Film Persona

  John Ford's "The Iron Horse" After the massive success "The Covered Wagon" had in 1923, studios were itching to make another great American Historical Epic centering on the Old West. The construction of these types of films required, not only a great budget, but lots of extras, many moving pieces, and a vision that encompassed the large scale of the Old West. Because of this, skilled leadership was crutial. The president of Fox Film Corporation, William Fox, enlisted a 29 year old director to helm such an undertaking. Many might scoff at the president choosing such a young talent, but this 29 year old had already made more than 50 films. This level of expertise and mastery over the film medium had impressed the studio, so they felt assured the production was in good hand. The 29 year old's name was John Ford, and his direction of " The Iron Horse " would become the ignition point for a renowned filmmaking career. Dispite his 50 films prior, which...

  Marcel L'Herbier's "L'Inhumaine" In 1923, French filmmaker Marcel L'Herbier's life began to collapse after he suffered from a bout of typhoid. His recent film, " Resurrection ," was a financial failure and caused him to go into an economic depression. L'Herbier was known for being an avant-garde theorist of filmmaking, handling creative ventures that no one had seen before. Because of his well-known artistic stature, an opera singer named Georgette Leblanc, reached out to her friend L'Herbier, and offered to help produce his next film, with the help of American financers. The two ended up creating the 1924 film, " L'Inhumaine ," which encompassed the mass artistic convergence of the popular modernist art forms at the time.  The plot of the film is simple. Many critics of the film consider the plot too simple, in fact, and point to the plot as being the film's primary weakness. The protagonist, played by Leblanc, is a f...

  Ernst Lubitsch's "Rosita" By 1923, Mary Pickford had become an international sensation. She had spent a decade being America's Sweetheart, playing in starring roles across film screens everywhere. On top of this, she had become a very powerful producer in Hollywood, producing and financing films such as DW Griffith's " Broken Blossoms ," Alfred E. Green's " Little Lord Fauntleroy ," and Allan Dwan's " Robin Hood ." However, Pickford wanted to produce a film that would update her image, and free her from the perception of the 'ingenue.' Pickford believed that a new image required a fresh, new director. To find him, she looked towards Europe.  Ernst Lubitsch had reached a high point of his career in Germany. He was a director who could garnish both critical accliam and commerical success. After the trials of World War I, Germany had an explosion of cinematic ventures, allowing directors to experiment and create true au...

  Rupert Hughes's "Souls for Sale" In 1923, Rupert Hughes adapted his novel, " Souls for Sale " into a feature-length film. The film depicts insights into the film industry, displaying the different individuals who make it up. The film's protagonist, named Mem, accidentally stumbles upon a film set, only to be cast as an extra. Through interactions with film stars and producers, she begins to rise as a film star. Mem is played by Eleanor Boardman, who was cast in the role after winning a contest called, "New Faces of 1922." The film also influenced Rupert Hughes's brother, Howard Hughes Sr, to introduce the world of Hollywood to his nephew, Howard Hughes Jr. The film showcased Hollywood like audiences had not seen before, demonstrating the varied ways it can lift you up and beat you down. Overall, the film showcases characters who lay themselves on the line, either receiving denouncement or applause in return. 

James Cruze's "The Covered Wagon" In the same way that the later half of the twentieth century and the first two decades of the twenty-first century has been obsessed with World War II, the early twentieth century was obsessed with the civil war and the periods of expansion beforehand. With " The Covered Wagon ," James Cruze tells a story of a group of American pioneers traversing the West trying to make it to Oregon.  The film is able to showcase all of the elements that American audiences clung to in their vision of the 19th century's adventure in Western expansion. Some of these elements include cowboys that are peceived as being bad guys, only to reveal their true nature as a good man by the end - Native Americans attacking the innocent whites en masse - deciding whether to keep heading to Oregon or to head to California for the gold - and representing the foundation of America in their settling of a great, untamed wilderness. The reason for this fascina...