Sentenced for Life is an Australian film directed by E. I. Cole. It was an adaptation of a play performed by Cole and his Bohemian Dramatic Company as early as 1904.^[5]

It is considered a lost film.^[6]

Plot

A man is wrongly convicted and sentenced as a convict.^[7] According to a contemporary report, "Vivid convict scenes are enacted, ending with a revolt by the prisoners. There is a happy ending of wedding bells."^[2] It turns out the young man's rival was responsible and he is punished.^[8]

Chapter headings were:

• the Favourite;
• it did look suspicious
• the Blackmailer,
• Outlaw and the Child,
• Slight Breeze,
• Malaysia,
• General Commotion,
• Blighted Hopes,
• Manufacture of Almonds^[4]

Cast of theatre production

In 1911 the cast of a theatre production of the play in Geelong was listed as follows:

• E. I. Cole as Mr. Bertram,
• Mr. Frank Mills as Richard Hayward,
• W. S. Marshall as Jabez Ooh
• J. R. Wilson as Sammy Traddles
• Vene Linden as Mary Bertram^[9]

It is highly likely at least some of these actors repeated their performance in the film.