7/21/14
The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) Director: Charles Tait
★★☆☆☆
The Story of the Kelly Gang is often regarded as the first feature-length narrative movie in history, running longer than one hour upon release. It tells the story of Ned Kelly, the famous Australian outlaw, as he ventures forth on many escapades. The Story of the Kelly Gang depicts the rise and capture of Ned Kelly. Much of the film has been lost or severely edited, but a thin narrative still stands for those who are interested in attempting to watch it. There were no inter-titles released with this film, and due to its poor quality, historians have been forced to piece together the story from newspaper clippings and historical accounts of Ned Kelly’s life.
The Story of the Kelly Gang is a film worth watching purely for the sake of posterity. While it is historically significant to the development of cinema, much of the film is lost, confusing, or badly damaged. Only truly dedicated film buffs should venture down this path.