'FIGHTING CARAVANS'

Evening Star, Issue 20983, 23 December 1931, Page 8

'FIGHTING CARAVANS'

SPECTACULAR DRAMA FOR OCTAGON ‘ Fighting Caravans,’ the thrilling and spectacular drama of the battling pioneers who beat new trails across the continent, is the tremendous attraction which the Octagon Theatre will show, starting on Saturday. Gary Cooper and Lily Damita head an exceptionally large and forceful cast of _ well-known' screen favourites in this epic picture of the forefathers of the West. ‘ Fighting Caravans ’ has been filmed on the same gigantic scale which made ‘ The Covered Wagon ’ a never-to-be-forgotten screen presentation. The lives, the equipment; the _ characters, even the dangers and privations of those forward-pushing days have been reconstructed and brought to life on the screen in a breath-taking production that will make moving picture history. Into the intense atmosphere of the frontier-busting caravan is introduced iv tender romance between Gary Cooper, the swaggering, devil-may-care junior; scout of the expedition, and Lily Damita, French girl immigrant, whose father dies during the gruelling march, leaving her alone with a giant wagon and a valuable cargo to carry op to the land of gold. Cooper, tempted to taka advantage of the girl’s helpless position, is quickly brought to his) senses by hen indomitable will. Their romance blossoms in danger, and bursts into full bloom as the struggling caravan' straggles into Eldorado. _ ‘ Fighting Caravans ’ is Zane Grey’s best-seller novel brought to the screen, made to live against the gorgeous natural backgrounds of the California; High Sierras. In the cast are Ernest Torrence and Tally Marshall, those two old scouts of ,* The Covered Wagon.’