American Cinematographer - August 1987 - 42

It was not shown again, and Old
adjudged a failure at the box office. Only
now, ironically, is it gaining for itself the reputation of a
neglected classic.
"It was one of my father's favorite
films," said Jesse Lasky Jr. 'He loved it and believed in it,
and it was a crushing blow to him when it failed. But it
was an example of bad Hollywood
timing. It was a
highly patriotic film, but it wasn't a very patriotic period.
And costume pictures weren't exactly in the forefront of
the public's interests. It didn't fail because of the quality
of production - it was fantastically well made.
"Some years later, when the Eastern
money men threw the blame on my father for Para¬
mount's wallowing in the depression, Old Ironsides was
used as a weapon against his administration. It was
pointed out as one of the great extravagances. They
were on fairly solid ground, as the film had lost a lot of
money. And the film he so loved and believed in became

Ironsides

an

was

instrument of his downfall.'

It also caused Cruze's downfall. His

Above: Esther
Ralston shares the
helm with

an

renewed. It

was a bitter example of the
Hollywood adage "You're only as good as your last
picture." His crew, his faithful technicians who had
stuck by him for six years, were disbanded.
"He never made a successful picture
again," said Dorothy Arzner. "I think Hollywood has
been very cruel to people who did a great deal for it. But
that's a thing to know about big business any¬
where you've got to look at it coldly and not expect
any appreciation. But it was an awful blow to Jim

contract was not

old-

time tar of the

square-rigger days.
Right: The rebuilt
Constitution is

-

towed past a real
U. S. Navy warship.

Cruze."

iwn
f frmrw ■

If

If /

A

Kevin Brownlow is

a

producer-writer-editor for

Thames Television Ltd. of London. His best known
works include the 13-part TV series, Hollywood: the

m jh||

Pioneers, and the books, "The Parade's Gone By" and
"The War, the West and the Wilderness." He is cur¬

rently producing
Allvine had the idea of using it for its shock ef¬
fect starting the film on the ordinary screen and on a

A Paramount Famous

changeover from

one projector to another, enlarging the
that the launching sequence and the battles
would fill the entire proscenium. The orchestra was in¬
structed to hold back all its power until this moment,
and then brass, percussion, strings and the massive the¬
so

organ would explode at maximum volume. The
effect was so powerful that it brought the first night
audience to its feet. Among them was Secretary of the
ater

Navy Wilbur, whose appeal to Harry Carr had triggered
project.
The picture received exceptionally
favorable reviews one magazine rated it at 95% while
Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin received only 90%! But
the picture fell well below the high grosses achieved by
The Covered Wagon. "I still think it was a stunning
picture," said Miss Arzner. "I think they should have
released it again. They'd have made more money the
the whole

-

second time,
in it."

40

American

because there

Cinematographer

were some

wonderful

scenes

TV special about Buster Keaton.
Old Ironsides
Lasky Picture

-

screen

a

Presented by Adolph Zukor and Jesse L. Lasky; supervised by B.P.
Schulberg; directed fey James Cruze; screen play by Dorothy Arzner,
Walter Woods, Harry Carr; titles by Rupert Hughes; adaptation by
Harry Carr, Walter Woods; story by Laurence Stallings; pho¬
tographed by Alfred Gilks, ASC; additional photography by Charles
Boyle, ASC, Harry Perry, ASC; technical effects, Roy Pomeroy,
ASC, Farciot Edouart, ASC; art director, Edward J. Smith; produc¬
tion manager, Sam Jaffe; assistant director, Harold Schwartz; con¬
struction supervisor, Leroy K. Shaw; musical setting by Dr. Hugo

Riesenfeld.

Esther, Esther Ralston; Bosun, Wallace Beery; Gunner, George
Bancroft; Commodore, Charles Farrell; Lt. Stephen Decatur,
Johnny Walker; Cook, George Godfrey; First Mate, Guy Oliver; Lt.
Somers, Eddie Fetherston; Esther's Mother, Effie Ellsler; Esther's
Father, William Conklin; Second Mate, Fred Kohler; Commodore
Preble, Charles Hill Mailes; The Bashaw, Nicolai de Ruiz; Pirate
Chief, Mitchell Lewis; Pirate Captains, Duke Kahanamoku, Frank
Jonasson, Frank Bonner; Second Mate, Arthur Ludwig; Cabin Boy,
Spec O'Donnell; Saracen Guard, Boris Karloff; Saracen, Tetsu
Komai.

Premiere in New

York, December 6, 1926, 10,089 feet

reels; general release, March 3, 1928,

August 1987

7,910

feet in 8 reels.

12-

A



American Cinematographer - August 1987

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - August 1987

American Cinematographer - August 1987 - 1
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