Suva Watches Making

Of O'keefe Film

From The Public Relations Weekly Bulletin.

The Customs House, Suva

was transformed on Sunday, July 20, into the manager’s office of a nineteenth century Hong Kong bank. The occasion was the film ing of the first scenes of His Majesty O’Keefe, which Warner Bros.—First National Productions Ltd,, are mak ing in Fiji.

Burt Lancaster, who plays the part of Captain O’Keefe, was promi nent in each scene. Paddy Mulelly, well-known to Suva repertory audi ences, played the part of the bank manager; while Bob Craigie (in normal life accountant at the Suva , branch of the Bank of New South Wales) was the assistant manager, complete with black alpaca coat, wing-collar and side-whiskers.

Other members of the staff of Suva banks were similarly trans formed and played the part of clerks in the Hong Kong bank. A group of Suva Chinese led by George Houng Lee, and several local Indian residents, in long coats and turbans, provided a colourful background to the scene. John Jackson, Bob Farquhar, Rick Morris and Graham Woods were among the Bank’s cus tomers.

An oil lamp stood on one of the desks; and, in vivid contrast, out of range of the Technicolour camera, were great arc lights, each with its own attendant. A microphone, sus pended from a heavy boom, picked up the actor’s words.

The camera and its associated equipment, weighing in all, four tons, moved along rails on the floor.

Heavy power lines led to a mobile generator parked on the road out side.

Trucks with canvas covers acted as dressing rooms, or contained cases of equipment.

A small army of men and women swarmed over the scene to be filmed, and among the equipment inside and outside the Customs House. Make up assistants mopped the perspira tion that found its way through the actor’s make-up.

In the streets outside, and on the Garrick Hotel verandah across the road, crowds of Suva people stood all day to watch the unfamiliar scene.

At the usual time the following morning, the Customs staff were once more back at their normal desks, and the banking signs in

English, Chinese and Hindustani had been replaced by the familiar notices about Customs matters.

However, the shooting of the film went on, first at C. B. Hari’s shop in Renwick Road, where Hugh Mc- Lardy, as a Hong Kong tailor, fitted out O’Keefe with uniforms.

Activity then moved to the Grand Pacific Hotel, where a part of the

verandah had become a wayside cafe.

Here James Crawford and Niranjan Singh, as the two wealthy Indians, discussed with O’Keefe the terms on which he might charter a ship.

Later, O’Keefe had more discus sions, this time with an unscrupulous trader who wanted him to traffic in opium. These discussions took place in Williams and Gosling’s office, transformed for the time being into a shipping establishment of the Hong Kong of the last century.

While filming was proceeding in Suva, work was going ahead on the big sound stage at Deuba, east of Suva. At Galoa, the young men’s

council-house, a giant structure by Fijian housing standards, is taking shape. At Walu Bay, workmen under Mr. Alex Bentley’s direction are spending long hours converting a Public Works Department barge into a most realistic-looking junk. Off the Navua coast, Fijians are re hearsing the scenes in which the

canoes which were brought specially from Lau are to be used. Arrange ments are being made for Fijian dances for the film.

Over 70 people are being em ployed on full-time work in connec tion with the film and there are numerous casual labourers and part time employees.