Adaptations
For the Term of His Natural Life was adapted for the stage by Charles MacMahon prior to 1908. MacMahon also used the novel as the basis for one of the first full-length motion picture films, produced in Australia in 1908 (22 minutes).There was another version in 1911, The Life of Rufus Dawes, based on Alfred Dampier's popular stage adaptation of the novel. The best-known film version came in 1927, featuring silent screen stars George Fisher and Eva Novak.
An Australian miniseries, For the Term of his Natural Life (miniseries) was written and produced by Patricia Payne and Wilton Schiller in 1983 starring Colin Friels as Dawes and featuring Anthony Perkins and Patrick Macnee. The 21-year-old composer Simon Walker was chosen to produce a lavish orchestral score which is one of Australia's most melodic and exciting film scores, released by 1M1 Records. This version is based on the US edition.
The Australian movie His Convict Bride or For the Term of Her Natural Life (1918) also alluded to Clarke's work.
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