Silver Screen (Nov 1937-Apr 1938)

The Scenes (Above) The ambitious Robert Montgomery at last got a part he liked. (Right) Joan Crawford, unwittingly her own worst enemy and (extreme right) Bette Davis, so charming and pleasant, yet her career blossomed when she played the meanest girl in screen history. illustrates the errors in judgment of performers. Charles Laughton, whose characterization of Captain Bligh remains as one of the truly fine documents of celluloid, took the role with the greatest reluctance. Director Frank Lloyd told me exactly what went on behind the scenes when Laughton came to his office at Paramount to discuss the picture and the character. "Frank, I can't play Bligh," protested Laughton. "Good God, man, I don't look like a sailor, I don't walk like a sailor, I don't talk like a sailor, and I get violently nauseous on any kind of boat. I must turn it down. The part is bad for me." Lloyd reasoned with him, and finally had to remind him that the studio insisted that he play the role. On top of this, Clark Gable didn't like the role of Mr. Christian, the part that was to add to Gable's lustre as a star. "It's a bad part," Gable said. "It lacks conviction. The audience won't believe it." That is the mental attitude which Laughton and Gable brought to "Mutiny on the Bounty." Laughton, the first time out on the tug, did get violently nauseous. Lloyd made him stretch himself fiat on the deck, and the attack passed. It was while he was in that position, fiat on his back on the deck, that Laughton let out a violent exclamation. "Frank, I've got it, I've got it," he yelled. "Got what?" asked Lloyd doubtfully. "I was watching you just now, Frank," said Laughton, sitting upright, "and noticing how you cocked your eyes up to the mast of the boat. It's your eyebrows that give you that sailoi expression. Look here, I have no eyebrows, just a fuzz. Get me eyebrows like yours, big, bushy eyebrows and I'll be able to play Bligh." That's exactly what was done. The cameraman made pictures of Director Lloyd's eyebrows, and the Max Factor wig department made up a false pair which Laughton pasted on. From then on, he was Captain Bligh. Gable, who is a swell scout, used to stand on deck, plainly unhappy and disapproving. Finally, after a series of exasperating delays, Lloyd and Gable went ashore at Catalina to have a few drinks. "You look tired, Frank," said Gable. "I am tired,'' wearily replied Lloyd. "I guess I've upset you some, haven't I?" asked Gable. "Well, Clark, to tell the truth, your attitude has upset me," confessed the director. "Well, from now, I'll do whatever you ask me to do, Frank,'' said Gable. "I won't guarantee you that I'll believe what we're doing, but I'll do it." Lloyd says that Gable's sympathies are so keen that if you appeal to them, he'll do anything. The point I'm making however, is that Laughton and Gable didn't like "Mutiny on the Bounty" in script form, but on celluloid it was a smash hit collectively, and provided outstanding individual successes for them. Performers fight for parts, and fight against other parts, but few of them know what is best for them. As witness Mae West's unhappy radio experience. She insisted on certain material. It was ruinous. Joan Crawford, for instance, is a shrewd judge of this business. Yet Joan clamored to play "Gorgeous Hussy," and it was a terrific box-office flop. Then she asked for "Bride Wore Red," and a second flop registered against her. Neither she nor Spencer Tracy liked "Mannequin" while it was being filmed. I know, because I used to visit them on the set while Frank Borzage was directing it. Yet "Mannequin" is a box-office sensation. Paul Muni, after a series of great successes, wanted to go comic. The studio begged him to sidestep it. He insisted. "Hi Nellie" was the result, an egg-layer. Jimmy Cagney, [Continued on page 80] 17