Which are the top ten missing Australian films I'd actually genuinely like to see?
1) The complete The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) - possibly the first feature film ever made... could have been terrible, at least we have some footage, but would be great to see
2) Ginger Mick (1920) - most Aussie silent films were bad, but this was the sequel to a great one
3) Two Minutes Silence (1933) - probably not a lot of laughs but a really anti war Aussie film from this era would be fascinating
4) The Magic Shoes (1935) - Peter Finch's first film. Red Sky at Morning is also missing but sounds painful... Magic Shoes was probably bad too but at least would be short.
5) The Fatal Wedding (1911) - Longford's first film as director, a big hit for Cozens Spencer. I'd actually like to see every film from Longford - they might have been good - so I have to be selective; I plump for this (or The Woman Suffers).
6) Captain Midnight (1911) - one of several lost films made by Alfred Rolfe. Possibly awful, it had a strong source material and was very popular... if I had to see any film of Rolfe's it would be this or Moora Neya.
7) It Is Never too Late to Mend (1911) - WJ Lincoln version of popular play/novel. Lincoln was unlikely to be much of a director, but this is the film of his I want to see.
8) Sweet Nell of Old Drury (1913) - I'm cheating including another Raymond Longford movie but this one starred Nellie Stewart, famous stage actress, in a rare appearance, so would be worth it for her alone.
9) The Martyrdom of Nurse Cavell (1915) - knowing John Gavin's other work this would probably be awful but it was so astonishingly popular it deserves to be seen. (You could say the same for The Man They Could Not Hang (1921)).
10) Riding to Win (1923) - Squizzy Taylor attempts to become a film star.
I'm aware I left Franklyn Barrett off this list but for whatever reason the thought of him makes me tired. Sorry Franklyn!
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