“NOT INTENTIONAL”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26959, 20 December 1948, Page 5

“NOT INTENTIONAL”

OMISSION OF PORT CHALMERS FILM ON SCOTT’S ANTARCTIC VOYAGE From A. W. Mitchell, NZPA Special Correspondent LONDON, Dec. 17. “I know the point you are going to make,” said Mr Sidney Cole, associate producer of the film, “ Scott of the Antarctic.” when he was told that there had been discussions in Dunedin about the port from which Captain Scott finally sailed to the South Pole. “We know that Scott’s last call was made at Port Chalmers, and not Lyttelton, as shown in the film. We did not make an unintentional slip, but it was one of those cases where we had to telescope events to keep the spirit of the film and to retain its dramatic qualities. „ , , “Actually Scott had two final farewells in New Zealand, one at Lyttelton and the other at Port Chalmers. In fact, he did not sail with the ship from Lyttelton, as he had another day's business to do. He went from Lyttelton to Dunedin by train, and joined the Ttrra Nova in Port Chalmers. But it would have been unnecessary and cumbersome to have two farewells in the picture. , “We had to choose between Lyttelton and Port Chalmers, and, as most people seem to have heard about Lyttelton, and very few about Port Chalmers, we chose the former. We are sorry if we have annoyed anybody. I am afraid there is nothing we can do to alter it now." One of the interesting points about the film is its accuracy of detail. For instance a telegraph boy is shown bringing a telegram aboard the Terra Nova in Lyttelton; his uniform is identical with those worn at that time and a “ beautifully drawn design ” sent to Ealing Studios by Mr P. N. Cryer, Director-General of the Post and Telegraph department, was used as a pattern. ... It was not possible to show the ship actually leaving Lyttelton with the Port Hills in the background without going to the Dominion. This expense was regarded as unnecessary, and Falmouth Harbour was chosen as resembling as nearly as possible the actual photographs of the background scenes when the ship sailed f rom Lyttelton.