20th Century-Fox Dynamo (April 1950)

AMERICAN GUERRILLA IN THE PHILIPPINES A True Romantic Drama In the Philippine Islands today is a troupe of several scores of tech- nicians and players from the 20th Century-Fox studios—busy transferring into a screenplay one of the most widely-discussed novels of the decade— “American Guerrilla In The Philippines”. This true story, about a naval lieutenant who lived four years behind the Japanese lines with Philippine guerrillas, is being produced on a lavish scale—and in Technicolor. It is another true-life story, for this American became a one-man army who fell desperately in love with a courageous French girl. The story, written by Ira Wolfret, a Pulitzer Prize winner, is about Lieut. I. D. Richardson, USNR, of jungle life during war; about people who, in their own fumbling, human, tired and timid way, proved invincible. For five years the studio has been preparing to picture this amazing drama. Now with the co-operation of the U.S. and Philippine Islands’ -oper governments, it is filming “American Guerrilla In The Philippines” exactly e the story took place. Lamar Trotti not only adapted the best-selling I, but also is producing the screenplay that Fritz Lang is directing. Present plans call for “American Guerrilla In The Philippines” being one of the major screen events of 1951. Several months wil filming this production. be consumed in “American Guerrilla In The Philippines” is the first motion picture to be shot in its entirety on an actual battle locale. The picture will be photographed on the far-flung Luzon islands. Elsewhere in this issue is published an on-the-scene report from Manila, P.I., of the vast material transported to the Philippines aboard the S. S. President Harrison, and other facts of interest to showmen anent production of this important picture. Filipino guerrilla leaders, including Col. Ruperto Kangleon", now Philippine Islands’ Secretary of National Defense, are serving as technical advisors on details of the dramatic episode. The national and local Govern- ments are co-operating. Facilities of Manila’s six major film studios have been placed at the disposal of Director Lang. It is estimated that some 1100 extras will be pressed into service. In fact, specialists from Movietone City have been ferrying between Manila and the studios for the past eight months completing various arrangements in the Philippines. The Manila Hotel has been set up as company head- quarters. Harry Jackson, one of Hollywood’s abler cinematographers, is photo- graphing “American Guerrilla In The Philippines”. In addition to Powers and Miss Prelle, other principals include Tom Ewell, Jack Elam and Tommy Cook. However, there are some 32 principal parts in this dramatic story that is expected to take a little more than two months to film in Luzon. With “Rawhide and The Black Rose completed, Tyrone Power currently is working in a picturization of another best-selling novel, “American Guerrilla In The Philippines”. Power plays the fascinating role of Lieut. I. David Richardson, who did murderous odd chores around Bataan, Corregidor, Cebu and Mindano, striking against Jap warships, transports and landing barges—and for otherwise fighting the Japs behind the lines with Philippine guerrillas—and finding time to fall in love with the daughter of Leyte’s first families, a French girl. Micheline Prelie, famed for her performance in "Devil In The Flesh” and who more recently appeared opposite John Garfield in “Under My Skin”, is co-starred as the brave French girl with whom the American one-man army falls in love.