Gadsden County Times

Okefenokee Film

Coming to Leaf

With danger and possible death just seconds away, a Twentieth Century-Fox troupe of stars, cameramen and technicians spent 28 harrowing days in Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp for the sake of authenticity—the filming of 'Lure of the Wilderness,' the Technicolor outdoor adventure thriller which opens Sunday at the Leaf Theatre.

For the second time in less than two years, the first occasion being 'I'd Climb the Highest Mountain,' a Twentieth Century-Fox unit entered the Peach State for on-the-spot filming. Headed by stars Jean Peters, Jeffrey Hunter and Walter Brennan, the troupe set up headquarters at Waycross and entered the Okefenokee Swamp Park, one of the South's most beautiful and treacherous scenic wonders.

For while cameras recorded the proceedings, 12-foot bull alligators floated lazily on top—and under the black waters; poisonous cottonmouths and other deadly snakes slowly slithered through the soft muck as frogs, turtles, lizards, otters and black bears went about their age-old struggle for survival.

There are no trained or tamed animals in this vast 400,000 acre 'Land of the Trembling Earth,' so named by the Seminole Indians because the shrubs, grasses, reeds and trees have grown prolifically into a firm semi-floating island that will bear the weight of trespassers. The tread of human feet on this water-borne vegetation, however, stimulates land-wavers which cause the entire island to tremble and quiver.

To move about in the heavy, trailess swamp, the crew and players used long, narrow rowboats which were poled by boys who worked for the Okefenokee Swamp Park. For the special Technicolor cameras, the crew nailed together a wooden raft mounted on floating empty oil barrels. Filming became extremely hazardous as the swaying of the raft and an occasional nudge by an alligator threw the delicate instruments out of focus.

Standing guard over the proceedings was David A. Dalie, Okefenokee naturalist and wildlife director who, singlehandedly, has caught as many bull alligators and rattlesnakes as any man alive today. Dalie would stand erect in a small paddle boat, eyes alert, his right arm cradling a rifle, giving the stars the only protection available. Fortunately the only time Dalie's gun was used was when a bobcat tore after Hunter during one of the scenes.

Producer Robert L. Jacks, Associate Producer Robert D. Webb and Production Manager Sidney Bowen preceded the Hollywood troupe into the swamp by several weeks touring the innermost depths of the Okefenokee for the location sites. Through the co-operation of local citizens, the venture became a success and what never could be duplicated on a sound stage was placed on Technicolor film forever.