Captain Midnight, the Bush King

Captain Midnight, the Bush King
Screen shot from film
Directed by	Alfred Rolfe
Produced by	Charles Cozens Spencer Alan J. Williamson
Based on	The Bush King by W. J. Lincoln and Alfred Dampier
Starring	Alfred Rolfe Lily Dampier Raymond Longford
Cinematography	Ernest Higgins
Edited by	Ernest Higgins
Distributed by	E.J. Carroll (Qld) Lennon, Hyman & Lennon (Sth Aust) Jury's Pictures (UK) Sawyers Inc (USA)
Release date	9 February 1911 1913 (USA)
Running time	2,000 feet
Country	Australia
Language	Silent film English intertitles
Budget	₤800

The Bush King
Poster from 1902 Hobart performance
Written by	W. J. Lincoln Alfred Dampier
Date premiered	6 November 1893 (Lincoln version) 26 January 1901 (Dampier version)
Place premiered	Surrey Theatre, London (Lincoln version) Criterion Theatre, Sydney (Dampier version)
Original language	English
Genre	Bushranger melodrama

Captain Midnight, the Bush King (US: The Bushranger's Bride) was a 1911 Australian silent drama film about the fictitious bushranger Captain Midnight which was the directorial debut of actor Alfred Rolfe. The film is based on the play of same name by W. J. Lincoln and Alfred Dampier. Captain Midnight, the Bush King is now considered lost.

Edgar Dalimore is the son of wealthy station owner Cecil Dalimore, who is persuaded to disinherit his son on false grounds by Cecil's villainous nephew Vincent Lennox. Lennox and an associate, John Stirling, rob a safe belonging to Cecil, resulting in the latter's death. Edgar is wrongfully accused of the murder and is given a life sentence.

He escapes with the help of Ned Harling, a bushman who worked for his father, and Ned's daughter Elsa, who loves Edgar.

Despite Elsa's affections, Edgar is in love with squatter's daughter Thelma Warren. A jealous Elsa betrays him to the police, but then changes her mind and helps him escape.

Elsa comes forward with evidence that he did not kill his father. The killers try to kill Elsa but Edgar rescues her. Edgar's name is cleared. Elsa is left "lonely and forsaken, finding consolation in the sympathy of her faithful horse."

The movie was broken into the following sections:

The film was adapted from The Bush King, a play originally written by W. J. Lincoln

The play was about Roger Dalmore, a young English officer who argues with his father, a Cornish mine owner, then emigrates to Australia, where he discovers he is charged with murdering and robbing his father. Although the real culprit is his cousin, Dalmore flees to the bush, where he is rescued by cattle-stealing bushrangers and, due in part of his military experience, becomes their leader under the name Captain Dart.

Dart falls in love with a banker's daughter and another lady falls for him; the latter attempts to betray him to the police after she realises Dart does not love her, however the bushranger escapes. The cousin comes to Australia and becomes involved in defrauding investors in a worthless mine. The cousin plans to blow up the mine but is foiled by Dart who gets him to eventually confesses his crime. He is united with the captain's daughter.