RIVER CRUISER HELPS FILM UNIT OUT

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 67, 11 December 1937, Page 10

RIVER CRUISER HELPS FILM UNIT OUT

Last year, when Sonnie Hale and Jessie Matthews went on a cruise to Rio, they met on board Mr. Hagg, a well-known aircraffc designer. For the first tinie since their brief aequaintanee they met again when Sonnie Hale was making the river sequences for Jessie 's latest film, ' 'Sailing Along." The loeation was the lovely lock at Mapledurham,, and one of the shots required the closed lockgates as a baekground. As Sonnie was about to "shoot," the gates opened and a magnificent river cruiser came through. Sonnie motioned them out of the shot, but mistaking his gesticulations they pulled iu. lu a moment Sonnie and Jessi^ recognised the helmsman and shouted "Hyah Rio." Mr. Hagg was invited ashore, watehed several shots, and had lunch with the unit. In the afternoon it was necessary to tow the "star" barge Wiltshire past the lovely full-flowing weir to provide a moving baekground for Jessie 's danee. The river tug was ordered to start towing, but she reported a damaged carburetter beyond repair until the morning. Sonnie and his erew were frantic. No other tug was available, the long-awaited sun was shining, cameras and sound recording equipment were ready, but the Wiltshire was as immovable as the Rock of Gigraltar, hidden from the sun by a great elm. Help came from Mr. Hagg, who put his £3000 motor cruiser Sylpth at Sonnie 's disposal. Sonnie gratefully accepted, and until the sun went down the shore spectators witnessed the spectaele of the Sylph towing up and down thp two chosen miles of Thames scenery an ungainly brick-barge with Jessie Matthews dancing gracefully on its deek, a barge laden with cameras and microphones, and another with a l,5000w. generator in its hold.