Elephant path

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
German title Elephant path
Original title Elephant Walk
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1954
length 103 minutes
Rod
Director William Dieterle
script John Lee Mahin , based on a novel by Robert Standish
production Irving Asher for Paramount Pictures
music Franz Waxman
camera Loyal Griggs
cut George Tomasini
occupation

Elefantenpfad is an American film directed by William Dieterle from 1954. The film is based on a novel by Robert Standish alias Digby George Gerahty.

action

The time of action is the present, the place initially England : The young bookseller Ruth met John Wiley, the heir to a tea plantation in Ceylon , only two weeks ago, but is already engaged to him and is determined to follow him to Asia. When the newly married couple arrive at the plantation, Ruth is overwhelmed by the luxury that awaits them there. However, she soon discovers the dark side: the magnificent, huge house populated by servants was built by John's father Tom, who is no longer alive and rests in a pompous grave, on an ancient hiking trail of the local elephants. Tom, who was an ambitious fighter by nature, had built his house here out of defiance of nature. And so there are always dangerous incidents with the elephants, who claim their path back and have to be fought off at the border to the plantation. John's mother apparently couldn't stand it on the plantation and is buried in England.

Ruth is the only white woman far and wide and would like to be a glamorous hostess for her husband's numerous friends. These friends turn out to be drunkards who flatter John by toasting Tom's greatness over and over again, but ultimately just messing around with him. Dick, John's American overseer, tells Ruth that Tom was more vain than heroic, and advises her not to take his spiritual legacy too seriously.

Since John is still emotionally under his father's knot, clinging to his bachelorette habits and giving Ruth no chance to grow into the role of a housewife - this is the position held by the servant Appuhamy - the couple repeatedly have open conflicts. Ruth is tempted to give in to Dick's courtship, but initially resists him because she ultimately loves John more.

Only when John hits her does she flee to Dick and ask him to take her to Paris. But then cholera breaks out among the locals , the plantation is quarantined and both John, Ruth and Dick have their hands full containing the epidemic and caring for the sick. Ruth, who has only got to know her husband as childish and immature, is impressed by John's selfless commitment. When the workers' huts are set on fire for hygienic reasons, the elephants panic, run along their path, this time successfully breaking through the security wall and storming the house. Appuhamy tries in vain to prevent the animals from razing the tomb of his revered lord and master to the ground and is killed in the process. John comes just in time to save Ruth. Even though the monsoon , which has been weeks overdue, begins just now , the house burns down completely, and John and Ruth promise each other that they will start their life all over again in a different location.

Emergence

Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh were initially planned for the two main roles . However, Olivier left early to direct The Beggar's Opera , and Leigh was later forced to retire as well after falling seriously ill after a nervous breakdown after filming began in Sri Lanka. Although she was replaced by Elizabeth Taylor - who had to “borrow” Paramount from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer - she can still be seen in a few long shots. Paramount didn't have enough money to re-shoot all of the scenes.

The shooting for the exterior shots of the Technicolor- produced film took place between December 2, 1952 and February 23, 1953 at the Iverson Ranch in Chatsworth near Los Angeles and in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). The interior shots were taken from February 28 to May 20, 1953 at Paramount Studios Hollywood. The premiere took place on April 21, 1954 in New York, Astor, the German premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on May 24, 1954, the German theatrical release on November 4, 1954.

criticism

"From adventurous animal scenes (remarkable: an elephant stampede) only inadequately animated marriage drama."

- Lexicon of international film

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Wilhelm (William) Dieterle - actor, director . In: CineGraph - Lexikon zum Deutschsprachigen Film , Lg. 22, F 40 f.
  2. ↑ Elephant Path. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed November 6, 2018 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used