Eureka Stockade [Massacre Hill] *** (1949, Chips Rafferty, Ralph Truman, Jane Barrett, Gordon Jackson, Jack Lambert, Peter Illing, Peter Finch) – Classic Movie Review 4670

Britain’s Ealing Studios went Down Under to Australia again (following its success with The Overlanders) for co-writer/ director Harry Watt’s 1949 pseudo-Western about four Victorian period Aussie gold miners, led by Peter Lalor (Chips Rafferty), grouping together for an insurrection to construct a stockade to fight the tough Governor Hotham (Ralph Truman) during the Australian Gold Rush of 1851.

Watt’s intriguing, well-handled historical adventure movie has plenty of detail and action packed into the script, plus some very good performances, especially from Rafferty, Jane Barrett, Gordon Jackson, Jack Lambert, Peter Illing and Peter Finch as Humffray. But the film is just a little short on exciting scenes and thrills, although it remains involving.

Also in the cast are Sydney Loder, Dorothy Alison, John Fernside, Grant Tyler, Ron Whelan, Reg Wykeham, Betty Ross, John Wiltshire, Nigel Lovell and Charles Tasman.

It was remade as a mini-series Eureka Stockade in 1984, with Bryan Brown, David Bradshaw and Tom Burlinson.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4670

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