THE MUSIC MAN
With Seán Martinfield
Seán Martinfield
Photo(s) by
Luke Thomas
THE SOUND OF SILENTS - Words and Music at the 11th
Annual Silent Film Festival
By Seán
Martinfield
July 18, 2006
"True art transcends time" was the controlling theme
of this past weekend's 11th Annual San Francisco Silent Film Festival
at the Castro Theatre. Beginning with Friday night's screening
of the 1927 romantic classic, SEVENTH HEAVEN, starring Charles
Farrell and Janet Gaynor, the event proved to be a magnificent
success for Artistic Director Stephen Salmons and Operations and
Festival Director Stacey Wisnia. To the finest of musical accompaniment
pouring from the grand piano, the pipes of the Mighty Wurlitzer,
and two highly acclaimed Bay Area orchestras, the innovative and
sparkling zeal of the Past blissfully marched down the aisle with
the valiance and driving determination of the Present. The word
is out - what was once regarded as a dead and vanished Art Form
has risen up and called into being new branches of Creativity
and Industrial endeavor, inspiring architectural designs to forever
house and fortify its revered silvery spirits of Light, and to
offer its devoted students the Academic wreath of Master of Arts.
Opening Night guest speakers included the very gracious Robin
Adrian (son of celebrated MGM costume designer Gilbert Adrian
and Janet Gaynor) introducing SEVENTH HEAVEN and celebrating the
centennial of his mother's birth. Come Saturday morning, a major
highlight was the on-stage appearance of Joseph McBride, author
of "Searching for John Ford: A Life", and his delightful
exchange with special guest star Harry Carey, Jr. Still very spry,
sharp and amusing, the 85-year-old veteran actor of 146 films
is the son of silent western leading man Harry Carey who had just
lit up the screen in director John Ford's 1917 cowboys-to-the-rescue,
BUCKING BROADWAY. As author of "Company of Heroes: My Life
as an Actor in the John Ford Stock Company", the junior Carey
joined Mr. McBride at the autograph table to greet their fans
and exchange favorite anecdotes. As a longtime Festival sponsor,
The Booksmith (located on Haight Street) always provides a very
welcomed array of publications by film historians, critics, and
biographers. Among this year's glittering list of invited authors
were a number originating from the Bay Area, including Jack Tillmany
("Theaters of San Francisco"); Jim Van Buskirk ("Celluloid
San Francisco: The Film Lover's Guide to Bay Area Movie Locations");
and the very distinguished Scott O'Brien ("Kay Francis: I
Can't Wait to Be Forgotten"), guest lecturer from the Danger
and Despair Noir Festival.
The Festival roster was international in its scope, including
eight feature length films, three shorts of Laurel & Hardy,
selected trailers, out-takes, and five amazing newsreels covering
the 1906 Earthquake. Among this treasured footage of Old San Francisco
was "A Trip Down Market Street" - captured just four
days before the disaster struck by then resident production team,
the Miles Brothers. Back again Sunday morning (on the most glorious
summer day yet seen in the Castro District), the darkened theatre
was packed for a free admission gift - a Lecture / Demonstration,
"Amazing Tales From The Archives", given by representatives
from Haghefilm Conservation, the George Eastman House, the Library
of Congress, and Pacific Film Archive. The major point, of course,
was to stress the importance and urgency of preserving the world's
cinematic art and to demonstrate - as monies and minds collaborate
- how that happens. Throughout the "power points" and
projected samplings of miraculous restorations to what seemed
to be the doomed mileage of the previous Century's highly flammable
nitrate-based film stock, one could feel the transforming waves
of hope and inspiration taking hold of the viewers. By the end
of the presentation, it was our collective imagination on fire
for this growing field of film technology. Equally ardent (now
with a more-informed perspective) the warmest appreciation for
the Benefactors and all manner of Guarantors, Staff and Patrons
of the Silent Film Festival - "where supply meets demand".
Providing the voice and life's blood to Hollywood's first tier
of gods and goddesses are the superb musicians providing non-stop
accompaniment. On the Castro Theatre's Mighty Wurlitzer, famed
organist Clark Wilson demonstrated remarkable versatility and
resourcefulness between the hearts and flowers scoring of SEVENTH
HEAVEN and the psychologically challenging opportunities of PANDORA'S
BOX. As hoped, Mr. Clark's initial rendering and later variations
on "Diane", the evergreen romantic theme of SEVENTH
HEAVEN, reflected and bolstered the passionate exchanges of the
incredibly handsome Charles Farrell and diminutive Janet Gaynor.
For the iconic Louise Brooks and the atmosphere of Berlin and
the Weimar Republic still contained in a Pandora's box, Mr. Wilson
drew upon themes and rhythmic patterns from the musicals THREEPENNY
OPERA, THE MERRY WIDOW, and CABARET. For the concluding feature,
SHOW PEOPLE and its romantic leads Marion Davies (mistress to
William Randolph Hearst) and William Haines (faithfully partnered
to his one-time stand-in Jimmy Shields for 50 years), organist
Dennis James was the perfect choice. His performance history including
extensive tours with silent stars Lillian Gish, Myrna Loy and
Charles "Buddy" Rogers for revivals of their films,
Mr. James brings the definitive "Hollywood" touch.
At the grand piano, without benefit of sheet music or candelabra,
were pianists Michael Mortilla and Jon Mirsalis. Mr. Mortilla
accompanied the rough-riding BUCKING BROADWAY and the melodramatic
tale of SPARROWS starring America's Sweetheart, Mary Pickford.
In both cases, Mr. Mortilla's improvisational skills and hawk-eyed
attention to the action of the screen resulted in perfect musical
portraits awash with clear-cut chord structures, cascading arpeggios,
tender and amusing intimacies contrasted by increasingly bombastic
build-ups for fearless cowboys to the rescue or hungry alligators
in relentless pursuit of homeless orphans. Mr. Mirsalis, on the
other hand, brought a more controlled and classical approach to
Lon Chaney's THE UNHOLY THREE - the story of three thieving carnival
performers: a cross-dressing ventriloquist, a cigar-smoking midget
pretending to be a baby, and a nervous muscle-bound thug named
"Hercules" who winds up in the jaws of an orangutan.
Classy.
In an unusual twist, jazz ensemble The Hot Club of San Francisco
was brought in to accompany the splendid French entry, AU BONHEUR
DES DAMES. Set in Paris, exploiting the heights of French Art
Deco, the members of this ensemble do not exaggerate their name
- they are le jazz HOT. If you know the lyrics to some of their
accompaniment choices, i.e., Night and Day, Smoke Gets In Your
Eyes, and Embraceable You, then an even deeper intrigue develops
with their relationship to subtext and subtlety. Go out of your
way to purchase their recordings. Get a guaranteed underscore
for your next romantic rendezvous.
As brilliant and unexpected was the Balka Ensemble for the 1927
Russian romantic comedy, THE GIRL WITH THE HATBOX. A Traditional
ensemble featuring Russian folk music, the group makes exquisite
use of the balalaika and domra. Featured in the film is the lovely
Anna Sten who would later become known as "Goldwyn's Folly"
- that being the very mistaken belief of producer Samuel Goldwyn
who brought her to America believing he could turn her into another
Garbo. (Why?!) For the rest of us, it was the completely unknown
but nevertheless infatuating leading man, Ivan Koval-Samborsky,
for whom the balalaikas tolled the familiar, "When you are
in love, it's the loveliest night of the year." To top the
story off, the lovers win the Russian Lottery. Garbo never had
it so good.
Explore the Silent
Film Festival.
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