Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Tuesday 19 March 1946, page 11


Ray Milland to Make Film

at Botany Bay

Lon Jones'*

HOLLYWOOD Di ABM

?_j

I LOS ANGELES, March 18.

rWrDOOR scenes from the

^-^ film "Botany Bay," featuring

Ray Milland, winner of Holly-wood's Oscar award for his acting in "Lost Week-end," will be made in Australia early next year. Milland. accompanied by producer John Farrow and a staff of tech-nicians, expects lo leave the United States in January and will stay in

Australia for about six weeks.

According to the present plans mosi of the work will be done in the region of Botany bay.

Milland said in an interview thai ihe interior scenes would be made in Hollywood, btu he and Farrow (who was born in Sydney) felt it was neces-sary to make outdoor shots on the spot. "Australian scenery is verj similar to Californian," said Milland "but it has got that certain something that makes it necessary to take shots on thc ground actually involved in the story."

Fearful of hurting Australian feel

ings. Paramount is handling the Nordhoff and Hall story with kid gloves, according to an executive o' thc company.

"Botany Bay" is now being scripteo for production, and the writers have been warned to show that the convicts transported to Australia were mostly political and petty offenders, and not all (hugs and murderers. This execu-tive wanted to know whether Aus-tralians were touchy about the convict period being revived, and said thal many Australian opinions were beinc sought before production begins.

To off-set the convict sequences, the hero will emphasise, after marrying the heroine in London, that they are returning to Australia "for it is a greal land of the future." Because the hero is actually an American, the picture will stress this point as being sym-bolical of a bond hetween America and Australia.

As John Farrow is handling the production Australia should not he able to claim technical blunders.

Milland intends to visit England in August and will make preparations for his Australian trip immediately on

his return

Andy Hardy Again

AFTER 18 months overseas,

during which he estimated that he travelled 115,000 miles by jeep and entertained two million soldiers, Mickey Rooney has returned to Hollywood to continue his screen career as Andy Hardy. Though twice married and the father of a son. Mickey, aged 25, is to remain the screen's perennial adolescent. Thc first film, "Uncle Andy Hardy." will show, him back at college engaging in puppy-love romances;

It was reported that Mickey did not -

wish to resume his Andy role, but he

said that the studio had convinced him it was the best way to regain popu-larity, especially after he had been shown thousands of letters from fans asking that the series bc resumed.

Looking fit in his sergeant's uni-form, but tired, Mickey appeared no older than a boy of 17 as he stepped from the train into the arms of his pretty wife, Betty Jane. He was no taller either, his wife towering over him by nearly a full head.

Robert Taylor Back

ROBERT TAYLOR, who is mak

ing his first film for three years after 28 months as a Navy flying in-structor, is one returned Hollywood man who has no desire to use thc screen to change the world or preach his philosophy. "All I want is good roles and a chance to spend a vacation abroad with my wife," he said.

Looking more mature, but. hand-somer than ever, the former screen

glamour boy has given way. to a serious-minded man ¡mein on his career. He and his wife, Barbara Sianwyck. are living to rearrange (heir schedules so thal they can visit London and Europe together, and Taylor hopes they can make a picture each in London - but not together. He explained: "I don't think il is u good idea for man and wife to appear in the same films. Audiences cannol forget thal you're husband and wife, and so the illusion you are try-ing to create is ruined, especially in romantic scenes. Barbara and t have made a success of marriage to date simply because we've kept OUT careers separate."

Taylor is enthusiastic about bia current role in "You Were There," with Katharine Hepburn, because it gives him a decided change of pace. The studio has asked that his role remain undisclosed, until it is seen on the screen, bul it is certain that it will surprise, if not shock, many

of his admirers.