Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1953)

211 then to think about the grisly deed which lay ahead. On the seventh take his imagination came through and showed on his face! SCOUTING A SKULL Production problems were many. For example, in addition to a few easily obtained properties, I also needed a human skull. Unfortunately the laws of the land prohibit head-hunting or homicide purely for theatrical expedience. By the time we got ready to shoot, the Massachusetts Slate Teachers College here in Worcester (which abounds in skeletal remains) had closed for the summer. However, a visit to the Worcester Natural History Museum paid off handsomely. I got a skull! To be sure, it was a bear's skull; but I hoped that a quick flash of it at the right moments in the picture would create the feeling I wanted. HEADLINES WERE HARD Next in the line of difficult props were the two newspaper headlines, both vitally important to the story. A check with the Worcester Telegram and Evening Gazette revealed that it would be too expensive to set up presses for just two headlines — and me with friends on the paper, too! So again we had to rely on a facsimile. I badgered one of my pals who is a reporter on said sheet into watching for weeks until just the right size of type came along. Then he cleverly cut out the letters for the headlines I wanted and pasted them on the front pages of two separate newspapers. A picture of John was added for the second headline, which reveals to the audience that he (the archaeologist) is sought as a murderer. HUNT FOR A HOME After writing the script, lining up the cast and getting the props, I was still without an interior location for the girl's home. I had written the screen play with a definite kind of house in mind: it should be an old fashioned one with large rooms and, above all, a spacious hallway with an open staircase. My sister-in-law lives in Grafton, a small town about seven miles from Worcester. Knowing that the town was full of old houses, I called her and made an appointment to make the rounds of her neighbors. (What good are relatives if you can't use them!) Directly across the street was our first stop. Once I entered the front door I knew I was home! It was as if the script had been written in that very house. The rooms were large; the hallway and staircase were immense. I discussed my problem immediately with the lady of the house, Mrs. Harry Robinson, and told her of the pitfalls PLAYERS AND FRIENDS watch intently as The Man With The Box unfolds at home of producer's sister-in-law, Mrs. David Fanning. PREMIER SCREENING after Ten Best award brings together Watson, Mrs. Harry Robinson, owner of film's setting, Dowell, holding T.B. scroll, Cathy Moss and Mrs. Marjorie Lee, mother. of producing a movie in the home. I requested a free hand, explaining that we would have to work uninterrupted by normal domestic routines. Luck was with me! The good lady gave me the run of her home any time I wished to come. ON LOCATION I began shooting one hot July morning on the sequence where Cathy flees homeward in terror from the discovered skull. We worked from 9:30 until noon. Believe me, there was no need for the poor girl to act as if she were gasping for breath; she was exhausted when we finished! I had her jump off a 5 foot wall four times. And, although she never complained, our heroine for a week afterward limped on two battered and bloody legs. For the most part, shooting the rest of the film ran smoothly. However, one day while we were shooting exteriors in Greenhill Park, the three of us, Cathy, John and I, were interrupted by the approach of a motorcycle policeman! Pretty well hidden by trees and rocks, almost suspiciously so, we were working on the bit where John finds the skull when the long arm of the law stumbled upon us. After I assured the officer that all was well, he stayed around and got a kick out of watching us rehearse this gruesome take. TESTING THE CLIMAX The greatest problem of all came when the picture was completed and rough-cut. Did the story get across? As first completed, the picture ended this way: Two-shot of man and girl, with camera looking toward the man. He leers evilly at her. LS to CU as man and girl walk down the open staircase laughing. LS as man and girl walk from porch to car, get in and drive away as newsboy leaves paper. CU of headline reading: Seek Archaeologist in Murder. Man's picture with story. This was to be the giveaway to the audience that the man was really the killer after he had convinced the girl • that he was not. I felt it played O.K. But realizing that a producer can get too close to his own picture, I decided to show the film to an impartial group of my neighbors and see what their reaction would be. I asked them to be utterly frank. Then, in order to make sure of unbiased reports, John and I and others [Continued on page 221]