This Week
Ernst Lubitsch
Lubitsch and Garbo
Writers Notebook:
Ernst Lubitsch – Writer, Director and Filmmaker.
Ernst Lubitsch was born in Berlin, as son of Simon and Anna Lubitsch, Russian immigrants. The youngster turned away from his father's tailoring business to enter the theater. In 1911 he became a member of Max Reinhardt's Theater, made his film debut the following year as a comic actor and was received very well by critics and audience as well. However, this young talent had something else in mind for his career and he began to concentrate more on directing.
In 1918, Ernst Lubitsch made his mark as a serious director with The Eyes of the Mummy, starring Pola Negri. Lubitsch alternated between comedies and historical dramas, and enjoying international success in both. His reputation as a director reached it's high point with the release of Madame Du Barry in 1919 and Deception in 1920. Both of these films were picked up by American distributors early in 1921 and along with his Carmen, released as Gypsy Blood in the U.S. were selected in 1921 by the New York Times as part of its 15 most important movies of the year.
Lubitsch left Germany for Hollywood in 1922, and was contracted as a director by Mary Pickford. He directed Pickford in the film Rosita to a success, but director and star had a personality clash during the filming of Rosita and it ended up as the only project that they made together.
Lubitsch was signed to a remarkable three-year, six-picture contract by Warner Brothers that guaranteed the director his choice of both cast and crew, and full editing control over the final cut.
Lubitsch established his reputation for sophisticated comedy with such stylish films as The Marriage Circle.
That Lubitsch Touch
Ernst Lubitsch was a master of bedroom comedy, and he didn’t have to resort to the filth of an X Rated film to get his point across.
Camera moves in on a highly charged seduction scene, the picture of smoldering passion and steamy kisses have gone too; CUT.
Camera moves just outside the bedroom door. The French maid, her ear glued to that door and her flushed face reflecting embarrassed excitement at madam’s indiscretion and misbehavior. The results are, in the minds eye of the audience, a scene played out vicariously through the maid and the door.
As part of the audience, a dirty mind sees a dirty picture and likewise those with cleaner thoughts. Subtlety was a large part of The Lubitsch Touch.
Interview with Greta Garbo
During the 1920’s and 30’s Greta Garbo’s name was movie magic. She had a string of hits during those years and beginning in 1930 she was nominated for best actress in pictures Anna Christie, Romance and Camille.
Ernst Lubitsch was about to produce and direct a film for Paramount Pictures and wanted to sign Garbo for the lead. Ninotchka was the film, but since Garbo shunned publicity and lived an almost secret life Lubitsch knew very little about the star with the exception of her stunning performances that he’d seen on the screen. Her last picture Camille was heavy drama and Ninotchka a comedy.
Lubitsch had Paramount arrange for Miss Garbo to come in for a sit down interview at his office and talk about the film.
Ernst Lubitsch had an outgoing personality and the interview went well, but Lubitsch had something in mind that went directly to his concept of the film, and it had to do with the female star.
Lubitsch got up from his desk and paced the room, when suddenly he turned to Garbo and said, “Can you laugh?”
A wry grin broke over Garbo’s placid face and she said, “Yes. I think I can laugh.”
Lubitsch continued to pace a bit more and said, “I’m not talking about just a little laugh. I mean a big laugh. You see the star of Ninotchka must be a character with a wide-open and completely spontaneous laugh. Can you do that?”
Garbo smiled and said, “Let me give it some thought. I’ll come back tomorrow.”
As Lubitsch escorted the star out of the office he was thinking well, it wasn’t a yes and it wasn’t a no.
True to her word Garbo was back the next day. And following the normal amenities including coffee the two of them manufactured small talk as they sparred around avoiding the subject of laughter.
Eventually though Greta Garbo’s grin changed to a wide smile and she said, “Your question and the idea – can you laugh is silly.”
Lubitsch chortled. “I think you’re right.”
“And I love it, “ she whispered. “The more I think about that silly notion the more I want to laugh.” And she began to laugh the most joyous outgoing kind of laughter Lubitsch had ever heard. In fact it was so infectious that he joined her in the celebration of the laugh.
And of course she signed a contract and they made the film.
The Paramount publicity people picked on the story and used the two-word phrase to spearhead their publicity campaign – Garbo Laughs
See Nitotchka trailer for Garbo Humor Click Here
The Ernst Lubitsch film resume is long and important. His influence on individual filmmakers as well as the industry is well established. Billy Wilder is one of those filmmakers and he will be featured in next week's RocktheTower blog post.
Writers Notebook:
The Ernst Lubitsch experience left a powerful lesson for all writers. He would take a screenplay that had some weak spots and instead of dwelling on those shortcoming, Lubitsch would build on the strong and the good to the point where the weak no longer made any difference.
This lesson could also apply to the novelist.
Tom's Books and Blogs:
Tom Barnes -- Actor, Writer and Hurricane Hunter.
Check out my website for books, blogs, western legends, a literary icon, reviews and interviews. Also my novels Tungee's Gold, The Goring Collection and Doc Holliday’s Road to Tombstone along with a non fiction remembrance of The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle.
Www.tombarnes39.com
www.RocktheTower.com
http://thehurricanehunter.blogspot.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment