"Respectful observance" sounds like one is sitting in a funeral home or a church instead of watching a movie. I have THE SQUAW MAN on the shelf here. Can't add or detract from anything you wrote.Perhaps better music might have brought it to life for you. Usually these things are scored like everything but a movie.
Then again John, you could watch Reginald Barker's THE BARGAIN (1914) and see a film that equals THE SQUAW MAN's century-plus status and still entertains an audience pretty darn effortlessly, making one ask the question, "would THE SQUAW MAN have been better with William S. Hart?".
Come to think of it, Warner Baxter didn't improve THE SQUAW MAN's or Demille's fortunes much later on, even with sound and greater technical efficiency.
Craig Reardon fills us in on the historic "Squaw Man Barn":
Hi John,
Love your frank way of dealing with the downside of being can't-help-yourself (and it goes for me, too) love for "old" movies, as in your latest post re: "The Squaw Man". I've never seen it, but I can well imagine just exactly what you mean when you say it was a "duty watch"!
As you probably know, there is a structure that has long been reputed to be a surviving set piece from this now TRULY old Hollywood landmark production, that being a large barn, or 'THE' barn, used to make the movie. I've never known nor have I deeply inquired into why or how this barn was used in the movie, or for the movie. Could it have been used as...a barn? With the cowboys or 'Injuns' riding around it? With a cowboy working near it? Or...or, what? For all I know, interior set-ups and sets were done inside it. I wonder if watching the movie has given you any insight about this? The point of mentioning it--at all--is that this very structure not only exists, it exists most conspicuously. It's been located right across the street, the street being Highland Avenue, from the world-famous Hollywood Bowl, in a small park that's tucked in there just beneath the roaring 101 freeway that runs behind and above it in downtown Hollywood. And, it has been the home of a museum of sorts, dedicated to movies generally. I cannot say what's on view inside because I have a confession to make: I've never bothered to visit the place. However? I've driven past it, on almost innumerable occasions. You almost can't visit Hollywood without driving down Highland Avenue (among its other most famous venues, including Hollywood Blvd, Sunset Blvd, or Vine Street, for example), especially at this location. I can attest that it is quite a LARGE structure, but otherwise about as formless as a barn would be expected to be. It's not painted red, like your classic 'way out West' barn, but something far more neutral...at least, in its latter-day form. Thought this might interest or amuse you. I think without having investigated that one could most likely turn up a page on the internet describing it and probably also picturing it. I will say that anything of that vintage that had anything to do with the colorful and immense history of Hollywood and The Movies, that still exists today much as it must have been 'back then', is ipso facto fascinating, even if it's a plain, old barn.
For images and information I prefer sites from Brazil because the magazine feature alternate images that are not found in English language elements. In fact, there are many things I have never found in Lantern even though the magazines are great to be accessible.
4 Comments:
"Respectful observance" sounds like one is sitting in a funeral home or a church instead of watching a movie. I have THE SQUAW MAN on the shelf here. Can't add or detract from anything you wrote.Perhaps better music might have brought it to life for you. Usually these things are scored like everything but a movie.
Richard M. Roberts on THE SQUAW MAN via e-mail:
John,
Then again John, you could watch Reginald Barker's THE BARGAIN (1914) and see a film that equals THE SQUAW MAN's century-plus status and still entertains an audience pretty darn effortlessly, making one ask the question, "would THE SQUAW MAN have been better with William S. Hart?".
Come to think of it, Warner Baxter didn't improve THE SQUAW MAN's or Demille's fortunes much later on, even with sound and greater technical efficiency.
RICHARD M ROBERTS
Craig Reardon fills us in on the historic "Squaw Man Barn":
Hi John,
Love your frank way of dealing with the downside of being can't-help-yourself (and it goes for me, too) love for "old" movies, as in your latest post re: "The Squaw Man". I've never seen it, but I can well imagine just exactly what you mean when you say it was a "duty watch"!
As you probably know, there is a structure that has long been reputed to be a surviving set piece from this now TRULY old Hollywood landmark production, that being a large barn, or 'THE' barn, used to make the movie. I've never known nor have I deeply inquired into why or how this barn was used in the movie, or for the movie. Could it have been used as...a barn? With the cowboys or 'Injuns' riding around it? With a cowboy working near it? Or...or, what? For all I know, interior set-ups and sets were done inside it. I wonder if watching the movie has given you any insight about this? The point of mentioning it--at all--is that this very structure not only exists, it exists most conspicuously. It's been located right across the street, the street being Highland Avenue, from the world-famous Hollywood Bowl, in a small park that's tucked in there just beneath the roaring 101 freeway that runs behind and above it in downtown Hollywood. And, it has been the home of a museum of sorts, dedicated to movies generally. I cannot say what's on view inside because I have a confession to make: I've never bothered to visit the place. However? I've driven past it, on almost innumerable occasions. You almost can't visit Hollywood without driving down Highland Avenue (among its other most famous venues, including Hollywood Blvd, Sunset Blvd, or Vine Street, for example), especially at this location. I can attest that it is quite a LARGE structure, but otherwise about as formless as a barn would be expected to be. It's not painted red, like your classic 'way out West' barn, but something far more neutral...at least, in its latter-day form. Thought this might interest or amuse you. I think without having investigated that one could most likely turn up a page on the internet describing it and probably also picturing it. I will say that anything of that vintage that had anything to do with the colorful and immense history of Hollywood and The Movies, that still exists today much as it must have been 'back then', is ipso facto fascinating, even if it's a plain, old barn.
Craig
For images and information I prefer sites from Brazil because the magazine feature alternate images that are not found in English language elements. In fact, there are many things I have never found in Lantern even though the magazines are great to be accessible.
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