Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), Saturday 21 October 1950, page 7


'Kangaroo** Story Again Changed

Bu Lon Jones

HOLLYWOOD. Oct. 20.

Tfei JKNfc Ckotury-FQx Australian production 'Kangaroo,' which is to be shot an location near Port Augusta, SA, is running into costly delays. Start of actual

snooting will now begin about the middle of tfpvamber— a mpnth later than originally planned.

This was revealed in EJoUywood by .Producer Robert Bassler, who dis:losed that he has also made important changes in the story, rfiich will switch the period 'nun the 1880's to the year 1900 ind completely change the )pening sequences. Originally, the story faded in in Peter Lawfqrd ('Connor'') uid 'his ' bushranger' ' pal ('Gamble'), played by Richard Boone, holding up a .stage :oach on a lonely road. ' This was to have' been Lawford's first' meeting ' with Maureen O'Hara ('Dell Mc[Juire'), . a . passepger in the :o«ch. . He laferp^es-as her ong-Iost brother, jn an impersonation swindle, but falls in love with her instead. , ?♦ » ? ? The latest, re- write of the script now switches the openinf scene to Sydney, where Lawford and his pal will become involved in a different &&&££**''** Bassler didn't wish to divulge po much about this scene, beicving that it will play much letter on the screen if it conies is a complete surprise. ' * * * . * The opening scenes probably rill hot be shot until after loation work at Port Augusta is ompleted. Interiors will be hot in a Sydney studio. One of the reasons why the tart qt the film has been postponed is that housing for cast nd crew near Port Augusta is lot yet ready. It is understood hat the South Australian Govrnment is erecting prefabriated houses for the company, md they're taking longer to ;rect than first planned. Bassler is hoping that some deal can be worked out with Australian laborers so that they will work six days a week. He hinted that negotiations toward this end are eoing on. Here in the US, Hollywood lo:ation crews usually work 12

iini(nqitmni|Ninuiiiimt|iuimn}KmHUHHtimninnimtiimn Inside Hollywood '''''''»''''« ? ?« ? ?iiTMitu ? mitrtiritttriii ? iiours a day, six. days a week, md frequently work on Sundays when necessary. Of course, they ire paid overtime. * ♦ ? ? Even the grassland around the location is proving obstinate ind refuses to dry up fast ?aiough to give Director Lewis Milestone the drought-stricken :pnditions he needs for these sequences. Drought plays a major role in She story and they can't begin Shooting until the grass is all aurned by the sun. It was because of his desire ;o give this picture a 'typically Australian flavor' that Bassler lad locations switched from Sew South Wales to Port Augusta. His location expert reported hat the NSW sites looked no lifferent from places in South:rn Arizona and California, and hat they would mean nothing o American audiences. The producer also revealed hat he was forced to have all ostumes made in Hollywood. 'We simply cpuldn't find any heatrical tailors in Australia,' le explained. The studio also had to ship a irge quantity of technical quipment from Hollywood, beause, it is said, material availble in Australia is very much -ut of date. ? Just how much the picture is ;oing to cost the producer could lot tell us. We asked him if it ras a secret. 'It's 'even a secret from us,' ie laughed. t'Costs are piling up io fast, what with delays and -ther problems, that we really lave no idea what the final total will be.' While the greater part of the picture is being financed with frozen funds, the three Ameri:an principals, the director and ill of the American crew are jeing paid in dollars.' Miss O'Hara, Lawford and 3oone, who have already made heir tests, are standing by waiting for word to fly to Ausralia. Finlay Curric, British actnr i'ho plays Maureen's, father, will :o directly from London. Rest if the cast is beingrecruitcd in \ustralis.