Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1953)

14 DELORES LAWLER, no clear-weather cameraman, trains the family's trusty Bolex on Pop and (we suspect) Bridget, subbing for Barry. FROM REVIEW TO REWARD An ACL analysis of their early filming efforts stands strongly in the background of "Duck Soup," Maxim Memorial Award winner for 1952 Photographs by Cleve Ward TIMOTHY M. LAWLER, JR., ACL DUCK SOUP, a family film, owes its existence to a combination of several good reasons. First, although we had gone somewhat beyond the snapshooter stage with our travel films, our family filming had been sadly neglected. Second, with the coming of the fifth addition to our little family in the summer of 1951, prospects for a vacation trip were out of the picture. Thus, Delores and I decided that here was the golden opportunity to make a presentable family film — using the time and money we normally allotted to vacationing. A LETTER FROM THE LEAGUE Third, and probably the most basic reason of all, was a thorn I'd been carrying for about six years, courtesy of some fellow by the name of James W. Moore. It seems that, in the course of his duties as ACL's continuity and club consultant, he had reviewed a film by the writer carrying the intriguing title of Our Timmy. How he could look at that paragon of a production with such a cold eye and make the comments he did I couldn't understand. I guessed that he just didn't appreciate our son and heir at all. To quote from his letter of August 24, 1945: "To date, where your film making suffers is in the continuity or camera treatment aspects. These, especially the latter, are routine, dull and unimaginative. There is a sameness of viewpoint about all of your scenes which very soon becomes tiring on the screen and . . . what you need is variety. You need to vary (1) camera distance, (2) camera angles and (3) scene lengths. Stop shooting every scene for the full run of the camera spring. Your scenes are invariably too long — an understandable iveakness on the part of proud-father movie makers — but if you wish your films to have pace and interest for others too, they must be shortened." What brutal words for such an outstanding (in my opinion) filming accomplishment! It took many months before I began to realize that possibly this fellow Moore wasn't just a baby hater, and maybe the film could have been improved slightly. Now, when I look back at this picture, I wonder how JWM kept his patience on that job if he had to view many such Our Timmy s during the year. And so it was that I resolved that some day I'd make a family film which could be enjoyed by others besides the "proud father." Duck Soup, seven years and four children later, is the end product of that resolve and, probably, of that ACL review. FROM STORY TO SCRIPT If now I may quote from another ACL review — one which appeared only last month — you will get some idea of the story we plotted: "Duck Soup," wrote the League's judges, "is a rollicking, rambunctious saga of what happens in a household when Pop, charging recklessly that the trials of homekeeping are 'duck soup,' is deserted for a day by his deserving wife. What hap [Continued on page 20] GREG AND KEVIN, a year older than in the film (see right), are still equally eager to re-enact the famous haircutting sequence. BARRY, THE BABY is the only one missing here from the family group which produced Duck Soup, Maxim Award winner for 1952.