''The Hound of the Deep'' is a 1926 British–Australian
silent drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...
directed by
Frank Hurley
James Francis "Frank" Hurley (15 October 1885 – 16 January 1962) was an Australian photographer and adventurer. He participated in a number of expeditions to Antarctica and served as an official photographer with Australian forces durin ...
and starring
,
Lilian Douglas and
Jameson Thomas
Jameson Thomas (born Thomas Roland Jameson; 24 March 1888 – 10 January 1939) was an English film actor. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1923 and 1939.
He was born in St George Hanover Square, London. On the stage from his earl ...
. Unlike many Australian silent films, a copy of it survives today.
It was one of the first Australian films set on Thursday Island.
Plot
Under the terms of his uncle's will, John Strong (
) must go to
Thursday Island
Thursday Island, colloquially known as TI, or in the Kawrareg dialect, Waiben or Waibene, is an island of the Torres Strait Islands, an archipelago of at least 274 small islands in the Torres Strait. TI is located approximately north of Cape ...
and find a pearl within two years or the Reuben Strong pearling station and his great wealth will revert to another, Black Darley (
Jameson Thomas
Jameson Thomas (born Thomas Roland Jameson; 24 March 1888 – 10 January 1939) was an English film actor. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1923 and 1939.
He was born in St George Hanover Square, London. On the stage from his earl ...
). Eventually Strong finds the pearl, defeats Darley and discovers romance with the daughter (Lillian Douglas) of an island trader (W.G. Saunders).
Cast
*
as John Strong
*
Lilian Douglas as Marjorie Jones
*
Jameson Thomas
Jameson Thomas (born Thomas Roland Jameson; 24 March 1888 – 10 January 1939) was an English film actor. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1923 and 1939.
He was born in St George Hanover Square, London. On the stage from his earl ...
as 'Black' Darley
*
W. G. Saunders as 'Cockeye' Jones
*
Molly Johnson
Margaret Leslie "Molly" Johnson, Order of Canada, OC is a Canadian Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter of pop and jazz.
Biography
Johnson began as a child performer, receiving formal training from the National Ballet School and the Banff Schoo ...
as Lady Cynthia
*
Dallas Cairns as Mr. Bullyer
Production
After the disappointing reception to his documentaries in America, Hurley decided to go into dramatic feature films. He succeed in persuading the Australian-born British theatre magnate Sir
Oswald Stoll
Sir Oswald Stoll (20 January 1866 – 9 January 1942) was an Australian-born British theatre manager and the co-founder of the Stoll Moss Group theatre company. He also owned Cricklewood Studios and film production company Stoll Pictures, whi ...
to provide £10,000 and several actors and technicians to make two films in Papua and Thursday Island, this and ''
Jungle Woman
''Jungle Woman'' is a 1944 American horror film directed by Reginald LeBorg. The film stars Evelyn Ankers, J. Carrol Naish, Samuel S. Hinds, Lois Collier, Milburn Stone, and Douglass Dumbrille. The film involves Dr. Carl Fletcher who is in ...
''.
Hurley and his crew left Sydney in August 1925 and travelled to
Thursday Island
Thursday Island, colloquially known as TI, or in the Kawrareg dialect, Waiben or Waibene, is an island of the Torres Strait Islands, an archipelago of at least 274 small islands in the Torres Strait. TI is located approximately north of Cape ...
where they shot ''The Hound of the Deep''.
Release
Reviews generally praised the photography but had reservations about the story.
The film was released in Britain as ''Pearl of the South Seas''.
References
External links
Hound of the Deep''in the
Internet Movie Database
IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...
''Pearl of the South Sea''at
National Film and Sound ArchiveClip of cast members of the film being driven around Thursday Islandat
Australian Screen Online
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national c ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hound of the Deep, The
1926 films
1926 drama films
Stoll Pictures films
Silent British drama films
British black-and-white films
Australian silent feature films
British silent feature films
Australian black-and-white films
1920s British films
Silent Australian drama films