The Murder of Captain Fryatt

The Murder of Captain Fryatt is a 1917 Australian silent film about the execution of Captain Charles Fryatt during World War I from John and Agnes Gavin. It is considered a lost film.

Fryatts murder was one of the three best known German atrocities of World War I, the others being the sinking of the RMS Lusitania and the execution of Nurse Edith Cavell. Gavin sought official approval from the New South Wales Chief Secretary prior to making the film. This was given, provided the actual execution of Fryatt was not shown. Production was very swift Fryatt was killed inJuly 1916 and the film was ready for screening in February 1917. The script was reportedly based on British admiralty naval reports.The film was a follow up to the Gavins popular hit The Martyrdom of Nurse Cavell 1916, the success of which enabled Gavin to take out a lease at a studio in North Sydney. He announced plans to make four films continuously of which this was to be the first. During filming a sequence in North Sydney where soldiers raid a haunt of German spies, some bystanders joined in and had to be restrained by the police and John Gavin from smashing the plate glass in front of the shop. Reportedly over five hundred people were involved in the production. ........

Source: Wikipedia