Walk Into Paradise
| Walk Into Paradise | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by |
Lee Robinson Marcello Pagliero |
| Produced by |
Marcello Pagliero Chips Rafferty Lee Robinson |
| Written by |
Lee Robinson Chips Rafferty Rex Rienits |
| Starring |
Chips Rafferty Françoise Christophe |
| Music by | Georges Auric |
| Cinematography | Carl Kayser |
| Editing by | Alex Ezard |
| Studio | Southern International Productions |
| Distributed by |
MGM (Aust) Embassy (USA) |
| Release dates |
|
| Running time | 93 minutes |
| Country |
Australia France |
| Language |
English French |
| Budget | ₤65,000[1] |
| Box office | ₤90,000 (England)[2] |
Walk Into Paradise (also known as Walk Into Hell) is a 1956 French-Australian adventure film directed by Lee Robinson and Marcello Pagliero shot on location in the highlands of Papua New Guinea.
Plot
In New Guinea, an expedition led by Australian District Officer Steve McAllister heads up the Sepik River to a valley where the adventurer Sharkeye Kelly has discovered oil. The party includes United Nations doctor Louis Dumarcet and crocodile hunter Jeff Claton.
Louise takes blood samples from small children and is attacked by a witchdoctor. The expedition risks being massacred but the children recover in time.
Cast
- Chips Rafferty as Steve MacAllister
- Françoise Christophe as Dr. Louise Dumarcet
- Reg Lye as Ned 'Shark-eye' Kelley
- Pierre Cressoy as Jeff Clayton
- Sergeant Major Somu as Sgt.-Major Towalaka
- District Officer Fred Kaad as himself
- Capt. Richard Davis as himself
Production
The film was originally planned as an entirely Australian film by Southern International Productions but French producer Paul-Edmond Decharme proposed they go into business with the French company Discifilm. The script was rewritten to accommodate two French stars. Robinson later claimed that 60% of the money invested in the film came from housewives.[3][4]
Shooting began in New Guinea in June 1955 and took place over twelve weeks.[5] and every scene was shot twice - once in French, once in English: Pagliero would direct the French version, Robinson would do the English.[6][7] Despite the difficulties of shooting on location, the film was infused only three days behind schedule.
The film was edited in Paris.[1]
Reception
The film was released in France as L’Odyssee du Capitaine Steve. A novelisation of the script by Gavin Casey was published in 1956.
Director Lee Robinson was nominated for the Golden Palm Award at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival,[8] but was beaten by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Louis Malle for Le Monde du silence.
American producer Joseph E. Levine purchased the film for distribution and added more jungle footage. When the film did poor business he retitled it Walk into Hell that increased its earnings dramatically.[9] Robinson claimed at one stage the movie was one of the 100 top grossers in the US.[10]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 222.
- ↑ Lee Robinson interview with Albert Moran, Continuum: The Australian Journal of Media & Culture vol. 1 no 1 (1987)
- ↑ "New hope for stars of the future." The Australian Women's Weekly 9 May 1956: 23 accessed 16 December 2011
- ↑ "French movie stars for New Guinea wilds.". The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982) (1933 - 1982: National Library of Australia). 29 June 1955. p. 13. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
- ↑ "SEPIK RIVER FILM TO BE MADE.". The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954) (Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia). 11 May 1954. p. 13. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
- ↑ "Lee Robinson interview with Albert Moran, Continuum: The Australian Journal of Media & Culture vol. 1 no 1 (1987)". murdoch.edu.au. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
- ↑ "Worth Reporting.". The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982) (1933 - 1982: National Library of Australia). 25 May 1955. p. 30. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
- ↑ "Festival de Cannes: Walk Into Paradise". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
- ↑ Robertson, Nan (1 August 1987). "Joseph E. Levine: a towering figure in movie making is dead". New York Times. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
- ↑ Lee Robinson interview with Albert Moran, Continuum: The Australian Journal of Media & Culture vol. 1 no 1 (1987)
External links
- Walk Into Paradise at the Internet Movie Database
- Walk Into Paradise at Australian Screen Online
- Walk Into Paradise at Oz Movies
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