HERCULES OUTDONE

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 83, 8 April 1933, Page 5 (Supplement)

HERCULES OUTDONE

Hercules -was just an ordinary fellow who chose the line of least resistance, it seems. When, it comes to accomplishing really impossible things, modern picture studios put the mythical hero to shame. Here are just some of the things Hollywood did in bringing Noel Coward's play to the screen as a gigantic production: — Lined up a cast of more than 15,000 persons, 140 of whom had speaking parts; brought five of the principals from England; pictured the highlights of 32 years of history, parading armies, queens, and emperors across the screen; built a dozen London streets with flanking buildings, constructed Trafalgar Square, St. Paul's Cathedral, Tilbury Docks, a typical London theatre, a London park, the Caledonian. Market, and many other English landmarks; used 25,000 costumes, three zeppelins, one troopship, four troop trains, an ocean liner, 8000 rifles, 1000 horses, 50 guns and caissons, 200 motor cars, and 50 hansom cabs; employed 500 dancers, thousands of singers, and 1000 musicians. Frank Lloyd directed "Cavalcade," and among the players featured are Diana Wynyard, Clive Brook, Ursula Jeans, Herbert Mundin, Una O'Connor, Merle Tottenham, Irene Browne, Beryl Mercer, John Warburton, Frank Lawton, and Margaret Lindsay.