The is one from later in the decade – Cinemascope and Metrocolor – set in the Amazon jungle. What a storyline – the sort that really appeals to me. It comes from the biggest studio MGM and the budget certainly looks as though a lot went into the making of the film even though the Box Office performance was poor.

It stars Anthony Perkins and Audrey Hepburn and is directed by her husband Mel Ferrer

In the October 10th 1959 edition of ‘Picturegoer’ magazine, the review was non too complimentary see it, just see the exciting and colourful trailer below.

The review says that the colour photography in the jungle is stunning – it seems though that a lot of the outdoor scenes were done back in Hollywood.

This is old-style Hollywood, matinee magic in CinemaScope, with the added wonder of Stereophonic sound. How we loved that

MGM spent over one million dollars (a great deal of money in 1959) getting shots of South America to mix in with the main filming done on MGM’s back lot. The mixing in of the shots is well done

Guyana – The opening credits are set against the background of the mighty Kaieteur falls and the Kanuku mountains.

The Author of the original book, W.H. Hudson was also a naturalist and ornithologist by trade and had the advantage over Conan Doyle because he knew about the locations he wrote about. The film has some lush photography and in fact was shot on location in Venezuela. In fact it opens with a view of Angel Falls, one of the great natural wonders of the world.

As regards the cast, Audrey Hepburn is at her most mysterious and bewitching. No one else could have possibly played Rima with the charm tinged with mystery that Audrey, at her most radiant, brings to the role. Then, there’s Henry Silva as a virile, villainous Indian.

ABOVE – Lee J Cobb and Anthony Perkins

Anthony Perkins and Audrey Hepburn ABOVE

Just watch the film as a stand-alone entity, brimming with gorgeous scenery and two very fine and apt performances

Anthony Perkins is a great ,and Audrey’s performance is magical. The story is so enchanting and deserves much more credit than it has been given. It was thrilling and romantic giving the audience a sense of hope in the ending of the film.

Green mansions deserves to be released on DVD ,hopefully with special features such as a biography on the late Anthony Perkins ,and commentary on the book.