Elephant Walk (1954)

The young bride of a rich planter finds herself the only white woman at Elephant Walk tea plantation, British Ceylon.

Director:

William Dieterle

Writers:

Robert Standish (novel), John Lee Mahin

Stars:

Elizabeth Taylor, Dana Andrews, Peter Finch

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Elizabeth Taylor	...	Ruth Wiley
Dana Andrews	...	Dick Carver
Peter Finch	...	John Wiley
Abraham Sofaer	...	Appuhamy
Abner Biberman	...	Dr. Pereira
Noel Drayton	...	Planter Atkinson
Rosalind Ivan	...	Mrs. Lakin
Barry Bernard	...	Planter Strawson
Philip Tonge	...	Planter John Ralph
Edward Ashley	...	Planter Gordon Gregory
Leo Britt	...	Planter Chisholm
My Lee Haulani	...	Rayna (as Mylee Haulani)
Madhyma Lanka Nritya Mandala Dancers	...	Dancers

Storyline

Colonial tea planter John Wiley, visiting England at the end of World War II, wins and weds lovely English rose Ruth and takes her home to Elephant Walk, Ceylon, where the local elephants have a grudge against the plantation. Ruth's delight with the tropical wealth and luxury of her new home is tempered by isolation as the only white woman in the district; by her husband's occasional imperious arrogance; by a mutual physical attraction with plantation manager Dick Carver; and by the hovering, ominous menace of the hostile elephants...

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Plot Keywords:

animal rampage | plantation | tea | ceylon | tea plantation | 

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Taglines:

One man claimed the land. Two men claimed the woman who lived there.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 April 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

Elefantenpfad

Filming Locations:

Kiri Vihara, Polonnaruwa, North Central Province, Sri Lanka

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$3,000,000, 31 December 1954

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Paramount's last 1.37:1 production. Future films from Paramount would either be shot in 1.37:1 and composed for Widescreen presentation, or shot in Widescreen and composed for Widescreen presentation.

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Goofs

When trying to leave Elephant Walk in their vehicle, Dick Carver and Ruth Wiley are stopped at a gate with a quarantine warning sign due to a cholera outbreak. Immediately after, they are shown still driving and having to stop again due to the roadblock.

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Quotes

Dick Carver: Old Tom Wiley still rules Elephant Walk even from his grave.

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Connections

Featured in Edith Head: The Paramount Years (2002)

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Soundtracks

Many Dreams Ago
Music by Franz Waxman
Lyrics by Mack David

User Reviews

Impressions of a Nine-Year-Old

My parents took me to this movie when I was nine years old. I have never forgotten it. I had never before seen anything as beautiful as Elizabeth Taylor. (She was twenty-two when she made Elephant Walk) Remember, I'm nine, so the feelings aren't sexual, I just couldn't see anything else on the screen. I just wanted to sit at her feet like a puppy and stare up at her. She has begun to show her age, (She's almost seventy-four) but I still believe her to be one of the most beautiful and breathtaking women to ever have lived.

I have seen the movie several times since, and it is a sappy melodrama. What saves it is, of course, Miss Taylor's beauty, magnificent scenery, the very impressive elephant stampede, and a well-made point on human arrogance in the face of nature.

All in all, a well-spent couple of hours watching the movie channel or a rented video.