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ALL PERTH IS TALKING! – ALL PERTH IS SEEING! “ JEDDA ” (G) at the Liberty, 2nd sensational month – Plus : Nat King Cole & his Trio – Two inch double column as featured in the Mirror Newspaper on Jan, 1956..

One of my proudest and most valuable possessions is a vintage promotional book detailing the making of Charles Chauvel’s greatest feature film “ JEDDA ” – Valuable ? because it’s signed by the stars Ngarla Kunoth and Robert Tudawali. “ JEDDA ” got off to a shaky start with Chauvel’s usual investor “Universal Pictures” declining to put money into the production, while “Columbia Pictures” took a different view and picked it up for distribution on the rebound. “ JEDDA ” premiered on 3rd January 1955 at the Star Theatre in Darwin, and then released at the Sydney Lyceum in May that same year. By January 1956 the film had found a home at Lionel Hart’s, Liberty Theatre in Perth and was playing to excellent box office.

In my memory the Liberty’s advertising campaign was robust and controversial. A twenty four sheet board was strategically placed on the left hand side to the entrance of the new causeway (Opened in 1952) as you approached the city from Victoria Park. This featured “ JEDDA ” in her natural state with the caption, “It was death for him to look on this girl!” now showing exclusively at The Liberty Theatre.

The impact of the advertising was dramatic. Perth had seen nothing like this before, while it was clearly visible from the passing trams, and of course the box office clicked over accordingly. “ JEDDA ” was much more than an image on a poster as it featured two cinematic firsts. It was the first Australian film to be made in colour (The Gevacolor Process) while Ngarla Kunoth and Robert Tudawalia were the first Aboriginal film stars to appear in a major Australian feature film using Australia as a setting. This was Charles Chauvel’s last feature film and a significant milestone for Lionel Hart’s, Liberty Theatre …

Greg Lynch –