Editing Jedda (section)

==Reception==
[[File:Rosalie Kunoth-Monks.jpg|thumb|Rosalie Kunoth-Monks, speaking at the Darwin premiere of Jedda at the Star Theatre in Darwin, Northern Territory in 1955.]]
The film had its world premiere on 3 January 1955 at the [[Star Theatre (Darwin)|Star Theatre]] in Darwin.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49485186 |title=N. T. World Premiere Of 'Jedda' Delights Critics |newspaper=[[Northern Standard]] |volume=10 |issue=1 |location=Northern Territory, Australia |date=6 January 1955 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49486197 |title=Territorians Await "Jedda" Premiere |newspaper=[[Northern Standard]] |volume=9 |issue=[?] |location=Northern Territory, Australia |date=23 December 1954 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The theatre's manager Tom Harris arranged for a member of the Warhiti tribe "to sing songs and burn sticks to prevent any unwanted rainfalls during the screening. He decorated the theatre for the opening with [[pandanus]], grass mats and Aboriginal artefacts. Large crowds gathered along Smith Street to catch a glimpse of the film's stars Ngarla Kunoth and Robert Tudawali were permitted to sit in the balcony with the Northern Territory Administrator [[Frank Wise]] and his wife.<ref name="Journal">{{cite journal|last1=Brister|first1=Charles|title=A history of the Star Theatre of Darwin|journal=Journal of Northern Territory History|date=1995|volume=6|pages=35–43|url=http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=951110232;res=IELAPA|issn=1034-7488}}</ref>

The film then opened in Sydney in May. Its commercial reception was solid rather than sensational: Charles Chauvel Productions Ltd received £17,915 from the film in May and June 1955. The company's name was changed to Jedda Ltd to help exploit the film.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71781846 |title=Jedda a big success. |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |date=23 November 1955 |page=13 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In December 1956 Jedda Ltd reported a profit of £50,454 for the year to 30 June, reducing the debit balance in the production account to £69,697. The film had been successful in Australia but performed disappointingly overseas.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71770367 |title=Jedda's £50,454. |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |date=8 December 1956 |page=25 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

The film was released in the UK as ''Jedda the Uncivilised''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59701496 |title=JEDDA will get new title for U.K. |newspaper=[[The Sunday Times (Western Australia)|The Sunday Times]] |location=Perth |date=13 February 1955 |page=50 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

Some time after the film was completed and released in locations around the world, the film in Gevacolor was found to have faded from ageing. In 1972 the film was reproduced from original tri-separations found in London.

This was Charles Chauvel's last feature film. He had intended to adapt [[Kay Glasson Taylor]]'s novel ''The Wars of the Outer March'',<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18144464 |title=Mrs. Chauvel in Hollywood. |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=9 December 1949 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> but was hired by the BBC to make the TV series ''Walkabout''. Before he could resume work on his feature projects he died on 11 November 1959.<ref>Philip Taylor, "Ken G. Hall", ''Cinema Papers'' January 1974, p. 86</ref>