Wild Cargo (film)

Wild Cargo is a 1934 jungle adventure documentary starring Frank Buck. Buck depicts the ingenious methods by which he traps wild birds, mammals and reptiles. Many scenes were photographed on the vast Malayan estates of Buck's friend, Sultan Ibrahim of Johor, who appears in person in the film.[1]

Wild Cargo
Theatrical poster
Directed byArmand Denis
Produced byAmedee J. Van Beuren
Written byFrank Buck
Edward Anthony
Courtney Ryley Cooper (dialogue and narration)
StarringFrank Buck
Music byWinston Sharples
CinematographyLeroy G. Phelps, Nicholas Cavaliere
Edited bySam B. Jacobson
Distributed byRKO
Release date
  • April 6, 1934 (1934-04-06)
Running time
96 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Scenes

Among the scenes in the film are:

  • a python's escape from its box; Buck recaptures the giant snake.
  • a fight to the death between a black panther and a python in which the python comes off victorious
  • Buck traps a man-eating tiger
  • a python crawls in between the bars of a pig pen and swallows the pig; the snake has imprisoned itself, for with the pig inside it, it could not extricate itself from the pen
  • a python attacks Buck in the jungle, and Buck must shoot the huge snake to save his own life
  • a king cobra escapes from its box and attacks Buck

Behind the camera
Director Armand Denis (seated right) with RKO exhibitors and poster for Wild Cargo (ca. 1934)

Cameraman Leroy G. Phelps was nearly crippled by an infection he acquired after scratching himself on a poisonous renghus plant. Buck and Phelps were almost trampled by a herd of stampeding water buffalo; they were spared only when the animals changed direction at the last moment.[2]

Reception

According to The New York Times, "Although it may seem as though several incidents in the screen work were prearranged, they are nevertheless quite thrilling."[3]

The film earned RKO a profit of $100,000.[4] The film was a box office disappointment for RKO.[5]

References
  1. SULTAN TO VIEW FILM AT RKO. Los Angeles Times, May 10, 1934 p. 15
  2. Wesley S. Griswold. "Stalking Asia's fiercest wildlife with a movie camera involved New Haven photographer in thrilling adventures". Hartford Courant, April 8, 1934, p. D1
  3. "The Screen". Mordaunt Hall. The New York Times, March 30, 1934
  4. Richard Jewell & Vernon Harbin, The RKO Story. New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House, 1982. p. 72

Bibliography
  • Lehrer, Steven (2006). Bring 'Em Back Alive: The Best of Frank Buck. Texas Tech University press. p. 248. ISBN 0-89672-582-0.
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