Josef von Sternberg! — Who Is He? (1924) 🇺🇸
Editor’s Note: — Here, for the first time, is told the real inside story of the making of a motion picture that, overnight, brought a thirty-year-old unknown from obscurity to the limelight as Mary Pickford’s next director. There have been hints and rumors to the point where all the industry is asking, “Who is this von Sternberg?” Here on this page is his photo, and below the answer.
by Sumner Smith
It may have been because they are really great artists, or because they were acting their own life story before the grinding camera and the struggle of the characters toward happiness seemed very real. Whatever the reason, Hollywood just now is in a furore over The Salvation Hunters, a six-reel picture made by a practically unknown director and a cast half of which was composed of extra players. It has aroused almost unprecedented enthusiasm. Charlie Chaplin says that it is the finest picture he has ever seen. Mary Pickford has signed Josef von Sternberg, its director, to direct her next production. George K. Arthur, Georgia Hale and Olaf Hytten, extras to whom fame was only a dream, are sitting on top of the world. And the cost of this remarkable picture, produced on a shoe-string, was not much over $5,000.
Personally, the writer considers it an imposition to introduce a moral into most stories of great successes. But in this instance the moral is so striking that it can’t be dodged. It is this: that dreams sometimes do become realities, that hope deferred stores up energy for the time when opportunity smiles.
Remember, the people who made this $5,000 masterpiece were unknown to the industry, had suffered bitter disappointments and were without money.
For the purposes of this narrative the story begins a few months ago with the actual production of the picture; really it begins on that day long ago when the first motion picture extra wondered where to find the next sandwich and cup of black coffee. This isn’t the place, however, for a history of the industry and the skeletons of ambitions strewn along its path.
Let’s go.
Josef von Sternberg, 30 years old and of Viennese birth, had been doing this and that around the studios at Hollywood, hoping for an assignment to direct a picture. During the early days of the industry he had written and edited photoplays. William A. Brady had told him that he had directorial ability, but young von Sternberg didn’t think so at the time, though he knew the technique of motion pictures and held several degrees from the University of Vienna, notably that of doctor of philosophy. This last summer in Hollywood he was certain he could direct but no one shared his belief in himself.
A youth, George K. Arthur by name, came to him one day with a story he had written and suggested that von Sternberg and he might join forces in raising money and producing it. Von Sternberg did not like the script but he did like the boy. Together they went over to San Pedro Harbor. As they watched a mud dredger at work and visualized the dreary existence of the laborers, the story of The Salvation Hunters began to form in von Sternberg’s mind. There was the atmosphere — mud — and a theme — that all of us, of high or low estate, are striving for happiness, and that though we may be humble we have our chance to win it.
Von Sternberg took Arthur by the collar and shook him.
“Can you raise any money?” he asked.
“Sure,” said Arthur with all the optimism of youth.
It was far easier said than done, though the youth is credited with possessing real financial genius. Arthur went about his job systematically. The goal was approximately $5,000. He divided this into sixteen shares of stock at $281 each, or a total of $4,496. Then he spent weeks trying to make a sale. Finally the boy’s earnestness impressed Robert McIntyre, casting director for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and he decided to take a chance, buying one share.
On the strength of that little success Sternberg and Arthur began looking around for players and a cameraman. They convinced pretty Georgia Hale, an extra, it was worth while taking a chance with them without salary. Olaf Hytten was similarly persuaded. Everybody concentrated on raising the money. It came in driblets, $10 here, $50 there. Baby Bruce Guerin, Otto Matieson and Nelly Bly Baker [Nellie Bly Baker], who are recognized players, joined in the crusade without salary.
At last they were ready to begin production. A studio was leased for five days, old sets were borrowed and redressed with painstaking care and their bank account was minus $76. The rest of the money they then had went to the cameraman and for 400 feet of film and incidental expenses. They happily began work and were satisfied with their efforts.
But von Sternberg decided that at least one outstanding artist was needed to give the picture prestige. Again Arthur went on a still hunt for money and came back with $100. An effort was made to persuade Stuart Holmes to take pot luck with them but he insisted on spot cash. So they paid him the $100 for a day’s work and, the story goes, “worked him to death.”
About this time luck began breaking against them. Von Sternberg developed neuritis but carried on. They had to have $500 immediately.
“I’ll try Soandso, the banker,” Arthur said, and though he was weary from sixteen hours on location, he went to the banker’s home and awaited his return. The banker was late in arriving and Arthur fell asleep in his chair, to be roughly awakened by the very man he hoped to impress.
“You’ve been drinking, young man,” the financier said as a preface to a long lecture on the evils of alcohol. Arthur failed to convince him that he was not drunk but near the point of exhaustion. The interview terminated abruptly and the youth left without the sorely needed money.
That was a big disappointment. It hurt the morale of the little group. But a few days later Arthur joyously ‘phoned von Sternberg.
“I’ve got the five hundred,” he shouted.
They went to work again, buying another 400 feet of film and finishing the picture. Von Sternberg cut and titled it, and a friend ran it off in a projection room. It looked mighty good to them.
Von Sternberg went to the Writers’ Club.
“I’ve got a really good picture,” he said. “Won’t you let me show it to you?”
“Nothing doing,” they said.
“Just one reel,” von Sternberg begged.
They told him they could not be bothered.
Von Sternberg and Arthur then determined to aim high. For weeks they concentrated on reaching Chaplin and Fairbanks [Douglas Fairbanks Sr.] and Mary Pickford. At last, through a friend of Chaplin, they got the great comedian’s consent to see the first reel.
They were shaking in their shoes.
“Show me the rest of it,” Chaplin said; then, when the 6,000 feet had been run off, “It is the finest picture I have seen, a marvel of composition and rhythm. Every scene has the authority of genius.”
Von Sternberg had known it was good but the others weren’t so sure. He merely looked the happiness he felt; they went into hysterics of joy.
Chaplin got Doug and Mary on the ‘phone and they came over. The Salvation Hunters was run off again. Mary said, “von Sternberg is far ahead of anyone directing pictures.” Doug had a lot to say about simplicity, subtlety, dramatic sweep, optimism and punch and “a plastic art which no one has hitherto brought to the film.”
Then Doug said, “How much do you want for it?”
Well, to make a long story short, Doug Fairbanks and Joseph M. Schenck each bought a quarter interest in The Salvation Hunters, paying a very considerable sum of money, for von Sternberg knows enough psychology to be a good bargainer and young Arthur knows finances. The other half interest is split among the players, Bob McIntyre of Metro and the gamblers who risked their ten and twenty dollar bills in response to Arthur’s persuasions.
Mary promptly engaged von Sternberg to write the story for her next picture and direct it, which is about the best evidence possible of what she thought of The Salvation Hunters, and the players began the pleasing pastime of wondering which producer’s contract to sign. The releasing arrangements haven’t been announced yet, but it is considered probable that United Artists will be the company.
A little more about the profound impression the picture has made upon different people may be in order. Cecil De Mille [Cecil B. DeMille] has said, “The director has real genius.” Others who have been deeply impressed are Nazimova [Alla Nazimova], Elinor Glyn, William De Mille [William C. de Mille], Marion Davies, Frank Keenan, Jim Tully, Tom Geraghty, the late Thomas H. Ince and Al Kaufman. Curtis Melnitz, who is Fairbank’s representative in New York, gave metropolitan critics a look at the picture at a Coffee House show. There were noted musicians, writers and dramatists present and the volume of praise was loud and sincere.
The Salvation Hunters is reported as being a daring treatment of one of life’s undertones — the dramatization of a thought. There is no complicated plot, no weighty story, and yet it is vivid and gripping. A man, woman and child, sucked down into the mud and shadow of hopelessness, fight their way back into the sunlight through the incentive of their faith and dreams; that, in brief, is the story.
Von Sternberg was born in Vienna, May 29, 1894, and came to this country when only 7 years old. During his youth he was sort of a trans-Atlantic commuter. He was graduated from the University of Vienna with several degrees and spent the next ten years of his life in “getting down to earth.” In 1914 the embryo author and director began ten years of apprenticeship in motion pictures, writing and editing. Some of his stories were produced, others not. He also wrote a novel, Daughters of Vienna, which though written in English was published in the city of his birth. He was chief advisor to William A. Brady when the latter was director general of the old World Film Company. During the war he was motion picture expert to the Chief of Staff of the United States Army. Since then he has sought to direct.
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They were “extras.” Would you believe it?
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Motion Picture Apparatus Company Moves Quarters
In order that the motion picture trade might get the service that they required, and that those whom they served with still cameras would be adequately cared for, the Motion Picture Apparatus Company has moved its quarters to 110 West 32nd street, where it will be associated with the Camera House of Willoughby’s.
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$5,000 Louisville Blaze
Fire, said to have been caused by an overheated furnace and defective flue, broke out on November 20, in the Big Features Rights Corp. film exchange, at 221 So. Third Street, Louisville, causing loss of about $5,000 and endangering 100,000 feet of films on an upper floor and a large quantity of lithographic posters, advertising matter, etc., stored in the building. Associated First National Pictures and Educational Films are handled through this plant.
Fred Levy is president of the company and Lee Goldberg is secretary-treasurer. Mr. Goldberg reported that the fire was confined principally to paper in the shelving on the second floor front.
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Worse Than Films!
The sessions of the Texas Baptist General Convention, representing 500,000 members of that denomination in the Lone Star State, closed in Dallas this week without a single word having been said against motion pictures. But what the Baptists said about dancing more than made up for the lack of picture talk.
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New Copyright Agreement
A reciprocal copyright agreement between the United States and Switzerland has been put into effect, according to an announcement of the State Department. The arrangement is similar to that entered into between the Government of the United States and most of the other leading countries of the world.
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Soriero With “U”
Carl Laemmle, president of the Universal Pictures Corporation, this week announced the appointment of Thomas D. Soriero, prominent Baltimore theatre manager, as general manager for Universal’s theatres. The appointment becomes effective immediately.
Collection: Moving Picture World, December 1924
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Collection: Film Daily Yearbook, 1925