Jedda (1955) was the last movie made by Charles Chauvel, and the first to star two Aboriginal actors, (Robert Tudawali and Ngarla Kunoth), in the leading roles. Charles Chauvel {1897 - 1959) was an Australian film maker, born in Queensland. ... A 19th century engraving of an Indigenous Australian encampment, showing the indigenous mode of life in the cooler parts of Australia at the time of European settlement. ... Robert Tudawali {1930-1967} was an Australian actor, born and raised on Melville Island in the Northern Territory. ...
Originally the movie was filmed on location in the Northern Territory in Australia. The last roll of negative was destroyed in a plane crash on its way for developing in England and the scenes were re-shot at Kanangra Walls in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. A panoramic view of the Blue Mountains The Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, roughly 100 kilometres west of Sydney, are a range of sandstone mountains that reach to 1111 metres above sea level at their highest, One Tree Hill. ... Sydney, the Emerald City or the Harbour City, is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian state of New South Wales, as well as Australias largest and oldest city (founded in 1788). ...
The Jedda of the title is a half-white/half aboriginal girl raised by a white family on a cattle ranch. When she runs of with an aboriginal man, a posse is sent after them to hunt them down. During the chase, it becomes clear that Jedda has gone willingly with the man but that does not prevent the pursuit which comes to an inevitably tragic end.
Jedda is also a unisex name, and is popular with both dogs, and legends.
In 1956, the critical response to Jedda was almost universally favourable, both as a piece of cinema and to its portrayal of Territory life and "the Aboriginal problem".
For Johnston, Jedda was remarkable because the natives are not relegated to the romantic backdrop.
More in keeping with the current mood were the portrait plates of Tudawali and the infant Jedda that Joan Strack submitted for the Archibald Prize in 1954 as part of her determination to lift the status of Aborigines.
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