| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Raymond Longford |
| Starring | Arthur Tauchert, Lottie Lyell |
| Based on | The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke by C. J. Dennis |
| Country | Australia |
| Runtime | Approx. 80 minutes |
| Score by | Kevin MacLeod (added, Creative Commons) |
| Status | Public Domain |
🎬 Overview
The Sentimental Bloke (1919) is widely acclaimed as the most important Australian silent movie and historical development in the history of films. The film is astonishingly authentic in its replication of working-class aspects, colloquialisms, and romance of turn-of-the-century Australia based on the bestselling verse novel by C.J. Dennis.
When released it was an enormous success that set box office record in Melbourne and was picked up internationally. It was lost over decades and was found by a miracle and restored beautifully so that it could have its role in the history of cinema.
🥀 Plot Summary
The film is based on the story of a rugged edged larrikin named Bill working in Sydney who falls in love with a shopgirl called Doreen who is a classy and charming lady. Bill is also determined to forget his dark history and go straight according to the advice and turn into a better man after finding love, laughter, and life ups and downs.
The Sentimental Bloke is narrated completely in intertitles based on the initial poetic text and gives a heartrending and amusing account of redemption, household and the beauty inherent in daily love.
🌟 Cast & Crew
Arthur Tauchert playing Bill, The Sentimental Bloke.
Lottie Lyell as Doreen
Gilbert Emery as Ginger Mick
Raymond Longford -Director, one of the most respected early filmmakers of Australia.
Kevin MacLeod -Author of the contemporary score (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0)
🎞️ History & Restoration
The Sentimental Bloke was initially screened in 1919 and it was an unbelievable success in Australia and New Zealand. The movie was however unsuccessful in the US, where the Australian lingo was a challenge to the viewers. The film was eventually pulled out of circulation having been recut and renamed The Story of a Tough Guy.
Most of the film was threatened to be lost in 1952 in an archive fire in Melbourne. Two surviving film canisters were however discovered and this resulted in a new print being made in 1955, making the film reach the public again.
Later in 1973 an aberrantly labeled U.S. print was found in the George Eastman Museum. It has been revamped, but it is of superior quality and played a part in the full restoration by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia in 2004 with the original color tints and new score.
🎵 About the Score
It has a royalty free musical score by Kevin MacLeod and is released under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0.
In case you reuse the movie with the music, you will need to give credit:
Music: Kevin MacLeod
👉 incompetech.com
🌍 Cultural Impact
Breaks in Australia (1919) box office records.
Premiered in 1987 Cannes Film Festival.
Reissued and repackaged in 2-DVD collector edition containing historical commentaries.
It is regarded as an Australian film heritage.
▶️ The Sentimental Bloke (1919) Watch or Download.
💾 Download – Public Domain Classic
📺 Stream the Full Film – Free & Legal
This movie is in the open domain of public. You may also share, screen and remix it with proper crediting of Kevin MacLeod as the one who added music to it.
🔖 Tags
Silent film, Australian film, raymond Longford, lottie Lyell, arthur Tauchert, 1919 film, the sentimental bloke, public domain movie, c.j. dennis, classic romance, kevin macleod music, feature film.
