South Yorkshire Times March 31, 1951
No Conisbro’ Filming
Studio Castle “Ivanhoe Will Be Shot At Elstree
The filming by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer of Scott’s Ivanhoe will start at Elstree Studios, near London, at the end of June. But the cameras will not go anywhere near Conisbrough Castle around which the opening chapters of Scott’s novel were woven. An imposing “castle” has been constructed on the sets at the London studios under the direction of Alfred Junger, art director and holder of a Rosa Academy award.
Mr. Junger received widespread praise for his work on another British film success, ” The Black Narcissus”
Filming
Local Locations
I spoke to Elstree by special phone call on Wednesday. Mr Paul Mills, Publicity Director there, referred enthusiastically to the careful work on the castle scenes. The studio “castle” has been built for some time, and Mr Junger has been guided by the architecture of Torquilstone Castle, which also has a place in “Ivanhoe.”
Mr. Mills confirmed that there would be no location work at Conisbrough. “If there are any locations they will be done locally,” he said, and added that although Scott gave place-names it was only assumed that action took place where it did.
Mr Mills also scotched rumours, that Michael Wilding had been cast in the film. The only definite casting to date is that of Robert Taylor as “Ivanhoe.” and the other star is to be Deborah Kerr.
The rest of the enormous cast—which will be in the region of 700 –will be British.
In Technicolor
The Technicolor film will be a full length feature lasting probably 90 minutes or two hours. But for casting difficulties the film would have been made last year.
This will be one of the major British film productions of the year, and for scenery should rank among the most spectacular of post-war releases. Producing the film is Pandro S. Berman, with Richard Thorpe as director.
Camera Note.
Despite M.G.M.’s decision to by-pass the Castle, American cameras were turning on it over the Easter week-end. Cine cameras were exploring every corner of the Keep and “stills” were taken, too. The photographers were not film cameramen, however—just a number of American tourists visiting South Yorkshire.