A Few Words About A few words about...™ Becky Sharp - in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

I must say, looking at those caps, it really demonstrates how different color was used with the early color processes compared to how it was used in later decades. Technicolor was meant to be a piece of art, as though it were a Van Gogh painting rather than a true reflection of life. The bold colors are down right surrealistic. By the 1970s that style of filmmaking was mostly gone as the new wave of auteur filmmakers were going for stark realism with all its grungy earth tones.
Well, I've been prodded into pre-ordering this one as I just can't wait to see it now!

It took only a couple of years before the color timing was toned down

 

[Brian Kidd]

I'd always heard that Natalie Kalmus was vehemently opposed to bright colors on the films she "consulted" on. I wonder if much of that opinion was due to the surreal, oversaturated look of some of the early three-strip films or simply because she was known to be generally contrarian to, well, most things? I'm sure someone here with more knowledge than I have may have an answer for that.

 

[TJPC]

I had heard the opposite. I heard that she wanted to dazzle everyone with the new process, so over saturation rather than realism was her goal. I thought that directors had to fight with her until they got their way and she was “banished” to Britain.

 

[Lord Dalek]

I'd always heard that Natalie Kalmus was vehemently opposed to bright colors on the films she "consulted" on. I wonder if much of that opinion was due to the surreal, oversaturated look of some of the early three-strip films or simply because she was known to be generally contrarian to, well, most things? I'm sure someone here with more knowledge than I have may have an answer for that.

The idea was that overtly bright colors would cause the audience to go blind or some other nonsense like that. At least that was the reason Disney gave when they chose the muted color profile for Snow White two years later.

 

[Will Krupp]

I had heard the opposite. I heard that she wanted to dazzle everyone with the new process, so over saturation rather than realism was her goal.

That's what I had understood as well. The first test to her authority supposedly came early, during GARDEN OF ALLAH, when Selznick (never a man to give up control easily) wanted the look of the "old Dutch masters" for much of the movie and had to fight her tooth and nail.

I must say, looking at those caps, it really demonstrates how different color was used with the early color processes compared to how it was used in later decades. Technicolor was meant to be a piece of art, as though it were a Van Gogh painting rather than a true reflection of life. The bold colors are down right surrealistic. By the 1970s that style of filmmaking was mostly gone as the new wave of auteur filmmakers were going for stark realism with all its grungy earth tones.
Well, I've been prodded into pre-ordering this one as I just can't wait to see it now!

We have to remember that this was the "first" three color feature and it was made by Pioneer Pictures, a company designed solely to make movies in the "new" color, The company was a partnership of Jock Whitney and his cousin Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney with encouragement from KING KONG'S Merian C Cooper, an RKO exec. The feature was overseen by Technicolor itself (though they had no stake in Pioneer) as a showcase for what the process was capable of producing. The whole enterprise was designed to dazzle people in hopes that it would encourage the big studios to try it.

There's a scene in the movie during the Duchess of Richmond's Ball in which Amelia and George (at least I think it's George, I don't still own a copy of the movie) are outside on the terrace with the ball whirling behind them through the windows. The whole thing is played in chiaroscuro lighting with George and Amelia in the shadows. This was an almost impossible effect to pull off in color at the time and there was no urgent need for it, but they wanted to prove that Technicolor was just as flexible as black and white (which it wasn't, lol) so they made sure they pulled it off. Think of BECKY as a feature length commercial for the new Technicolor product!

A contemporary reviewer (I don't remember who) likened it to early sound films, in which sound was exaggerated (such as the sizzling of a frying egg) just for the novelty value because they could now do something they couldn't do before. Same thing here. They wanted that "work of art" look because they had all new tools to work with and they wanted to impress.

By the 70's we were looking less for escapism and more toward a reflection of life as we know it. Color was no longer a dazzling new toy so, for better or worse, the look became more commonplace.

Pioneer only made three films that I'm aware of, by the way (the short LA CUCARACHA, BECKY SHARP and DANCING PIRATE) before Jock Whitney merged the company with the new Selznick studio and had Selznick take over Pioneer's existing contracts with Technicolor.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

As well as being banished to England as a result of her attempt to continually subdue and mute the Technicolor palette, her husband, Herbert Kalmus, just wanted to get rid of her!

 

[Will Krupp]

As well as being banished to England as a result of her attempt to continually subdue and mute the Technicolor palette, her husband, Herbert Kalmus, just wanted to get rid of her!

Lol. I don't know that I completely buy that, Anthony. I think she wanted pretty Technicolor pictures and got rattled when film makers tried to make "art." Jack Cardiff tells of his troubles with her on BLACK NARCISSUS when he wanted a foggy, subdued, almost 'ugly' palette during some of of the movie. In the end she was something of a paper tiger because she rarely seems to have won any arguments. Technicolor was a product, after all, that they desperately wanted to sell (the company didn't even show a profit until 1938) so they weren't about to piss people off if they could help it.

Poor Natalie (who was Dr. Kalmus' ex wife, by the way, they divorced in 1920 or so) always gets so much shit from the Hollywood history makers. We always hear she was a nightmare but never get many examples other than that she was trying to do what she thought was her job. You NEVER hear one of these "fight with Natalie Kalmus" stories end with "So..... we did it her way and didn't get what we wanted." I can't help but think there's some old style Hollywood sexism mixed up in the stories we hear about her as I honestly don't think those men liked the idea of a woman attempting to exercise any authority over them.

 

[Brian Kidd]

Poor Natalie (who was Dr. Kalmus' ex wife, by the way, they divorced in 1920 or so) always gets so much shit from the Hollywood history makers. We always hear she was a nightmare but never get many examples other than that she was trying to do what she thought was her job. You NEVER hear one of these "fight with Natalie Kalmus" stories end with "So..... we did it her way and didn't get what we wanted." I can't help but think there's some old style Hollywood sexism mixed up in the stories we hear about her as I honestly don't think those men liked the idea of a woman attempting to exercise any authority over them.

That's a very astute observation. I suppose, this far removed, it's hard to say for certain that this was a primary reason why she seemed to be loathed by Hollywood. Given the social norms during that time, though, it's definitely plausible.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

You may be right there, Will and Brian .. not much joy being a woman in very much a man's industry in those days. And still today for the most part.

 

[Jack Theakston]

Most of the complaints from directors I’ve read (including Mamoulian) is that she was a bit of a tyrant and quite disagreeable, which, whatever gender, is not welcome on a Hollywood set from any era. And to push the sexist narrative is somewhat disingenuous, since Mamoulian and other anti-Natalie factions (such as Vincent Minnelli) were certainly about giving talented women their due. What annoyed these guys even more is that what Kalmus was being hired to do (essentially be there as a photographic guide) was being done by folks like Ray Rennahan, making her somewhat redundant.

Incidentally, Technicolor had no interest in Pioneer, but Pioneer certainly had an interest in Technicolor, to the tune of a 15% share in the company. Most of this was to float the company enough money to make a print run of LA CUCARACHA possible, but Whitney was smart in having some control over the company. I discuss this in depth on the commentary track.

 

[Will Krupp]

And to push the sexist narrative is somewhat disingenuous

I admire you greatly sir but, just to be clear, I was mulling a possible theory out loud. To claim I'm disingenuously pushing a sexist narrative implies that I'm being purposely deceitful. Nothing could be further from the truth.

 

[Robert Harris]

Most of the complaints from directors I’ve read (including Mamoulian) is that she was a bit of a tyrant and quite disagreeable, which, whatever gender, is not welcome on a Hollywood set from any era. And to push the sexist narrative is somewhat disingenuous, since Mamoulian and other anti-Natalie factions (such as Vincent Minnelli) were certainly about giving talented women their due. What annoyed these guys even more is that what Kalmus was being hired to do (essentially be there as a photographic guide) was being done by folks like Ray Rennahan, making her somewhat redundant.

Incidentally, Technicolor had no interest in Pioneer, but Pioneer certainly had an interest in Technicolor, to the tune of a 15% share in the company. Most of this was to float the company enough money to make a print run of LA CUCARACHA possible, but Whitney was smart in having some control over the company. I discuss this in depth on the commentary track.

And a wonderful commentary track, it is.

 

[Charles Ellis]

I'd like to give a salute to the magnificent Miriam Hopkins, an actress who is all but forgotten today except by classic film fans. Her peak was in the pre-Code era (Design for Living, Trouble in Paradise, The Story of Temple Drake) but Becky Sharp is a wonderful showcase for her as both a dramatic and comedic actress- and in early three-strip Technicolor! Both Scarlett O'Hara and Erica Kane can claim descent from Thackeray's unrepentant bitch-goddess, and Miss Hopkins scores a slam dunk in bringing Becky to life.

 

[Robert Harris]

I'd like to give a salute to the magnificent Miriam Hopkins, an actress who is all but forgotten today except by classic film fans. Her peak was in the pre-Code era (Design for Living, Trouble in Paradise, The Story of Temple Drake) but Becky Sharp is a wonderful showcase for her as both a dramatic and comedic actress- and in early three-strip Technicolor! Both Scarlett O'Hara and Erica Kane can claim descent from Thackeray's unrepentant bitch-goddess, and Miss Hopkins scores a slam dunk in bringing Becky to life.

Let us not forget Ivy Pearson

 

[Danny Burk]

And she's delightful, along with Claudette Colbert, in THE SMILING LIEUTENANT.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

The interaction between Jack Theakston and Will Krupp is why I love this site. People respect each other most of the time, whether they agree or not. All forums/discussions should be equally civilised.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I’m big fans of both gentlemen and I too was impressed and inspired by the civility of that exchange. Class acts all around.

 

[notmicro]

It took only a couple of years before the color timing was toned down

Until they printed The Gang's All Here