When the Kellys Were Out

Harry Southwell’s 1923 cinematic endeavor, 'When the Kellys Were Out,' plunges into the tumultuous, myth-laden saga of Australia's most infamous bushranger, Ned Kelly. Though tragically fragmented, the surviving portions hint at an ambitious, perhaps even audacious, attempt to immortalize the outlaw’s complex narrative on the silver screen during the nascent years of Australian filmmaking. This ambitious production appears to have meticulously reconstructed the volatile socio-political landscape of colonial Victoria, presenting Kelly not merely as a criminal, but as a figure forged in the crucible of poverty, injustice, and a deep-seated antagonism with authority. The film likely traces the arc of his legend, from the early skirmishes and family loyalties that defined his youth, through the escalating confrontations with the police, the formation of the infamous Kelly Gang, and the dramatic, ultimately doomed stand at Glenrowan. Southwell's vision seems to have leaned into the epic, portraying the sweeping landscapes and the stark realities of bush life that shaped Kelly's destiny, while simultaneously grappling with the moral ambiguities of his actions. The extant footage suggests a portrayal that oscillates between the brutal realities of the colonial frontier and the burgeoning legend of a folk hero, a Robin Hood figure to some, a cold-blooded murderer to others, leaving contemporary audiences to ponder the enduring legacy of a man whose life ignited a nation’s imagination.