Sodom and Gomorrah : the story of Hollywood (1935)

SODOM AND GOMORRAH 179 might presume, for the "masterpieces" whether genuine or not, holster up the vanity of the owners who believe that possessing them makes themselves real aristocrats. The kidnapper scare has given the rich and famous screen people a pretext to maintain armed retinues of guards. Naturally this is a potent force in aiding the celebrities to believe they are super-mortals. With armed chauffeurs, uniformed footmen, gatemen to operate the portals of their fortified estates and the even more impregnate studios, they require only an anthem anci a coat of arms — which latter some celestials have monogrammed on every conceivable object in their possession — to complete the illusion of "poten tate." What is true of the studio executives is also true of the directors, actors, and some of th< higher-paid writers and assistants this. that, and the other. The spirit of greatness is keenh felt by everyone associated with the industry, even by the typists and the janitors, hut the latte people, alon^; with some others, lack the means t< indulge in anything more substantial than spin* — or gossip about greatn< But the actors can indulge their t'ancy for splendor to the very ultimate in bad taste, an-' they do. Only a few intelligent players are abl to refrain from investing their incomes in gaud bau ry description. Some motion pictur