Sunday Herald (Sydney, NSW : 1949 - 1953), Sunday 30 July 1950, page 4


Plans For Jhihn Mere

From Our Hollywood Correspondent

A USTRALIANS will form ?**. most of the cast of "Kangaroo," the film which Lewis Milestone plans to pro-

duce in Australia.

Milestone told me this last week. He plans to leave Hollywood on August 15 with a technical crew and probably four principals, who have not yet been announced.

"We want a star of Tyrone Power's calibre," Milestone said. "If available, possibly Richard

Widmark.

"Alternatively we may get a

British star.

"The main problem in casting 'Kangaroo' is the four leads-the father, a station owner, a power-ful man of 60, a girl, his daughter (Jean Simmons would be ideal), the title role, 'Kangaroo,' a bushranger, 35 years old-(Errol Flynn would be perfect), and his partner in crime, a younger man.

"None of these are filled.

"I've been told about Chips Raf-ferty and shall test with him in Sydney at Ealing Studios, which we're renting.

"There will be 25 roles for Aus-

tralian talenf-station hands, tosvnspcople, tavern keepers, bar-maids, stage coach drivers, passen-gers, atmosphere players.

"The story concerns a group of people living on stations about 300 miles north-west of Sydney.

"If necessary we will rewrite the play to lit Australian conditions.

"I want 'Kangaroo' to be a true dramatic portrait of life in Aus-tralia in the 1880's.

"We'll decide the district for film-ing within a month of arrival.

'"We'll build sets on location and take interior shots in Ealing Stu-dios. We expect to spend six months altogether in Australia.

"We'll engage experts and tech-nical directors there."