The great directors of Hollywood

Press, 10 April 1980, Page 19

The great directors of Hollywood

“Autocrats,” tonight’s episode of “Hollywood.” the British series on TV2, gives a view of the lives of two of Hollywood’s greatest directors — Cecil B. De Mille and Erich Von Stroheim. De Mille symbolised the motion picture capital of the world. He was an autocrat, a perfectionist, and a founding partner of Paramount Pictures — whose name in . those days, above the title of the film, guaranteed a box-office success. His specialty lay in the

field of lavish productions with extravagant design which instantly became known and copied throughout the world. Casts of thousands surging through exotic stories became his trademark and budgets of millions lead to a reaping of even greater profits for this true professional. Stroheim, on the other hand, was an uncompromising ' genius who destroyed ris own career. He made an early impact as an actor — “the man you love to hate”- — and

then turned to directing highly provocative and sometimes profitable films in which he often starred. His extravagance and disregard for costs led to him being fired by company after company. His last film, “Queen Kelly,” starring Gloria Swanson, and produced by her, was never shown in Hollywood. Stroheim’s immortality lies in “Greed,” his greatest film — a ninehour epic — which was never shown in its original form.