34-523: Odongo or Odongo Adventure on the African Frontier is a 1956 British Warwick Films CinemaScope African adventure drama film directed by John Gilling and starring Rhonda Fleming , Macdonald Carey and Juma . The screenplay concerns a white hunter who falls in love with a vet in Kenya . Pamela, a veterinarian from Pittsburgh , comes to Kenya to work on big-game hunter Steve Stratton's farm. He
68-623: A British film of the 1950s is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Warwick Films Warwick Films was a film company founded by film producers Irving Allen and Albert R. Broccoli in London in 1951. The name was taken from the Warwick Hotel in New York City where Broccoli and his wife were staying at the time of the final negotiations for the company's creation. Their films were released by Columbia Pictures . The reason for
102-482: A biopic of Oscar Wilde directed by Hughes starring Peter Finch . The film was critically acclaimed but its financial failure contributed to the dissolution of Warwick. Allen and Broccoli also had a disagreement about filming the James Bond series that Allen thought was beneath him. Broccoli was prevented from meeting Ian Fleming 's representatives due to his wife's serious illness with Allen meeting them and insulting
136-496: A charging rhino and hopes she will leave. But his attitude softens after Pam delivers a native's baby and is given a rare animal as a reward. The angry Walla frees all of the animals from their pens and starts a fire. Odongo is accused by Steve, then is taken hostage by Walla and pushed from a cliff into crocodile-filled waters. Steve jumps in to save him, while Walla fatally encounters one of Odongo's animals while trying to escape. Pamela agrees to stay. This article related to
170-566: A condition of doing his final film The Black Knight with Warwick, Alan Ladd insisted on Warwick employing his friend Euan Lloyd who worked as a publicity agent for the company and directed the short April in Portugal (1954). Later, Warwick used Victor Mature , Bonar Colleano , Anne Aubrey and Anthony Newley in several films. Other British film technicians getting their start at Warwick were future art director Syd Cain , story editor Peter Barnes and sound editor Alan Bell. Harold Huth
204-479: A cost of £6 million for Columbia Pictures. Warwick also arranged the shooting of several 30-minute films for television that would advertise Warwick's cinema releases. Mature had signed a two-picture deal with Warwick. After Safari he made Zarak (1956), a British Empire tale shot in Morocco, directed by Terence Young with Michael Wilding and Anita Ekberg . The film was profitable. Warwick's first non-action film
238-400: A life of crime. It was based on the 1953 novel of the same title by Max Catto . Master Sergeant Joe Lawrence ( Richard Widmark ) is stationed in occupied Berlin shortly after the end of World War II . He encounters a group of German orphans when one of them tries to steal his Jeep. Joe finds Maria ( Mai Zetterling ), one of the orphans' caretakers, very attractive. Maria is trying to take
272-592: A medieval swashbuckler directed by Tay Garnett. Both movies were a success and Columbia signed another three-picture contract with Warwick. Broccoli said in a 1954 interview: We're not making British pictures, but American pictures in Britain. We're trying to Americanize the actors' speech in order to make the Englishman understood down in Texas and Oklahoma – in other words, break down a natural resistance and get our pictures out of
306-447: The Bond properties. After several disagreements with Columbia Pictures, Warwick attempted to become independent distributors by taking over Eros Films an established British film distributor that distributed that film as well as Johnny Nobody . Allen and Broccoli went their separate ways with Broccoli forming Eon Productions with Harry Saltzman to film the Bond series using many of
340-475: The Nick (1960), also directed by Hughes. Newley also had support roles in two more traditional Warwick movies: The Bandit of Zhobe (1959), starring Victor Mature, directed by Gilling, using footage from Zarak ; and Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959) directed by Richard Thorpe, starring Robert Taylor. Many of these movies co starred Anne Aubrey . Warwick's last film of note was The Trials of Oscar Wilde (1960)
374-482: The airplane after only part of the bullion has been unloaded, and try to take off, only to crash into Alfie's car (used to light the runway) and burn. After the gang leave, the crewmen manage to get out unobserved. Thinking they have killed three men, Joe decides to return the gold and turn himself in. Roger and Dan agree. Alfie is regretting getting back into a life of crime, so Joe has no trouble letting him out, in exchange for £5000 to be given to Dan. Brian, who shot at
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#1732892076693408-544: The art houses and into the regular theatres. And we're doing it. Furthermore, we'll soon be shooting all over the world, bringing to the public the beauty and scope of the outdoors in new mediums – real backgrounds, but always with an American star. At this stage, Warwick's budgets were around $ 1 million a film with $ 200,000 allocated to the American star. Warwick's next three films for Columbia were A Prize of Gold , The Cockleshell Heroes and Safari (1956). All followed
442-432: The children to Brazil , where they can start life anew. It is being arranged by her employer, Hans Fischer, a very successful German contractor. Hans tells Joe not to return. After thinking it over, Joe disregards him and soon falls in love with Maria. Maria breaks up with Joe, but Joe persists. When he sees Maria returning home and reluctantly submitting to her boss's kisses, he fights with Hans, ending Hans's assistance with
476-410: The creation of Warwick Films was a combination of several economic factors in the 1950s. Their first film based on a best selling book was The Red Beret (1953), based on Operation Biting . Originally Warwick arranged to do a two-picture deal with RKO, but that fell through and the company signed with Columbia. Although the story was British, the producers decided to use an American star. Broccoli
510-526: The direction of Terence Young . The film cost US$ 700,000 to make and grossed US$ 8 million worldwide leading to more Warwick films. (It also began a collaboration between Maibaum, Young and Broccoli that would lead to the James Bond films). Warwick next two movies both featured Alan Ladd and were in the action genre directed by Americans: Hell Below Zero , a whaling drama based on a script by Hammond Innes , directed by Mark Robson; The Black Knight (1954),
544-427: The end of the year. In October 1957 Warwick announced they would shift from continuous production to a per-picture basis and let go many of their permanent staff. They said after No Time to Die they would have finished their seven film obligation to Columbia. Production on The Man Inside was pushed back. Warwick said Zarak was profitable but Fire Down Below grossed $ 750,000 short of the amount to break even. It
578-419: The escaping aircraft and has no qualms against murder, is the only obstacle. Alfie and Dan leave. When Brian wakes up, he does not like the new arrangement. In the ensuing fight, Roger falls to his death and Joe is knocked out. Joe comes to and chases Brian. In his desperation to get away (with a few gold bars), Brian ends up clinging to the edge of a rising drawbridge , finally losing his grip and plummeting into
612-479: The initial Warwick Films was Terence Young who not only directed several more films for the company but acted as an uncredited story editor for Warwick. The Red Beret also used Ted Moore as a camera operator and Bob Simmons as a stuntman who both would work on more Warwick productions as stunt man, stunt double and stunt arranger. Mark Robson directed several films for Warwick. John Gilling wrote and directed several Warwick films as did Ken Hughes . As
646-489: The low budget How to Murder a Rich Uncle (1957), starring and directed by Nigel Patrick. It was their first movie without an American star. High Flight (1957) was more traditional: an air force movie starring Ray Milland, directed by Gilling. So too was No Time to Die (1958) a war movie with Mature directed by Young. That was the last in a seven-picture deal Warwick had with Columbia. In February 1957 Warwick announced their relationship with Columbia would finish at
680-534: The other arty-farty boys are not. I just want to make pictures to make money. That is a rat race and you can't afford to be a rat in a rat race... If I'm not tough I'm going to have my brains eaten out. The art of surviving in this business is never to let on whether you've got fifty million bucks or fifty cents... I wouldn't see my own films. I've got more taste than that. Does Barbara Hutton buy her jewelry at Woolworths? "We're not making British pictures but American pictures in Britain", said Broccoli. The director of
714-467: The same crew from The Red Beret . In 1962, Warwick Films announced they would make two films with Joan Littlewood but this did not transpire. Irving Allen once espoused his philosophy behind filmmaking to a journalist in 1959: If somebody sends me a literate script do you know what I do with it? I throw it in the waste paper basket, that's what I do with it. I make films to appeal to the lowest common denominator. That's why I'm still in business while
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#1732892076693748-566: The security responsibility for the shipments with the British. Roger's uncle Dan puts them in touch with Alfie Stratton, a semi-retired crook who can dispose of the gold. Alfie insists that they use ex- RAF pilot Brian Hammell ( Nigel Patrick ), to protect his interests. The plan works up to a point. They hijack the C-47 and land at an abandoned airstrip in England. However, the crew manage to retake control of
782-618: The template of the first three films – action stories with American stars – with the additional element of being shot on location. A Prize of Gold (1955) was a thriller starring Richard Widmark and directed by Mark Robson, partly shot in Berlin. The Cockleshell Heroes (1955) was a war movie based on Operation Frankton filmed at RM establishments and in Portugal in 1955; the first British independent movie shot in CinemaScope, it starred Trevor Howard and José Ferrer , who also directed. It
816-419: The time. "When those two graphs meet you're out of business" Warwick sold its office business in central London, disposed of technical equipment and terminated staff contracts. Warwick adjusted its output during its final years. They made three lower-budgeted musical comedies starring Anthony Newley : Idol on Parade (1959), directed by John Gilling ; Jazz Boat (1960), directed by Ken Hughes ; and In
850-476: The travel arrangements. His buddy, British Military Police Sergeant Roger Morris ( George Cole ), has hinted about stealing part of a fortune in a recently discovered Reichsbank gold bullion being transferred to England via military transport in a series of four shipments. Joe plans a daring hijacking of the airplane, aided greatly by the fact that he works for the Air Provost Marshal , who shares
884-454: The water far below. When Joe is brought back to Berlin for his court-martial , he sees Maria and the orphans leaving for Brazil. Joan Regan sings the title song. Warwick bought film rights to the novel in April 1953 and originally announced they wanted Montgomery Clift for the lead. R.C. Sheriff was assigned the screenplay and Mark Robson , who had just made Hell Below Zero for Warwick,
918-442: Was Fire Down Below (1957), an adventure film starring Rita Hayworth , Robert Mitchum and Jack Lemmon , directed by Robert Parrish. The shoot was difficult, being plagued by problems with its mercurial star Rita Hayworth , and led to a temporary strain in their relationship with Columbia Pictures. At the end of 1956 it was announced Warwick would make thirteen films for a total of $ 18 million. Warwick made its first comedy,
952-468: Was a director of the company from 1956 onwards. Projects announced by Warwick but subsequently not made include: A Prize of Gold A Prize of Gold is a 1955 British Technicolor film noir crime film directed by Mark Robson partly filmed in West Berlin . The film stars Richard Widmark as a United States Air Force Air Police Master Sergeant motivated by love and compassion to begin
986-407: Was a former agent who knew that Alan Ladd had left Paramount Pictures over monetary disputes. Ladd and Sue Carol , his agent and wife agreed to a three-picture contract with Warwick Films on condition that Ladd's personal screenwriter Richard Maibaum co-write the films. The Red Beret was economically filmed with Parachute Regiment extras at their installations in England and Wales, under
1020-519: Was a science fiction story, The Gamma People (1956), but it still starred an American (Paul Douglas) and was shot on location (Austria). It was the first Warwick film in black and white. Warwick signed a new three-picture deal with Victor Mature. The first of this was Interpol (1957), an action thriller shot in Europe, which reunited Mature with Anita Ekberg, and co-starred Trevor Howard ; John Gilling directed. Warwick's biggest budgeted movie to date
1054-479: Was announced that Ladd would make three more films for the company, but he did not appear in another Warwick film. Two of the films were made with other actors, The Man Inside and Killers of Kilimanjaro . The Man Inside (1958) starred Jack Palance and Anita Ekberg and was directed by Gilling. Towards the end of 1959 Warwick announced they were reducing production to one film a year. "In five years costs have doubled and earnings have halved", said Allen at
Odongo - Misplaced Pages Continue
1088-403: Was expecting a man and doesn't want her there. The exotic animals Steve hunts and collects are precious to young native Odongo, who is employed by him. When another worker, Walla, is fired, he attacks Odongo, whose pet chimp comes to his rescue. Steve threatens to send the chimp to a zoo. Odongo misses on purpose during a safari when Steve orders him to shoot an impala. Steve also saves Pam from
1122-765: Was the first screenwriting credit for Bryan Forbes . The movie was very popular in Britain but not in America. Safari (1956) was set during the Mau Mau Rebellion , starring Victor Mature and Jennifer Leigh , directed by Terence Young. The movie was shot on location in Kenya. By this stage Columbia had agreed to finance additional movies from Warwick so it was decided to make Safari back to back with another adventure tale, Odongo (1956), starring MacDonald Carey and Rhonda Fleming , directed by John Gilling . In 1956, Warwick negotiated producing nine films in three years for
1156-596: Was to direct. Alan Ladd had made three films for Warwick and he was in discussions to play the lead as well. The movie was part of a new three-picture deal Warwick signed with Columbia (the others being The Cockleshell Heroes and Safari .) John Paxton was brought in to rewrite Sheriff's script. In early 1954 Richard Widmark signed to star opposite Nigel Patrick. Filming began in July 1954 and took place at Shepperton Studios in England, and on location in Germany. The budget
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