19 —— 1 FILM HISTORY Volume 19 Number 1 2007 pp. 1–104 SPINE Film HISTORY An International Journal Volume 19, Number 1, 2007 CHASING REALITY Edited by Richard Koszarski Introduction: Chasing Reality Richard Koszarski 1 The Soviet cinematic offensive in the Spanish Civil War Daniel Kowalsky 7 Family history, film history: Dad & the Telenews Theatre Corporation Michael, Jennifer and Nathan, Jr. Aronson 20 An experiment in ‘historically correct’ Canadian photoplays: Montreal’s British American Film Manufacturing Co. Louis Pelletier 34 Myth and movie making: Karl Brown and the making of Stark Love John White 49 Constructing a priest, silencing a saint: The PCA and I Confess (1953) Amy Lawrence 58 Volume 19 Number 1 2007 Acting with feeling: Robert Donat, the ‘Emotion Chart’ and The Citadel (1938) Vicky Lowe 73 ISSN: 0892-2160 Dualling for Judy: The concept of the double in the films of Kim Novak Vincent L. Barnett 86 OUTSIDE BACK COVER VOLUME 19 NUMBER 1 2007 Film HISTORY AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL The Soviet cinematic offensive in the Spanish Civil War (page 7) An experiment in ‘historically correct’ Canadian photoplays (page 34) Myth and movie making: Karl Brown and the making of Stark Love (page 49) Constructing a priest, silencing a saint: The PCA and I Confess (1953) (page 58) THIS ISSUE CHASING REALITY FRONT COVER Film Subscription HISTORY information (2007) Film History (ISSN 0892-2160) is published quarterly by Indiana University Press and John Libbey Pub- An International Journal lishing. All views or conclusions are those of the authors of the articles and not necessarily those of the editorial staff, Indiana University Press, or John Editor-in-Chief: Libbey Publishing. 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Film HISTORY An International Journal This issue: Volume 19, Number 1, 2007 CHASING REALITY Edited by Richard Koszarski Introduction: Chasing Reality Richard Koszarski 1 Editor-in-Chief: Richard Koszarski The Soviet cinematic offensive in the Spanish Box 10 Civil War Teaneck, New Jersey, 07666, USA Daniel Kowalsky 7 E-mail: [email protected] Family history, film history: Dad & the Telenews Theatre Corporation Editorial office: Michael, Jennifer and Nathan, Jr. Aronson 20 JOHN LIBBEY PUBLISHING, PO Box 276 An experiment in ‘historically correct’ Canadian Eastleigh SO50 5YS, UK photoplays: Montreal’s British American Film Manufacturing Co. E-mail: [email protected] Louis Pelletier 34 Business office: Myth and movie making: Karl Brown and the Journals Division, Indiana University Press making of Stark Love 601 North Morton Street John White 49 Bloomington, IN 47404-3797, USA Telephone: +1-800-842-6796 (toll free USA), or Constructing a priest, silencing a saint: The +1 1-812-855-8817 PCA and I Confess (1953) E-mail: [email protected] Amy Lawrence 58 http://iupress.indiana.edu Film History Acting with feeling: Robert Donat, the ‘Emotion is abstracted and/or indexed in: Chart’ and The Citadel (1938) America: History and Life; Current Vicky Lowe 73 Bibliography in the History of Technology; Historical Abstracts; International Index to Dualling for Judy: The concept of the double in Film/Television Periodicals; Media Review the films of Kim Novak Digest; Postscript. Vincent L. Barnett 86 © 2007 John Libbey Publishing Printed in USA by The Sheridan Press, Hanover, Pennsylvania. FILM HISTORY: Volume 19, Number 1, 2007 – p. 1 FILM HISTORY: Volume 19, Number 1, 2007 – p. 2 Film History, Volume 19, pp. 3–4, 2007. Copyright © John Libbey Publishing ISSN: 0892-2160. Printed in United States of America Introduction: Chasing Reality Chasing Reality Richard Koszarski his is not an issue devoted to documentary film, news’ theater by theater), is the subject of a unique nor does it examine in any systematic way the joint historical inquiry by members of the Aronson T ontological issues governing the relation of the family, an account which draws in film history, local mediated filmed image to its unformed subject. history and genealogical research. Instead, the seven papers collected here trace When Paul Rotha set out to define the field in something of the cinema’s perennial concern with his ground breaking Documentary Film (1936), he absorbing and improving upon any ‘real’ events, pitched a much wider tent than is generally accepted locations, performances or personalities that fall today. In addition to certifying as ‘documentary’ such within its purview. films as Eisenstein’s October, Rotha also allowed an On one end of the spectrum, filmmakers who entire ‘Naturalist (Romantic)’ tradition. The center- find their subjects in the everyday world have almost piece here was Nanook, but the foregrounding of automatically been seen as operating closer to ‘real- nature in an active role was also identified in films like ity,’ regardless of the style in which they approached The Covered Wagon (James Cruze, 1923) and Stark (or represented) these events. The actuality and the Love (Karl Brown, 1927). Brown’s film was indeed news film were, at least in the beginning, understood shot in the mountains of North Carolina, but appar- as the opposite of the fictions and fantasies which ently even that did not provide enough ‘reality’ for the eventually came to dominate the commercial cin- Paramount publicity department. Using newly un- ema. But it has been a long time, of course, since covered local sources, James White reveals how the anyone has regarded the non-fiction film quite so studio passed off a well-known college athlete as a naively as this, and the first two papers in this special camera-shy, barefoot hillbilly. Historic recreations issue provide further evidence of the unique difficul- pre-dated The Covered Wagon, of course. In Louis ties film audiences are faced with in distinguishing Pelletier’s account of the pioneering British-Ameri- fiction from fact. can Film Manufacturing Company and its efforts to Daniel Kowalsky discusses the Soviet film of- create an ‘historically correct’ Canadian cinema, we fensive in Spain during the Civil War, not only through see how this impulse to blend history, entertainment an analysis of the footage shot there by Roman and education seemed, at a crucial moment in film Karmen and his associates, but by situating this work history, the high road to cinema art. within the context of the Soviet theatrical features Filming even fictional narratives on location which were also mobilized for this battle. Revealing was thought to add not only eye-catching spectacle, Spanish and Russian-language materials provide but the authentic texture and excitement of modern new insights into the significance of this conflict in the life itself. Many filmmakers deserted the back lots in history of film propaganda. Exhibition as a locus of the years immediately following the Second World non-fiction cinema was also important in the Ameri- War, including such studio stalwarts as Alfred Hitch- can cinema, but despite the prevalence today of cock, who shot I Confess in Quebec City late in 1952. all-news radio and cable channels it is surprising how But the issues of authenticity which immediately con- little has been written about the history of all-news fronted that film turned out to involve ritual rather than motion picture theaters. The Telenews operation, locale, as Amy Lawrence demonstrates. designed to accommodate the active participation of And at the far end of this continuum, about as local managers (who could thereby reorganize ‘the distant as possible from the concerns of Ivens and FILM HISTORY: Volume 19, Number 1, 2007 – p. 3 4 Richard Koszarski Flaherty, are questions of performance and person- the Atlantic. Many of Kim Novak’s key films featured ality as reflected in the life and work of the movie star. her in (explicit or implicit) double roles, from Vertigo Moving from stage to screen, Robert Donat under- to Kiss Me, Stupid.