Booloo
Cast & Crew
Clyde E. Elliott
Colin Tapley
Jayne Regan
Michio Ito
Herbert Desouza
Fred Pullen
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Captain Robert Rogers of the British Army has written a book called Booloo about the fatal expedition of his father, General the Honorable Leslie Rogers, among the Sakai tribes of the Malayan jungles. Leslie Rogers had set out to prove the existence of a white tiger called "Booloo," which the Sakai believe holds the spirit of their god. As described in Robert's book, a Sakai religious ceremony involves the sacrifice of a beautiful virgin to the tiger each year. General Rogers was killed by the Sakai, who shoot poison arrows into their enemies, killing them instantly. Upon publication of Robert's book, the Imperial Exploration Society of London dishonors the memory of his father, so Robert goes to the Malayan jungles to prove "Booloo" exists, leaving behind his fiancée, Kate Jaye. In Singapore, Robert meets his father's guide, Rod DeSouza, then travels to the last army outpost, where he promises to communicate via his wireless radio. He departs down the river and recedes into the dangerous Sakai territory. Posing as a hunter, Robert gets permission to set up camp and spends months trapping wild animals with the help of a group of native men. Finally, one of his men spots the mysterious and elusive white tiger, but is killed, along with DeSouza, with Sakai darts. The Sakai then disconnect Robert's radio and his men desert him. The army sends a half-company of men to rescue Robert, while he witnesses preparations for the sacrifice of the virgin. A girl is chosen by the Sakai chief and placed in a cage as bait for "Booloo." Robert gallantly intervenes and saves her, but is himself wounded by the tiger as he escapes. The Sakai arrive at the cage and pay homage to the tiger, then release him. "Booloo" nearly attacks the girl, but Robert shoots it dead, then is taken prisoner by the Sakai, who are about to kill him when the army arrives. When the soldiers shoot the Sakai chief, the tribe disperses, and Robert and the girl are saved. In London, General Rogers' name is exhonerated and Kate and Robert embrace.
Director
Clyde E. Elliott
Cast
Colin Tapley
Jayne Regan
Michio Ito
Herbert Desouza
Fred Pullen
Mamo Clark
Claude King
William Stack
Ivan Simpson
Lionel Pape
John Sutton
Clive Morgan
Colin Kenny
Napier Raikes
Phil Smalley
Jimmy Aubrey
Ah Hoe
Leyland Hodgson
Mel Forrester
Bruce Wong
Crew
Carl Berger
Wilfred Deming
Clyde E. Elliott
Clyde E. Elliott
Don Johnson
Zoltan Kegl
William Lebaron
Boris Morros
Henry Sharp
Eda Warren
Robert E. Welsh
Ben Wetzler
Adolph Zukor
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The title card for this film includes the subtitle, "The Epic of a Hunting Expedition into the Malayan Jungle." An early plot summary of the film in Motion Picture Herald's "In the Cutting Room" column indicates that "Robert" saved the virgin's life and made her his slave (according to custom). She then falls in love and marries her own kind, at which time "Robert" releases her, then sets about to capture the tiger. This film was shot on location in the Malayan jungles north of Singapore. After filming there for more than six months, producer Clyde Elliott checked into the Paramount studios on March 19, 1938 with his Booloo unit to complete production. On July 1, 1938, Hollywood Reporter reports that photographer Carl Berger returned to Hollywood from a fourteen-month safari, a year of which he spent photographing this film.
