A moment that brings the narrative to conclusion; what is the consequence of breaking white man’s laws, tribal laws and the attempted assimilation of a member of what is promoted as a very old race, in one lifetime? The descent into madness, the punishment for Marbuck breaking tribal laws, sees both Marbuck and Jedda – the tribal black and the partly assimilated black – in a moral and cultural no man’s land. The climax of the film speaks of the inhospitable land, as well as the futility of attempting to assimilate Aboriginal people.

Jedda (1955) is probably Charles Chauvel’s best film, as well as his last. It is historic both for being the first colour feature film made in Australia, but more importantly, because it is arguably the first Australian film to take the emotional lives of Aboriginal people seriously.