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Rialto Theater 80 Forsyth Street NW, Atlanta, GA

3D Presentation.

Seventy years ago on April 22, 1954, United Artists SOUTHWEST PASSAGE had its gala world premiere at the 833 seat Rialto Theatre in Atlanta, GA. Available to exhibitors in either 3-D or flat versions, most theatres presented the flat version - Bob Furmanek President and Founder at 3-D Film Archive, LLC

SOUTHWEST PASSAGE had a VERY limited 3-D release in 1954. Originally it was photographed stereoscopically in widescreen Natural Vision by Sam Leavitt.

This rare 3D feature was lost for many years. The missing reels of the right side camera negative were discovered in March 2018 at an abandoned film laboratory in Italy by Darren Gross at M-G-M Studios. Kino Lorber has secured the license and we will be restoring this lost Natural Vision gem in the near future.

The story - Edward Beale (Rod Cameron) and his caravan are en route to California as part of the U.S. Cavalry’s initiative to utilize camels as cargo carriers for desert treks. Beale and his men join up with an escaped bank robber, Clint McDonald (John Ireland), who is impersonating a doctor. When one of Beale’s men discovers McDonald’s fraud, he blackmails the thief for a share of the bank loot. But then a far more menacing threat emerges in the form of American Indian warriors.

3D- If you hadn’t figured out that this was originally shot in 3D, you’ll soon catch-on during the climatic showdown between the Indians and Cameron’s survey party, because everything under the sun is tossed directly at viewers.

Of interest - SOUTHWEST PASSAGE was shown flat in Britain under the title Camels West.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -