6. The world’s first feature-length film, less than one-third of The Story of the Kelly Gang has survived following theatrical release in 1906 by the Tait family
Unaware during production of the enormity and historical significance of their labors, in 1906 the Tait family embarked upon an attempt to create a sixty-minute long narrative film entitled The Story of the Kelly Gang. Directed by Charles Tait, with his brother John and sister Elizabeth in leading roles, as well as being produced and distributed by their brother Nevin, the familial effort stood in stark contrast to the standard length of silent movies of between five and ten minutes at the time. Borrowing costumes and collaborating to create ingenious practical effects, their creation was eventually ready for release on December 26, 1906.
Banned in “Kelly County” for the glorification of criminality, made just twenty-six years after the execution of Ned Kelly for his crimes, the film nevertheless proved a critical and commercial success. Touring Australia, as well as Britain, Ireland, and New Zealand, over the next twenty years, it is thought the film returned in excess of £25,000 on its costly budget of £400-1,000. Thought lost in its entirety, in recent decades various segments of footage, totaling seventeen minutes and including the key scene of Kelly’s last stand, have been uncovered, but it remains nevertheless a tremendous loss to film that the majority was carelessly discarded.