REGENT THEATRE.

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 13, 15 July 1937, Page 14

REGENT THEATRE.

"Elephant Boy."

One of Rudyard Kipling's most popu* lar tales in "The Jungle Book," ~ "Too-> mai of the Elephants," has been made! into a film. Presented by Alexander) Korda under the title of ■ "Elephant: Boy," it will commence at the Regent; Theatre tomorrow. Few works have; such a wide appeal as Kipling's, ahdi it is not surprising to learn that "Thei Jungle Book" has sold nearly. 500,000 copies in English-speaking countries alone. The transferring of a story to the screen could not have been ..in: better or more sympathetic hands than1, those of Robert Flaherty, who co-! directed the picture with Zoltan Korda.! Flaherty, who spent three years mak-j ing his last film, "Man ofj Aran," produced "Elephant Boy"' with equal care. The film fol« lows the story very closely. To secure authentic settings, Flaherty spent nearly two years in Mysore.: The Maharajah of Mysore was-ex-tremely helpful and gave him every co-operation. "He housed Flaherty and his friends in the Chittaranjan Mahal, a palace built for the Maharajah's grandmother, but which has remained unoccupied for many years. It is said to be haunted with the footsteps of Wellesley's soldiers marching to fight the army of Tippu .Sultan. One of the most thrilling scenes caught by the cameras was/ the great elephant Kiddah specially arranged •by the Maharajah for Flaherty's benefit. This was an honour. For the past fifty years the spectacle has been reserved exclusively for the official visits of the Viceroys to Mysore. "Elephant Boy" introduces a new child wonder in the person of Sabu, a 13-year-old Indian lad whose mastery over elephants.is said to.be. uncanny. .'