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As part of their programme of restoring vintage Australian films ,the present 35 mm. copy of Robbery Under Arms was reconstructed by the National Film Archive. Five minutes were lost.
The Aboriginal, Warringal, was played by the Aboriginal actor Jackie Anderson, which was unusual for the period when it was custom for white actors to play such roles in black face. Dan Moran ,the evil bushranger with no moral code, is played by Roy Redgrave, Father of Michael and Grandfather of Vanessa: he acted for many years on the Australian stage and in local films.
Kenneth Brampton was a stage actor who appeared in many plays producei by J. C. Williamson. This was the first film he directed; he also wrote the screenplay and plays the leading role, Captain Starlight. His other film, The Dingo (1923) is lost.
The Marsden family read in the newspaper about a daring escape from police by a notorious bushranger, Captain Starlight. Soon after, he is brought to their farmhouse by his Aboriginal friend Warrigal.
The family looks after him until warning comes that police are on the way. The Marsden brothers and their father, Ben, ride off with Starlight into the hills. All of them take part in a big cattle raid afterwards, they split up. Dick and Jim Marsden go to Melbourne where they meet Kate and Jenny Morrison. Three months later, they meet Starlight again and return to the Marsden home for Christmas. But the troopers arrive and capture the two brothers. They are taken to jail, but Starlight helps them escape.
They bail up a stagecoach and are chased into the bush by police. When gold is discovered on the Turon, Starlight, Dick and Jim leave for the diggings. They do well out of prospecting, and unexpectedly meet up again with Kate Morrison. She becomes jealous over Dick and reports the brothers to the police.
This time, it is not so easy for them to escape as they try to make it back to Captain Starlight's secret hideaway.