KIPLING FILM

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 112, 24 April 1936, Page 14

KIPLING FILM

Battle Scenes of “Soldiers Three” HOW THEY WERE SHOT The film of Kipling's “Soldiers Three,’’ announced .18 months ago, will enter production in the Gaumont-Brit, ish studios in June with Victor Mac Laglen in the part of Mulvaney. The other parts have not yet been cast. The exterior scenes have already been photographed in India with the co-operation of the Indian Army. Mi Geoffrey Barkas, who has a reputation for ability to handle natives, directed those sequences, and he is leaving shortly for Canada to make a film out of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

After “making their numbers’’ to the Indian Army Headquarters in Delhi and to the political departments concerned, permission was given to take scenes in the Khyber Pass, within sight of the Afghan border. The Land) Kota! cantonments, which are surrounded by barbed wire, were used as headquarters. Ten miles from Peshawar stands Jamrud Fort, where there are Khassa dars, or armed Pathan guards, who must escort all unarmed civilians up the pass. All persons without legitim ate business must be clear of the pass by 5.30 p.m. Incidentally, Mrs Barkas was obliged to leave Land! Kotal at 4.45 p.m. every day, as in no cireum stances is a woman allowed to spend the night there. The Tehsildar, or Political Agent, who was a Patliau, assembled UOO Afridi tribesmen, who were suspicious and astonished at what was required of them. It was explained that they were to take part in a war-game. When they were told they might fire at the British, they were pleased, but somewhat incredulous. It was firmly explained that if anyone was found firing live cartridge instead of blank he would be lined 1000 rupees. This resulted in a roar of laughter. Mr Barkas fired some experimental shots from a trench mortar, and as the tribesmen showed no apparent resentment, he proceeded to pick outstanding types for small parts. It was necessary to explain that on no account must anyone laugh while the “game” was being played. Pickets, armed with Lewis guns and rifles, were posted on the heights at all times as a genuine war was proceeding only a few miles away on the road from Ali Masjid into the Tirah.

Meanwhile the 2nd Battalion, the Welsh Regiment, together with a battery of native mountain gunners anti a transport column, had been dressed in the uniform of the ’Nineties, with Slade Wallace equipment, for the at tack. For this 600 sets of uniform were taken out to India, w’hile the oldfashioned screw guns were found locally. For the transport columns camels and donkeys had to be obtained from Bushire.

Major-General J. H. F. Lakin had been made adviser to the film unit, and a complete tactical scheme was worked out, which at the same time woulil afford exercise in machine-gun co-oper-ation tactics. Altogether four weeks were spent in photographing the attack and connected scenes.

Afghan outposts, who could see the firing, are understood to have reported to Kabul that a “serious insurrection” was taking place, and the operations became known locally as the Battle of Abdul Haq.