‘The Mosquito Bowl’: How a Parrot Proved to Be Peter Berg’s Biggest Challenge
Peter Berg said a trained parrot became the biggest practical challenge during filming of “The Mosquito Bowl”, his film about four college football players called to serve in the US Marines during the Second World War. A scene based on Buzz Bissinger’s book required actor Ray Nicholson’s character to pose with a parrot, but the bird flew into the jungle as soon as Berg called “Action”, briefly halting the shoot.
The film was shot in Queensland, Australia, where the crew had difficulty finding a suitable parrot. Four handlers accompanied the bird and controlled the scene, asking the crew to stay silent while it settled. After it flew into a 100-foot tree, the team spent several hours locating and coaxing it down; a string was then tied to its leg, and they completed the shot.
In short
- A parrot flew away during a key scene in Peter Berg’s film.
- The bird landed in a 100-foot tree in the Queensland jungle.
- Filming resumed after handlers brought it back down.
Explained simply
During the Second World War, the US Marines fought in the Pacific against Japanese forces. College football players were among those who joined the Marines, leaving their studies and sport for military service.
Buzz Bissinger’s book The Mosquito Bowl tells the story of four such players and a football game played by Marines in the Pacific. Peter Berg’s film adaptation was shot in Queensland, Australia, where the crew recreated parts of that wartime setting.