initial studio filming took place at Australasian’s Bondi studios before the crew relocated to Port Arthur for location work. Although original plans included shooting at Hells Gates and Grummet Island, these were substituted with establishing footage of Macquarie Harbour and Strahan due to aesthetic reasons.

In October, the crew returned to Sydney to film interior prison scenes. The refurbished sailing vessel Inca was utilized for sequences set on Sydney Harbour. The prison break scene was filmed near Parramatta River, incurring a one-day cost of £1,200. Additional sequences were captured at Berrima gaol and Wombeyan Caves. To enhance the actors' performances, musicians provided live atmospheric music during filming.

The overall budget rose to around £60,000, with some estimates suggesting figures as high as £70,000; however, Stuart F. Doyle of Australasian Films reported an official expenditure close to £50,000.

Release

The film achieved significant success at the Australian box office but failed to replicate this performance internationally, partly due to the emergence of sound films in 1928.

US release

Although promoted in the United States with American actors and directors attached, the film only premiered there in 1929. The combined financial losses from this production and Norman Dawn’s subsequent film, The Adorable Outcast (1928), amounted to roughly £30,000. Cinesound Productions intended to produce a sound remake in 1932; however, this plan was never realized.

Restoration

Graham Shirley undertook the film’s restoration, which was showcased at the 1981 Sydney Film Festival. This restoration integrated an incomplete Australian version (comprising less than half of the original footage), an American print from the American Film Institute featuring mostly alternate takes and outtakes, clips reused in the 1933 Cinesound travelogue Ghosts of Port Arthur, archival outtakes and still photographs, along with newly crafted intertitles to bridge missing sections.

External links

For the Term of His Natural Life, nfsa.gov.au; accessed 5 December 2015.
For the Term of His Natural Life at Australian Screen Online
1929 Review of film, Variety via archive.org; accessed 5 December 2015.