Some observers claim that Gunga Din has become the source of inspiration for many of the plot lines in the Indiana Jones films, as well as the “Temple of Doom.” The motif of "The Other” lives on.
A light-hearted remake of Gunga Din was shot in 1962 with Rat Pack where Sammy Davis, Jr. had the “Gunga Din” part, played in the 1939 RKO original by Sam Jaffe, a New York stage actor.
Howard Hawks was originally slated to direct Gunga Din but later on replaced with George Stevens since RKO thought that Hawks would take too long to shoot and spend to much money on production. However, Gunga Din turned out to be the most expensive movie RKO studios ever produced.
In all fairness, however, it should also be mentioned that the film which cost a whopping $1.9 mil to produce also broke the box office record in 1939 by pulling in $3.1 mil in ticket receipts.
Here are some famous movies that Gunga Din left in its dust that year in terms of money earned: The Wizard of Oz (featuring Judy Garland), Ninotchka (Greta Garbo) and Goodbye Mr Chips (Robert Donat). The only film that could beat Gunga Din in earnings was Jesse James (Tyrone Power, Henry Fonda, Randolp Scott).
The film was shot at Lone Pines, California, near Mount Whitney, where there is a movie museum today. Fifteen hundred actors and extras camped out for over 3 months for the shooting. The soil was painted by 26,000 gallons of crude oil to make it look like the harsh Indian landscape of the Kyhber Pass.
Ugur Akinci is a writer with 20 years of experience. Visit his web site http://www.writer111.com for more information.
Source: www.ezinearticles.com
