Captain Starlight, or Gentleman of the Road

Robbery Under Arms
Poster from a 1902 production
Written by	Alfred Dampier Garnet Walch
Date premiered	1 March 1890
Place premiered	Alexandra Theatre, Melbourne
Original language	English
Genre	Melodrama

Captain Starlight, or Gentleman of the Road is a 1911 Australian silent film about the bushranger Captain Starlight. It was based on Alfred Dampier's stage adaptation of the novel Robbery Under Arms.

It is considered a lost film.

It is possible to gauge some idea of the plot from contemporary reviews. One critic wrote that "plenty of relief in the way of comedy has been introduced; and whilst there are many grim incidents, these are not allowed to unduly obtrude themselves."

The film started at the home of the Marston family. Some troopers, led by Sergeant Goring, are looking for Captain Starlight. Goring harasses Aileen Marston when a Mr Beresford appears. Beresford introduces himself as Captain Starlight and tells them to put their hands up. According to a contemporary report, "Sergeant Goring, with both hands in the air, carries the situation off with as much dignity as can be expected, but some of his men fall to the ground in terror."

Then Starlight and his friends go to the horse races at Turon where Starlight enters his horse Rainbow in the Goldfield Cup under the name Darkie. Starlight encourages all his friends to bet on the horse, but then his jockey is found to be too drunk to ride and Starlight has to run the race himself. He wins but is chased off the course by police.

Starlight and his gang, including the vicious Dan Moran, hold up the mail coach at Rocky Rises. Moran robs a pretty young girl but Starlight points his revolver at him and persuades him to hand the young lady back her money. When Starlight discovers that the young lady has no other money apart from that on her possession, he takes her purse and puts a wad of bank notes in it then restores it to her.

Later Sir Ferdinand Morringer is captured by Moran. He is tied to a tree at Terrible Hollow in order to make him cofess where they money to pay the troopers has been concealed. Morringer will not tell so Moran starts beating him. The bushranger is about to kill Morringer when Starlight intervenes, overpowers Moran and sets Morringer free.

Moran is captured by the police He leads Sergeant Goring and the troopers to Starlight's stronghold. During the final battle, Moran is mortally wounded but Starlight's life is saved by Warrigul, his faithful aboriginal servant who carries him across a river to safety.

Starlight and Dick Marston are subsequently pardoned for their crimes, due in part to the influence of Morringer. (This happy ending was in contrast to the novel but consistent with the play adaptation).

Contemporary advertisements listed a synopsis of scenes and events. They were as follows: