IN WILDEST AFRICA

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 650, 30 April 1929, Page 19

IN WILDEST AFRICA

The task of handling 1,000 natives in the almost unknown regions of the British Soudan would be a formidable one at any time, but it was found doubly so by Marian Cooper and Ernest Schoedsaek, who schooled vast crowds of Dervishes to act for motion pictures. Many mob scenes were filmed in Africa by the two adventurers for “The Four Feathers,” their latest Paramount production, which is based on the famous story by A. E. W. Mason. In all, eight months were spent among the natives, but it is doubtful if any scenes would have been filmed at all, had it not been for the work of a Dervish interpreter named Ta-Ha. Ta-Hci had been captured by the British at Suakin, when he was but twelve years old, and had spent four years as a cabin boy on board one of the British gunboats. With his help, Cooper and Schoedsaek were able, after many rehearsals, to stage a realistic attack on a fort, which will be one of the big scenes in the picture. The filming of the adventure storv is now being completed in Hollywood, with cast including Richard Arlen. I* ay Wray, Clive Brook, Noah Beery and William Powell.