American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1941)

"The Stars Look Down," so we understand, was filmed in England within the last eighteen months. And it is a most unusual picture. Laid among the "north-country" coal-mines, all of the film's exteriors were filmed in an actual mining community. So, too, must many of its interiors, which have every appearance of having been built as "practical'' interiors on location. It is just barely possible some of the exterior backgrounds of these scenes may have been put in by skillful process-photography, but if they were, they show a skill equalled by only one of two toprank specialists in Hollywood, and vastly ahead of anything we've seen from Europe. The cinematographers, Mutz Greenbaum and Henry Harris, have done a notable job, and one that is ideally in keeping with the locale and mood of the story. They have very capably avoided giving their scenes conventional "studio" lightings, and kept — very appropriately— a realistic mood which more suggests a documentary than a staged production. Yet at the same time they have handled their players and sets very capably indeed. Their treatment of the coal-mine sequences — inevitably filmed in the studio — is particularly praiseworthy, especially the scenes of the disaster. Art-Director James Carter also deserves credit for very competent and tasteful work, as does Director Carol Reed. The recording, by Norman Daines, suffers somewhat from the common failing of many foreign pictures in that it is at a rather lower volumelevel than we are usually accustomed to, and possibly made with the microphone farther from the actors than makes for the best recording. "The Stars Look Down" is by no means a cheery film, but one that is well worth seeing — especially since it marks the reappearance of one of our favorite character-actresses, Nanci Price. MANPOWER Warner Bros.' Production. Director of Photograph v: Ernest Haller, A.S.C. Special Photographic Effects: Byron Haskin, A.S.C. and Hans Koenekamp, A.S.C. "Manpower" marks a distinct photographic departure — and a most welcome one — for Marlene Dietrich's starring vehicles. It is the first Dietrich film in many a long year in which the action does not periodically stop for the insertion of ultra-glamorized close-ups of that photogenic lady. We've an idea Director of Photography Ernest Haller, A.S.C, and Director Raoul Walsh deserve joint credit for this, which makes the film infinitely stronger as a picture. That is not to say that Haller hasn't treated Miss Dietrich very well indeed. He has; but by suppressing the glamorcloseups, he has given her a better chance than she has enjoyed in a long time to do the acting of which she is really capable. She should be thankful. While the action is kept throughout in a rough-and-ready mood, Haller none the less contrives to make "Manpower" visually effective. This is perhaps most notable in the several sequences showing the power company's line crews at work in stormy weather. That these scenes were filmed indoors, on the stage, is a really notable achievement, for they are some of the most convincing storms we've ever seen on the screen. Haller, and his associates, Haskin and Koenekamp, deserve a world of credit for what they've done. HOLD THAT GHOST Universal Production. Directors of Photography: El wood Bre dell. A.S.C. and Joseph Valentine. A.S.C. When "Hold That Ghost" was previewed, there was a slight conflict in the film's photographic credits. On the screen, credit w-as extended solely to Cinematographer Bredell; in the studio's official printed credits, both Bredell and Valentine were credited. As we understand it, when the film was originally made (immediately following the filming, but before the release of "Buck Privates") Bredell directed the photography. Later, after the Abbott and Costello team had made such a sweeping success, the film was put back into work for the addition of the "production value" introductory and closing sequences with Ted Lewis, Mischa Auer, and the Andrews Sisters, with Valentine at the cameras. In any event, both cinematographers have done excellently. Valentine's contributions are excellently pictorial, and again he does wonders with the by no means photogenic Andrews Sisters — even better, in fact, than he did in their previous appearance in "In The Navy." Bredell's handling of the production should advance his prestige many a notch upward. The greater part of the action takes place in a haunted house, with the inevitable effect-lightings such a locale would inspire. Bredell handles these very artistically, yet so skillfully that no comedy action is lost because of his pictorial shadowing — a more than praiseworthy achievement. To this writer, as apparently to many of the preview audience, a standout scene was that in which Costello, timorously seeking the missing Charlie Smith in the basement of the abandoned inn. fearing to come down into the basement, stands at the head of the stairs and quavers "Oh, Charlie." This scene is played entirely in an effect-lighted longshot — with the star shown only by his feet and a long shadow. This concept, together with Bredell's lighting, makes the scene infinitely more effective and amusing than any more literal treatment could. Bredell deals excellently with the players, presenting the two feminine principals — Evelyn Ankers and Joan Davis — to especial advantage. The print preview-ed seemed, even for low-key effect-lightings, a trifle dark r than was altogether pleasing. This was particularly true in the opening and closing sequences, in which the facevalues were distinctly poor. It would seem that — especially in these sequences — the release-prints could to advantage be lightened by one or even two printerlights. RINGSIDE MAISIE MGM Production. Director of Photographv: Charles Lawton, Jr., A.S.C. Cinematographer Lawton's contribution to this, the latest of the "Maisie" series, is a distinguished one. It is in many ways reminiscent of the style of his former teacher and associate. George Folsey, A.S.C, and a far better job than he did on his previous release, "The Big Store." His treatment of the players is, as always, excellent, and the film and its settings give him excellent opportunities for creating visual mood, of which he takes full advantage. There are some excellent exteriors, and in several sequences some very good effect-lighting. The uncredited special-effects work is good, though in some of the scenes where Ann Sothern and Robert Sterling are seen riding in the station-wagon the perspectives of foreground and background-plate are rather badly out of coordination. This is especially noticeable in the shots where the car is supposed to be negotiating curving roads. WIDE OPEN TOWN Harry Sherman Production; Paramount Release. Director of Photographv: Russell Harlan, A.S.C. Director of Photography Russell Harlan, A.S.C, has given this "western" a very creditable photographic mounting. Filmed in the picturesque country around Lone Pine, California, at the foot of Mt. Whitney, Harlan has some of the most spectacular outdoor locations in the country at his disposal, and he brings them to the screen in a way that should interest any lover of fine exterior photography. His compositions and filtering are outstanding. A? regards the latter, especially, he deserves credit. So often in working on a location of this nature there is a temptation to enhance the pictorial effect by over-filtering in the pictorial long-shots — a pitfall which, of course, makes the closer shots, in which for the preservation of face-tones, overcorrection cannot well be used, stand out as unpleasantly different from the intercut loneshots. But Harlan wisely keeps his filtering tastefully conservative, and close-ups and long-shots match up very smoothly. His treatment of the film's interiors is also commendable. Simple and straightforward, his compositions and lightings are none the less capably bandied. 392 August, 194] American Cinematographer