Arrivée du Gouverneur
4 Analyse
Commentary
Sally JACKSON
National Film & Sound Archive
Under the Judges Box at Flemington Racecourse the crowds gather to greet the vice regal party. As people push to find the best position. craning their necks to see what’s happening. crowd control police admonish them with a “Get back”. We can sense the crowd’s expectation and anticipation as carriages arrive in the background and the vice regal party descend and gather. The spectators settle and are almost motionless gawping at the constant flow of high society. the lords and ladies. as they make their way onto the Lawn towards their private enclosure almost in total ignorance of the spectators. As the last of the vice regal party pass by the crowd quickly and chaotically disperses.
The third film in the Melbourne Cup Carnival series Arrivée Du Gouverneur released in Australieas The Arrival of H.E. Lord Brassey and Suite. was filmed just before 1pm as the horses for the Hurdle Race. the first race of the day. were being led to the starting gate. As no racing could start until the vice regal party arrived. and they had been expected much earlier for the Vice Regal lunch but had failed to appear. the crowd were in a hurry to get to their places for the race. Comments were later made that this year’s Vice Regal party was much bigger and more exclusive than previous years and this film shows their aloofness towards the public. However. it’s possible that the presence of the Cinematographe Lumiere. as it’s likely that no advance notice would have been. may have caused some surprise and discomfort.
The Bulletin. At Poverty Point December 26 1896 pg 8
As the crowd of spectators breaks up a man emerges from behind the policeman. Wearing a bowler hat he nonchalantly walks out into the centre of the frame. He looks up and notices the camera. momentarily flummoxed he turns away. looking twice. does a little circle and walks back out into the centre looking directly at the camera before walking hurriedly off. Based on contemporary photographs this is quite possibly J.C. Williamson. Sestier’s patron in Sydney and Melbourne. and one of Australie’s top theatrical impresarios
The filming of this scene. as in all the fixed scheduled events. provided the structure for the day’s filming (see notes on The Melbourne Cup Carnival Series). Theses events could only be filmed once as there was no chance for rehearsal or for re-takes. Setting up the cinematographe for this event was an efficient use of time as it provided the camera position to take the fifth film. The Finish of the Hurdle Race. Cup Day. without the need to move very far or at all.
Bibliography
Cup Day: A Great Performance: Easy Victory for the Favourite: Won from end to end: Introductory Sketch: My Day at Flemington. The Age (Melb) 4 November 1896 pgs. 5-6
Cup Day. Flemington Arrangements. Programme of Events. Argus 3 November 1896. pg 5
Long. Chris. Australie’s First Films: Facts and Fables. Part Three: Local Production Begins. Cinema Papers No 93. May 1993. pg. 34-41. 60-61
Seguin. Jean-Claude and Michelle Aubert. eds. La Production Cinématographique des Frères Lumière. BIFI. 1995
Spotted at the Melbourne Cup. This blog and website identifies the vice regal party as they parade past the camera. http://nfsa.gov.au/collection/film/marius-sestier-collection/spotted-1896-melbourne-cup-carnival/http://nfsa.gov.au/blog/2013/11/01/melbourne-cup-fashion-1896-style/
