The Green Hell (Kautschuk)

Original Poster

Country	Germany
Directed by	Eduard von Borsody
Release Date	1938
Language	German Portuguese English
Studio	Universum Film

Main Cast
Character	Actor
Henry Wickham	René Deltgen
Don Alonzo de Ribeira	Gustav Diessl
Mary Waverley	Vera von Langen
Consul Waverley	Herbert Hubner
José	José Alcantara
Captain Murray	Hans Nielsen
The Governor of Para	Walter Franck

The Green Hell (Kautschuk ("Natural Rubber")) is a 1938 German B&W adventure movie directed by Eduard von Borsody and loosely based on the real story of Henry Wickham, British adventurer who illegally exported a large shipment of Brazilian rubber seeds to the British Empire in 1876, which allowed for the creation of rubber plantations in British colonies and brought an end to the Brazilian monopoly on natural rubber. The story of Wickham's expedition is supplemented with a subplot concerning a rivalry with the richest Brazilian planter for the heart of the daughter of the British Consul.

The following weapons were used in the film The Green Hell (Kautschuk):

Revolvers

Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless

Henry Wickham's (René Deltgen) sidearm is a Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless revolver. During the encounter with a large pack of caimans, the revolver switches to a Smith & Wesson Military & Police due to a continuity error.

Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless "Lemon Squeezer" - .38 S&W. The screen gun has shorter barrel, likely 3.5 or 4 inch.

The grip of Wickham's holstered revolver is seen.

Wickham fires at caimans.

He reloads the revolver.

Another view of the S&W Hammerless revolver. In the next scene, it switches to an M&P revolver.

Smith & Wesson Military & Police

During the encounter with a large pack of caimans, Wickham's Safety Hammerless revolver switches to an anachronistic Smith & Wesson Military & Police.

Smith & Wesson Model M&P Revolver with 6.5" barrel and gold medallion grips - .38 Special

Wickham fires at caimans. This scene, being very different in quality and showing real caimans being hit by gunshots, may be taken from a documentary about the Amazon, made by Franz und Edgar Eichhorn in the 1930s.

Wickham reloads the revolver.

One of the cartridges sticks, so Wickham cannot close the cylinder and has to use the buttstock of his unloaded rifle against the caimans.

Reichsrevolver M1879

When José, a plantation worker, kills another worker in a fight and goes on the run, two of the overseers fire Reichsrevolver M1879 revolvers. Reichsrevolver M1879s are also used by Brazilian officers in Fort Ambe. This revolver is anachronistic for 1876 and very alien for Brazil.

Reichsrevolver M1879 Revolver - 10.6x25R

Two men in center hold Reichsrevolvers.

Another view of the same scene.

The grip of the revolver is seen in the overseer's holster during the chase after José.

A Brazilian Army officer demonstrates his marksmanship, firing at a target that he watches in the mirror.

A Reichsrevolver in the hands of a drunk officer.

The officer holds his revolver in a very reckless way, with the muzzle to his head and the finger on the trigger.

Unidentified revolvers

Don Alonzo de Ribeira (Gustav Diessl) carries a revolver in a holster. Only a part of the grip is seen. It resembles the grip of Wickham's Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless so it may be the same prop reused.

The grip of Don Alonzo's holstered revolver is seen.

Pistols

Chatellerault Cavalry Model 1822

In the same scene, Percussion Cap Pistols are seen in the hands of two overseers, shooting after the fleeing José. One of the pistols is definitely a Chatellerault Cavalry Model 1822 while another one looks similar except for minor details, like the shape of the barrel band, and may be a commercial version of the Cavalry pistol.

Chatellerault Model 1822 T Percussion Cavalry Pistol - .69 cal

A man at the foreground cocks the hammer of his percussion cap pistol. This is a Model 1822 Cavalry pistol.

Another overseer at the background right also holds a percussion cap pistol. It looks very similar except for the barrel band.

The overseer at the foreground places the percussion cap on the nipple while the man at the background cocks the hammer.

The percussion cap pistol is seen in holster of one of the men, accompanying Don Alonzo de Ribeira.

Another view of the pistol in holster.

Rifles

Mauser Karabiner 1871

During the adventures in the Amazon jungles, Henry Wickham (René Deltgen) uses a Mauser Karabiner 1871. Don Alonzo de Ribeira (Gustav Diessl) and his men also use Karabiner 1871s when they hunt for Wickham.

Mauser Karabiner 1871 - 11x60mmR

Wickham fires at the native tribe warriors.

The carbine is in Wickham's lap.

Wickham fires at caimans.

José (José Alcantara) fires Wickham's carbine.

Don Alonzo holds a carbine.

He hands the gun to one of his men.

Wickham loads his carbine.

He takes the gun and fires into the air to signal to the British ship.

Mauser Gewehr 1871

Brazilian soldiers are armed with Mauser Gewehr 1871 Infantry rifles. Some bayonets used on the rifles look more like Model 1898 bayonets.

Mauser Gewehr 1871 - 11x60mmR. This is the infantry rifle variant.

Several Mauser 1871 rifles are seen in the gun rack at the left. A soldier on the pier also holds a rifle (only the buttstock can be seen) while Don Alonzo holds a Karabiner 1871.

A rifle with bayonet is seen at the right.

The rifle in the hands of a soldier at the left is fitted with a Model 1898 bayonet. Note the long, slender blade and the crosspiece that is different from Model 1871 (it can be seen a little further).