A number of folk in the Bounds and Oakland communities have gotten involved in the production of the film version of William Faulkner’s short story, “Tomorrow,” one of the famous Mississippi author’s lesser known short stories.
The filming was expected to take about six weeks. but heavy rains may have delayed the outside scenes somewhat. People along the “Ala-Sippi” line are probably hoping it will last a long time. as it isn’t every day an honest-to goodness Hollywood-type movie is made in this “neck of the woods.”
A certain amount of confusion in making a movie is expected by almost everyone, but most of the local spectators have been so confused by it all that they had trouble believing the To morrow Company knew what was going on, either.
When anyone has as much money tied up in a venture as the producers, Gilbert Pearlman and Paul Roebling, do in this film (even though it’s a so-called “low budget” picture) it’s quite likely he’ll know what’s going on.
Our helpful guide on the location was Miss Ellen Anthony, who explained that the company would shoot as many scenes as possible at the same location before moving their heavy and cumbersome equipment.
“This morning, for instance,” she said, “we might film a 1905 scene at this spot, then work over the same area and shoot a 1927 scene this afternoon.”
While we were at the “Peckerwood Sawmill” scene on the T. C. (Chess) Russell farm In the Bounds community, they filmed two scenes that were completely unrelated. They even paused once to record the sound of a strong wind in the pine trees.
The scenes were being filmed and recorded on tape at the same time. One scene required the shooting of the entire scene from one side, then moving the camera to the other side and doing it all over so the faces of both parties in the conversation could be shown.
Sawyer Russell, whose mill is being used, will operate the mill but not have a speaking part himself as Dr. Benners Vail. Jr., former Tupelo meat inspector and one-time Bay resident, plays the part of the sawmill man.
The producers even changed the name of the character in the film to Chess Russell, Vail said, because it seemed to fit so much better than Faulkner’s name, Ben Quick. (We seem to recall this was the name of the male lead in another Faulkner story, “The Long Hot Summer.”)
“Tomorrow” is the story of a cotton farmer who worked at a “peckerwood” sawmill in the early 1900s. Later scenes take place in the ’20s, though reportedly. A Bay source reports that the small steam engines used gave peckerwood sawmills their name.
In addition to the Russell sawmill scenes, other scenes will be shot at an old store building in the Oakland community, owned by Mrs. Ida Chamblee, at the Oakland Community Center and at the old abandoned courthouse at Jacinto in Alcorn County, Miss. Studio scenes will reportedly be shot in New York, rather than Hollywood.
Local people having parts in the film include Fulton Postmaster F. G. Wiygul, Mr. and Mrs. Arlie Graham, Mrs. Hubert Timmons, all of Fulton. “Pop” Franks of Booneville is the only local player to have a speaking part, reportedly. Another Booneville man, Max L. Harris, performed for the camera with his yoke of Ayrshire oxen the day we were present.
Star of the show is Robert Duvall of New York, Miss Anthony told us. We found it hard to think of him as a movie star, however, in his backwoods costume and nearly a week’s growth of beard. Producer Roebling’s wife, Olga, was to be the female star.
We haven’t found out when the producers expect to release the movie or where the world premier will be held. Our vote is for “Ala-Sippi,” though, for the latter event.
