person or book cover
Rufus Dawes (George Fisher) learns the truth of his parentage from his mother in the early scenes of For The Term of His Natural Life
form y separately published work icon For the Term of His Natural Life single work   film/TV  
Adaptation of His Natural Life Marcus Clarke , 1870-1872 single work novel
Issue Details: First known date: 1927... 1927 For the Term of His Natural Life
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Units Teaching this Work

Text Unit Name Institution Year
form y separately published work icon For the Term of His Natural Life Norman Dawn , 1927 Australia : Australasian Films , 1927 Z825984 1927 single work film/TV (taught in 1 units)

Based on Marcus Clarke's classic novel, originally published in 1870 as His Natural Life, the story tells of convict Rufus Dawes, who has been wrongfully accused of a crime and sent to the penal colony of Van Diemen's Land for the term of his natural life. In his attempts to escape the colony, Dawes falls in love with Sylvia (a warden's daughter) and confronts his sinister lookalike John Rex and the evil convict Gabbett.

American director/screenwriter Norman Dawn's adaptation strays from the original book considerably. For example, the ending sees the fate of Rufus and Sylvia, adrift on a raft in the ocean, left in the balance, whereas Clarke's original story has the pair drown. However, the film retains a strong, visual style, especially in climactic crowd scenes.

 		Upfront: History of Film in Australia University of the Sunshine Coast 2015 (Semester 1)
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