Cooling off at the End of the Day
Mogambo was shot in a variety of locations in Africa, and the heat weather affected everyone. By the end of the day, the cast and crew were drenched in sweat, and Ava Gardner chose to decompress and relax by taking a bath. She had one of the local lads fill up her canvas tub so she could wash outside, but this did not sit well with the British Colonial administration in charge. Modesty was obviously crucial in their environment, and they were upset that Gardner would take a bath in public. Rather than listening to their protests, she proceeded to bathe openly as her own kind of protest. Gardner was known for refusing to be told what to do.
Cooling Off At The End Of The Day
Gardner and the Elephant
One memorable scene in Mogambo is when the baby elephant pushes Gardner, who lands in a puddle of mud. It turns out that this was not scripted and was caused by the elephant misbehaving. Gardner was not pleased with her fall, even if it looked wonderful on camera. Gardner called for assistance, anticipating some crew members to rush to her aid. However, director John Ford was determined to torture Gardner and instructed the crew to disregard her calls for assistance. Cruel as it was, it made for fantastic cinema, so there may have been a method to Ford’s madness.
Gardner And The Elephant