Written by J.S. McCullagh Release date 12 August 1914 Director Martyn Keith | Produced by J.S. McCullagh Initial release 1913 Cast Charles Villiers | |
Productioncompany Western Pacific Feature Films People also search for Showgirl’s Luck, In the Last Stride, The Joan of Arc of Loos, For Australia | ||
Sea Dogs of Australia is a 1913 Australian silent film about an Australian naval officer blackmailed into helping a foreign spy. The film was publicly released in August 1914, but was almost immediately withdrawn after the Minister for Defence expressed security concerns about footage of the battlecruiser HMAS Australia.
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Plot
Lieutenant Verner (Eric Howell) incurs massive gambling debts, and a foreign spy, Herman Markoff, tries to blackmail him into stealing some secret plans for an explosive. Verner agrees and helps Markoff kidnap his friend, Lieutenant Sidney, but is stopped by Dave Smith, a champion Australian boxer. Verner tries again and by torturing Sidney succeeds in securing the plans. Verner decides to use the plans to blow up the battlecruiser HMAS Australia, but Sidney manages to escape and kill Markoff. Verner almost escapes on a ship, but Australia sinks it and Verner dies.
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Cast
Production
During late 1913, filming occurred aboard Australia.
Release
The film was trade screened in December 1913 but not released commercially until August the following year. It was then withdrawn from screening by order of the Minister for Defence, most likely due to security concerns over footage of Australia.