Remorse, a Story of the Red Plague is a 1917 Australian silent film about a naive country boy who visits the big city and contracts syphilis. The movie is now considered a lost film.Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, p 67
Plot Jack Rundle (Cyril Mackay) works on a station and falls in love with his father's ward, Nellie Fallon (Mabel Dyson). When he goes to the city on business he falls into bad company, contracts syphilis and returns home to find himself an outcast. Years later he finds his brother Ted has married Nellie. He then kills himself.
Production The film was shot in Adelaide, using pupils from Mathews' acting school.
Release There was some doubt over whether the movie would be released. But the South Australian censor passed it because they regarded it as having a moral message, although children under sixteen were not admitted. Public response was very strong.R.J. Noye, 'Silent Films Made in South Australia'
The film was originally banned in New South Wales by the censor but this was overturned on appeal.
Cast Cyril Mackay as Jack Rundle Mabel Dyson as Nellie Fallon Ida Gresham Marie D’Alton C.R. Stanford Victor Fitzherbert Claude Burton
References
External links
Remorse, a Story of the Red Plague at National Film and Sound Archive