Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Friday 28 May 1937, page 3


AUSTRALIAN FILM

With Tropical Setting.

NEW COMPANY FORMED.

A new company, in which 'Mr. Noel Monk-man and Mr. Bruce Cummings are associated with Commonwealth Film Laboratories. Ltd;, will produce a film, entitled "Typhoon Trea-sure," in Queensland and Northern Australia). Mr. Monkman said yesterday that a syndicate had provided all the necessary finance; and that he would leave in [for] the Ormiston next Tuesday to begin preliminary work on the

Barrier Reef.

A year of two ago, Mr. Monkman came to an arrangement under which Mr. F. W. Thring would back the production. Mr. Thring set his own scenario-writer, Mr. John MacLeod, to work on the story, which Mr. Monkman had written, and everything was ready for an early start. But Mr. Thring's death put an end to all those plans. Since then, Clnesound Productions, Ltd., have once or twice offered to buy the scenario; but Mr. Monkman preferred to walt until he could direct production himself.

Under the new scheme, he will spend three or four months "on location;" and about two months more cutting and editing the film in Sydney. Commonwealth Laboratories will provide all the technicians. When he leaves here next Tuesday, Mr. Monkman will take with him Mr. Joe Valli, who is one of the leading actors. On the Barrier Reef, he will secure underwater scenes and pictures of the native animals. Then, with his cameraman, Mr. George Malcolm, and the rest of his cast, he will go to the Yorke Peninsula and the Torres Straits, and photograph the island scenery. After that, his route will take him to the Northern Territory, where he will pre-pare pictures of the jungle.

The full cast for the film has been engaged; but Mr. Monkman cannot yet reveal thc names, as the players are at present acting under other managements. Mr. Monkman has already had experience of camerawork onn the Barrier Reef. A series of short subjects which he made there a few years ago excited favourable remark. "Typhoon Treasure" will

be a full-length drama.