
With soundtrack, 90 minutes.
Tickets: $25/$20
General seating - not reserved or numbered
(T 0419 267 318)
Kokoda Front Line (1942)
10 minutes
Australia’s first Oscar winner, Damien Parer’s 1942 Kokoda Front Line.
Presented with the assistance of Cinesound Movietone Productions and Glenn Eley.
Iconic Cinesound newsreel, the Voice of Australia, shows Australian troops on the Kokoda track in the jungles of New Guinea during the Second World War as they faced insurmountable odds in the most rugged and inhospitable terrain in the world. It features footage shot by legendary war correspondent, Parer, amid great hardship and danger. He provides an opening address to the camera. First screened in 1942, commentators praised his genuine sincerity and first person account of events unfolding just outside Australia’s door at such a dark hour in history. The short newsreel item deservedly won Australia’s first Oscar. The inscription on the award reads, “To Kokoda Front Line! for its effectiveness in portraying simply yet forcefully the scene of war in New Guinea and for its moving presentation of the bravery and fortitude of our Australian comrades in arms.
The Enchanted Cottage (1924)
80 minutes
Restored silent drama
Presented with the assistance of Edward Lorusso, Grapevine Video and Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra.
Contemporary critics noted, ”..to anyone with a poetic soul, this movie will be a rare treat.”
Based on a successful Pinero play, this silent film explores the illusion of beauty within a magical cottage where lovers can see beyond surface imperfections. A World War 1 veteran retreats to a countryside cottage where he is befriended by an individual’s kindness. The setting is a spot haunted by newlywed spirits who cast a spell on the couple that leads to romance between an unlikely pair. Two lonely and damaged people are transformed by the power of love.
A disfigured war hero returns to civilian life, abandoned by his fiancée and crippled in body, and becomes a recluse whose only contact is a housekeeper. What ensues is recognition of true beauty and a film that delivers a mystical quality and a bond of love between wounded souls.
The tale of post-war angst addressed a very real issue for audiences after major conflicts, reintegration of the combatants dreadfully affected by unimaginable experiences. Adding to the film’s strong impact are the two leads, Richard Barthelmess and May McAvoy, both glamorous and talented in their acclaimed careers, who rose supremely to the task of playing versions of themselves in such Hollywood-reversed romantic roles. Their performances elevate the narrative fantasy and enable the supernatural properties of this cottage to work their magic.
Contact Details
Location
State Library NSW
Metcalfe Auditorium, Macquarie Street
Entrance is via rear of the cafe
Sydney NSW 2000