Thunder in the East (1951 film)


Thunder in the East is a 1951 war drama film released by Paramount Pictures, and directed by Charles Vidor, based on novel Rage of the Vulture by Alan Moorehead.

Synopsis

The film is set in 1947 after India has gained its independence from Britain. Steve Gibbs , an American arms dealer, flies into a small Indian state intending to sell weapons to a local maharajah whose capital is facing an attack from a bandit army. He is opposed by the maharajah's prime minister, who is a proponent of Mohandas Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence. He also falls in love with a blind woman.

Cast

The film was based on Alan Moorehead's debut novel The Rage of the Vulture, published in 1948. Moorehead got the idea for the novel after travelling through India in 1947.
The film rights were bought by Charles Vidor who sold them on to Paramount with himself attached as director. Alan Ladd was assigned to star with Robert Fellows to produce. Filming was postponed, however so Ladd could make Red Mountain. This meant Fellows dropped out and Everett Riskin became producer. "We have a tremendously large cast, fine settings as well as a splendid story", said Riskin.
Luther David was borrowed from MGM to write the script; then it was rewritten by Jo Swerling. Riskin was anxious to avoid offence to the British and Indians, and the novel was significantly altered.
James Mason and Alida Valli were discussed as possible co stars for Ladd. Paramount ended up borrowing Deborah Kerr from MGM to play the female lead and borrowing Corinne Calvet from Hal Wallis to support. Charles Boyer signed for the role of a Nehru-like politician; he had played a Japanese in a 1934 French film called Thunder in the East.
Shooting started on 26 March 1951.

Release

The release of the movie was delayed until 1953, in part because Alan Ladd had decided to leave Paramount and the studio wanted to spread out release of his final films for them.