HOLLYWOOD HAS ITS TORTURE CHAMBERS

Evening Star, Issue 23717, 26 October 1940, Page 5

HOLLYWOOD HAS ITS TORTURE CHAMBERS

“ The torture chambers of Hollywood's motion picture studios are the projection rooms. It is there that the screen’s high-priced stars are given the acid test. There it is found out if they really can take it.” This was the statement made by Columbia Pictures’ film editor, Dick Gaboon, during a recent interview. For 10 years, as head cutter at Columbia studios, ; t has been his job to sit in those little darkened theatres with stars and directors while they look at the. daily rushes, those short individual camera “ takes ” from winch the completed picture is assembled. Gaboon said: “The directors are pretty hardboiled about it, but the stars, whose daily acting is unreeled before a jury of two or three, comprising a director, a producer, and a cameraman, are usually like children about to be administered a spanking. Some stand the ordeal better than others. To many the thing is a horrible nightmare and they refuse to look at the dailies at all.” Hero are- some stars’ reactions to the daily “ rushes ” as given by Gaboon. Jean Arthur, one of the most popular stars on the screen, never looks at her rushes. It is not indifference, but watching the scenes she has made upsets her. Invariably she notices things that she might have done better. Since the scenes cannot be remade without great expense she prefers to remain ignorant of these omissions and at the same time retain her peace of mind, Loretta Young is one star who takes the bull by the horns. She criticises her own work brutally and scrutinises the camerawork with the knowledge of the professional. Joe E. Brown wisecracks and boos himself if the comedy scenes don’t got a laugh out of the director. Joan Bennett looks only at the rushes when she has done a dramatic scene the day before. She thinks that comedy scenes, disjointed as they are in short takes, cannot be judged in the projection room, so why bother. Brian Aherne is one of the most critical of his own work of all the actors in Hollywood. He rarely is satisfied with a scene and expresses the opinion daily that the picture—no matter what it is—will be a flop, Cary Grant, one of the best comedians on the screen, is probably the most serious actor who comes into the projection room at Columbia. None ever hears him laugh or, in fact, utter a word while the takes are being unreeled. Joan Blondell is another who suffers—on the coolest days she will break out in perspiration as she watches herself. <

In contrast to Karloff, who laughs at his most terrifying scenes, Peter Lorre, who is the screen’s other most effective creator of monsters, takes his characterisations quite seriously. His only worry is whether or not they are sufficiently sinister. Melvyn Douglas takes the rushes as just another part of the day’s work.. Having been a stage director as well as an actor, he can often pick flaws in his work which otherwise would go unnoticed. “ Directors,” Gaboon points out, “ are usually matter of fact about their work. Wesley Ruggles withholds all comment, dictating his reactions to his secretary if retakes are necessary, while Frank Capra uses only two . words, ‘ Okay ’ or ‘ Out.’ Frank Lloyd carries on a running line of comment, and Alexander Hall is quiet and businesslike.” RACE TRACK THRILLER The thrills and spills of America’s most spectacular steeplechase are blended into the story of two young people in love, torn by a fierce family pride, in Darryl Zanuok’s technicolour production of ‘ Maryland.’ The historic Maryland Hunt Cup Race provides a stirring climax to the intensely human drama which captures the romance and beauty of a proud state in all its traditional glory. The brilliant cast features Walter Brennan, Brenda Joyce, John Payne, Fay Bainter, Charlie Ruggles, Hattie M'Daniel, and Marjorie Weaver. Henry King directed. ;