Mary Pickford and Her Role in Film History

Many women have made important contributions to the history of motion pictures. However,  after seeing Mary Pickford: The Muse of the Movies, I believe Mary Pickford may be at the top of that list. This revealing documentary, available on DVD, not only showcases the life of the legendary star but also intertwines her career with the birth of the cinema. I am pleased to participate in the 2015 National Film Preservation Foundation Blogathon by sharing my review of this terrific documentary.

Produced, co-directed and edited by veteran filmmaker Nicholas Eliopoulos, Mary Pickford: The Muse of the Movies is a must-see for everyone who loves movies. It’s a treasure chest of information about the early days of filmmaking and how Pickford shaped the development of acting for the screen. Plus, along with Michael York’s expert narration, we actually hear “America’s Sweetheart” tell part of the story in her own words.       

Here are a few highlights to watch for:

■ Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks (Pickford’s hubby at the time) placing their hand and footprints in cement outside the Chinese Theater. They were the first stars immortalized in this way. It’s quite amusing how they came up with this idea!

■ Amelia Earhart and Mary Pickford, the most famous women of their time, talking and joking together.

■ Home movies featuring Mary Pickford, the dashing Douglas Fairbanks and their friend (?) Charlie Chaplin.  

■ Intriguing scenes from Mary Pickford’s classic silent films.

■ Revealing interviews with Lillian Gish, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Buddy Rogers (Pickford’s last husband), and Roxanne Rogers (Pickford’s daughter).

Before seeing this documentary, I didn’t realize how important Mary Pickford was to film history. For example, she co-created United Artists Studios (the first company owned and run by actors themselves) and spearheaded founding of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. She was also the first actor (male or female) to have her name on a marquee with the film’s title, and she was the first to win an Oscar for Best Actress in a sound movie (for Coquette in 1929).

“I feel like I really know Mary Pickford,” my husband raved when we finished watching Mary Pickford: The Muse of the Movies. And I feel the same way, probably because this splendid documentary spends so much time delving into Pickford’s personal and artistic opinions as well as lauding her accomplishments. Of course, she wasn’t perfect. Pickford definitely had her ups and downs, which are also dealt with here and help make her seem so real to us.

“When I discovered that Mary Pickford was born in the same year that Thomas Edison invented the movie camera, I knew these two stories were intertwined,” Eliopoulos says. Happily, he tells both stories with skill and heart in Mary Pickford: The Muse of the Movies. (Released by Cinema Libre; not rated by MPAA.)          

Please check out the 2015 Film Preservation Blogathon by clicking on the links below and donating to this worthy cause. Some great film-related raffle prizes are also available.   

http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/2015/the-film-preservation-blogathon-blasts-off/24670/

https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/1397805?code=Blogathon%202015  

For the Love of Hitchcock

For the Love of Hitchcock

Has there ever been a more riveting depiction of obsession than in Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo? Are there any movie scenes more terrifying than those in The Birds? My son, who's all grown up and with adult children of his own, still feels frightened of birds as a result of watching that Hitchcock masterpiece. And, after seeing Psycho, I'm not the only one afraid of showering. But that's not all. The airplane-chasing sequence in North by Northwest continues to haunt my dreams; I harbor more suspicions of Cary Grant than Joan Fontaine does when I watch Suspicion; and every time I see Rebecca, it holds me spellbound from beginning to end.

Yes indeed, Hitchcock films almost always exceed my expectations for thrills, suspense and mystery. That's why it's my pleasure to participate in the 2012 Film Preservation Blogathon (May 13-18), designed to help raise funds for the National Film Preservation Foundation to stream The White Shadow (1923) on the NFPF site so that everyone with a computer can access it. This newly restored film just happens to be Hitchcock's first credited feature. Marilyn Ferdinand, one of the Blogathon founders, hasn't seen the movie yet -- but she calls it "a lurid melodrama" based on the stills she received. If the film showcases Hitchcock's budding talents back in 1923, that's enough for me! I understand Hitchcock served in various capacities on this movie, including assistant director, screenwriter, editor, and art director.

It's interesting to note that Hitchcock racked up a few early failures on his road to becoming the Master of Suspense. In their book "Alfred Hitchcock: The First Forty-Four Years," Eric Rohmer and Claude Chabrol offer fascinating information about such unsuccessful efforts as Waltzes in Vienna (1933), Champagne (1928), and The Skin Game (1931). The first was a film version of a Johann Straus operetta, and by the second week of filming he knew the movie was dreadful.  Just as everyone was getting ready for the Big Ball scene, Hitchcock called them all together -- actors, crew and thousands of extras. Pointing to his empty director's chair, he said "I hate this film. I hate this kind of film, and I have no feeling for it. What I need is drama, adventures!" Naturally, the movie received scathing reviews -- as did Champagne ("a superficial satire filled with pathetic tricks"). Regarding The Skin Game, Hitchcock even put his hands over his ears when anyone mentioned it.  

  

Fortunately, The Lodger (1926) displayed Hitchcock's tremendous potential for building suspense on screen. And, as they say, the rest is history. During a career that lasted over six decades, Hitchcock directed more than 50 films. Movie Maker Magazine called him "the most influential filmmaker of all time." And, according to Britain's Daily Telegraph, Hitchcock "did more than any other director to shape modern cinema." Because Hitchcock movies boast twist endings plus thrilling plots filled with violence, murder and crime, most viewers were -- and still are -- captivated while watching them. Add compelling psychological and visual elements as well as stylistic presentation, mistaken identity, characters wrongfully accused -- and the wow factor definitely kicks in while viewing a Hitchcock film.        

No wonder Hitchcock fans like me are so excited to see The White Shadow! If you are also a fan, please make a donation during this important Film Preservation Blogathon (May 13-18) by Clicking here:

https://npo1.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1001883&code=Blogathon+2012