| The Stowaway | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Lee Robinson Ralph Habib |
| Produced by | Robert Dorfmann Lee Robinson Paul-Edmond Decharme |
| Written by | Lee Robinson Joy Cavill |
| Based on | novel Le Passager Clandestin by Georges Simenon |
| Starring | Martine Carol Roger Livesey Arletty |
| Cinematography | Desmond Dickinson |
| Editing by | Stanley Moore Monique Kirsanoff |
| Studio | Southern International Productions(Australia) Discifilm/Silverfilm (France) |
| Release date(s) | 22 March 1958 (France) December 1958 (Australia) |
| Running time | 93 mins |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English French |
| Budget | ₤250,000[1] |
The Stowaway is a 1958 French-Australian film co produced by Lee Robinson. It was shot on location in Tahiti. There are French and English versions.
Contents |
A group of adventurers compete with one another to find the missing heir Rene Marechal, thought to be near Tahiti. Major Owens (Roger Livesey discovers the island on which Marechal lives but is murdered by the criminal Mougins (Serge Reggiani) Mougins sets out for the island with Colette (Martine Carol, a night club singer who is Marechal's former mistress. She is rescued by Jean (Carl Boehm) and they decide to give up the search for Marechal and live on the islands.
The film was shot towards the end of 1957 in Tahiti and the Society Islands.
Lee Rafferty and Chips Robinson contributed money towards the production via sales from Walk into Paradise and funds loaned from Herb McIntyre from the superannuation fund of Universal Picture's Australian branch.[2]
Dialogue scenes were filmed twice, in English (by Robinson) and French (by Habib). Robinson claimed he didn't like Habib's style of direction.
He was a mad home movies crank and would stand by the camera or even ten feet away from it and be shooting the scene that was his first take. I used to wonder how the hell does he know what is going on there. Often he was on an entirely different angle to the camera. He often seemed more concerned about getting a good scene on his little 16 mm camera. Right from the beginning I found I was in a marvellous position as the second follow-up director because I could see everything that was being done and then rack my brains for some little thing that might spice the scene up a bit.[3]
Noted Sydney theatre actor Doris Fitton had a supporting role.
The film was released in France but only received a limited release in Australia. It was not as successful as Walk into Paradise.
|
|
|||||||