Journey Out of Darkness

Plot

In 1901, trooper Peterson is sent to the Australian outback to arrest an aboriginal man responsible for a ritual killing. He is accompanied by blacktracker Jubbal.

On the way back Jubbal is killed, and Peterson and the prisoner form a relationship.

Cast

Production

Director James Trainor had worked at the Commonwealth Film Unit and worked in the United States as a documentary director. He wrote the script with his father-in-law, noted Hollywood screenwriter Howard E. Koch. Konrad Matthaei agreed to help finance the movie if he was allowed to play the lead role.

Kamahl a popular singer from Sri Lanka who had emigrated to Australia was cast in a lead role.

Filming began in January 1967 and took place in outback Australian and at the studios of Supreme Sound. Location filming took six weeks.

Release

The film had its world premiere in Canberra at a screening that was attended by the Governor General Lord Casey and the Prime Minister Harold Holt (it was one of the last functions attended by Holt prior to his drowning). However its commercial response was disappointing.