Whose Was the Hand?

Whose Was the Hand? is a 1912 Australian silent film directed by Alfred Rolfe.It is considered a lost film.[3][4]

Whose Was the Hand?
Directed byAlfred Rolfe
StarringCharles Villiers
CinematographyA. O. Segerberg
Production
company
Release date
25 June 1912 (Sydney)[1]
4 July 1912 (Melbourne)
Running time
3,000 feet (over 60 mins)[2]
CountryAustralia
LanguageSilent film
English intertitles

Plot

A young man is heavily in debt and decides to get out of it by robbing his uncle. He does this with a criminal accomplice. During the course of the robbery, the uncle enters and fights with the nephew. The nephew kills his uncle and wipes his blood stained hands on the panel of the door.

The uncle's secretary is first on the scene and is arrested. However fingerprints of the blood stained hands do not match. Detective Sharp investigates further, leading him to the nephew, whose finger prints do match. The film ends with the rescue of the murdered man's daughter from a burning building, and the arrest of the murderer's accomplices.[5]

An important scene involves a burning building where a lady is rescued.[6]

The chapter headings were:

  • the ne'er-d-well
  • the forgery
  • the attempted robbery
  • the murder mystery
  • the hand on the wall
  • wrongly accused
  • a clue, a confession
  • the fight on the roof
  • alarm of fire
  • dashed to death.[7]

Production

The film was shot in Sydney.[8]

Reception

One critic said "the production was one of exceptional excellence. For clever acting, extensive staging, daring effects and quality of photography, the film stands as a masterpiece."[9]

References
  1. "GIVE US A SHOW". The Truth. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 23 June 1912. p. 4. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  2. "AMUSEMENTS". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 7 October 1912. p. 10. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  3. Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, p 35
  4. Vagg, S., & Reynaud, D. (2016). Alfred Rolfe: Forgotten pioneer Australian film director. Studies in Australasian Cinema, 10(2),184-198. doi:10.1080/17503175.2016.1170950
  5. "HERBERT'S PICTURES". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate. National Library of Australia. 15 July 1912. p. 6. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  6. "AMUSEMENTS. THEATRE ROYAL". The Mercury. Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 28 September 1912. p. 6. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  7. "Advertising". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 22 August 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  8. "AMUSEMENTS. THEATRE ROYAL". The Mercury. Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 28 September 1912. p. 6. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  9. "Family Notices". The Evening News. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 19 June 1912. p. 10. Retrieved 14 September 2013.


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