Ik NO. 29 The Museum of Modern Art For Immediate Release iWest 53 Street, New York, N.Y. 10019 Tel. 956-6100 Cable: Modernart

PIONEER FILM DIRECTOR HONORED BY MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

Allan Dwan, at 86 one of America's oldest living directors and with over 400 films to his credit, will be honored with a five-week film re­ trospective beginning March 4 at The Museum of Modern Art. The series, assembled by Peter Bogdanovich, a filmmaker himself, spans 45 years of the director's career, from the 1912 film "The Fear" to "The River's

Edge," a 1957 and one of Dwan's last films. Mr. Bogdanovich is the author of the new book AJ_J[a^nJDwanj^_jni_e_Jj_a^st_ published by Praeger concurrently with the Museum series.

Allan Dwan has directed such noted stars as , Douglas

Fairbanks, Sr., Victor McLaglen, , and

John Wayne. Some of his most well-known pictures, included in the Museum tribute, are "Robin Hood," a 1922 film with , Sr. ; "The

Iron Mask" (1929), also starring Fairbanks; "Suez" (1938), the epic with

Tyrone Power and Loretta Young; and "The " (1949), the for which received his first Oscar nomination.

Allan Dwan, who has worked in many genres, began his career in motion pictures almost by accident. An engineer, he designed special lights for the Essanay Studio in and was supervising their use on the set, when he learned that the studio paid $25 for scripts. He began writing with such success that he was asked to be Essanay' s scenario editor. Arriving on a set in Arizona to supply some scripts, he found that the director had left town and was soon notified by Essanay that he was to direct. This was in 1909 and Dwan stayed with the job for more than half a century.

Dwan's early films, such as "Three Million Dollars" (1911), his (more) -2- 11

fortieth one-reeler, are technically very simple—each scene is recorded

from a fixed position and there is a minimum of cutting. By 1913, how­

ever, he felt the influence of D. W. Griffith and began to cut within

scenes and introduce much greater flexibility. Dwan himself has acknow­

ledged his debt to Griffith; "The only man I ever watched was Griffith,

and I just did what he did. It was a wonderful, successful thing to do."

Dwan came up with numerous solutions to technical problems himself, and

Bogdanovich credits him with the invention of the dolly shot in 1915.

"Robin Hood" (1922), starring Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., remains

one of Dwan' s greatest films. Robert E. Sherwood, the playwright, then

a film critic, wrote at the time "It represents the high-water mark of

film production. "

Dwan had a very close association with the two leading stars of the

20s, Fairbanks and Gloria Swanson. "Manhandled," a 1924 film starring

Miss Swanson, will be shown at the Museum. It is a comedy romance with

an outstanding performance by the leading lady.

While he has always felt that sound detracted from what he considers

a uniquely visual medium, Dwan made the transition to talkies with success.

Given little opportunity in the mid-thirties to work with superior material,

the success of two Shirley Temple films he directed—"Heidi" and "Rebecca

of Sunnybrook Farm —" led to his assignment to direct "Suez," a 1938

adventure story built around the construction of the Suez Canal, and a

film which remains one of his best. After making a number of successful

comedies in the forties, he switched genres with his usual ability and

closed out the decade with the successful "The Sands of Iwo Jima," a war film starring John Wayne.

Dwan continued working actively until the early 60s. His films are

marked by expressive but unpretentious camera work; a sense of humor

which pokes fun at pretense; and a focus on simple people.

(more) -3- z]"^

The complete schedule of Tji^Fj. rmj;_of^j\^n^ji_p_w_^^ All films are directed by Dwan. Silent films indicated by asterisk.

ThjiJ^^_aj^_Mji_rj)Ji_J_X?_L?JL__?_L3 0i: DAVID HARUM*(1915). With William '"H. Crane, May Allison. Courtesy Eastman House. Thjijjjd^ y_^_M_a_rj3ji_ J_^8^niPJ : DAVID HARUM and M ANHA NDLE D*(l 924). With Gloria Swanson. Courtesy Eastman House. Fii^£yj__M_aj^Ji_5_(_2_:_0_0^_5j^3^0^)_: STAGE ST R UC K *( 1 9 2 5 ). With Gloria Swanson. Courtesy Eastman House and Paramount Pictures. Sai!iLiLyl_J^i££i_5.JJ_l^^^_5^^3_0J_: THE WANDERER*(1912). Courtesy ' Eastman House. CALAMITY ANNE'S TR UST *(1 9 13 ). Courtesy Eastman , House. THE FEAR*(1912). Courtesy National Film Archives, British Film Institute. A MODERN M USKE T E ER *(! 9 1 7 ), an excerpt. SHI^^ay^_MjLj^h_7_(_2_:J^_^_5^3^0^)_: ROBIN HOOD (1922). With Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., Wallace Beery. Mil?L^_^yj__M.lLl?L_?_Ji2j_3^0^)j *(1917). With Maxine Elliot. "^ ^AHP ^Jl?_yj_^l^ 2.^ JL?_ J^l^?.!__^jJ-?i * FIGHTING ODDS.'*' lljl^I^l^Zi—M-^J^lLlii-L^J-Pj?.! ll^?.)-* I SPY(1933). With Sally Filers, Ben Lyon. Courtesy National Film Archives, Britain. T h uj_s^jj_^_ M_a rjjji_ J^_j[8 ;j)_OJ_: MANHANDLED*. See March 4. Fj"j.day^_M3j_cTi_12_(_2j_0_0_^_52^3_0)j STAGE STRUCK*. See March 5. S^iy.L??.yi_J^^i!^l_L?_JJ_l^^j._5.L3JL)- ZAZA*(1923). With Gloria Swanson. Courtesy Library of Congress, American Film Institute and Paramount. ^M^ay^_M_aj^Ji_14_(_2jJ)_0^_5j^3^0^)_: WHAT A WIDOW! (1930). With Gloria Swanson. Courtesy Gloria Swanson and Eastman House. M_9iL^^JL?_iliLl^JAii2j_3_0^)j MANHANDLED*. See March 4. IJ^^I^II^ M_^JL^!]Li_?_i^L3J^): WICKED (1931). With Elissa Landi, Victor McLagFen, Una MerkeF. Courtesy 20th Century Fox. ^®A^®"Ll^JLi-J^?.L^!LJJLi2_^?L2.L.A:Jj?i: HIGH TENSION (1936). With Brian DonTevy, cFendTa Farrell. Courtesy 20th Century Fox. JjL^J-^iljya-MAJcjLiJ-iiL^Jlj-A^OJ^: *( 1927). With Olive Bordon, Marie DressTer. Courtesy Czechoslovakian Film Archive. Czech titles. lJ\5JJ_^3y^_M3JLcAiJ_i§.L?Jl)- WHILE PARIS SLEEPS (1932). With Victor McLaglen, Helen Mack. Courtesy 20th Century Fox. Ii"i^£yi._MJi'J?JLi^_L?J_?_?a_ll?-5.): (1939). With Don Ameche, . Courtesy 20th Century Fox. ^aiurd^ay,_ March_2^0^JJ_:00j__5_:J_0J: *(1929). With Douglas FairBanlcs, Sr., Marguerite de la Motte. Sunday^_M_a_r^h_21_(_2_:3_0^_5j^3_0^)_: CHANCES (1931). With Douglas Fairbanks, J i; Courtesy Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. M£?^_^_yj_i4.1L9.^_?_2 ii2l3.0.)_: WICKED. See March 16. W_e_crne_s_d_ay,_^arc^E 2_4__(2j^0^0^,__5jj_0j: THE BLACK SHEEP (1935). With E'^fmund' Lowe, cFaire Trevor. Courtesy 20th Century Fox. Thujj^jj^_Mjjrj;h_^^_i[2^;_0_q_): WHILE PARIS SLEEPS. See March 18. J?JLrj^JJa_MMi}Li^_i5.L?iL_-?_lJ?^l- SUEZ (193 8). With Tyrone Power, Loretta Young. Courtesy 20th Century Fox. Jji^£yj._M3i'fJi_2 6_L2jJ0_^_52_3_0^): TRAIL OF THE VIGILANTES (1940). With , BroHerick Crawford. S£i!iLday^J^arch_2^7_JJ^00j__5^v30J: HEIDI (1937). With Shirley Temple. Courtesy 2001 Century Fox. SHIlday^_M3j'_ch_2 8_(_2j0_0^_5j^3^0^)_: REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM (1938). WitH sETirley TempFe. Courtesy 20th Century Fox. MfL^4a_yj_iiirc^h_2_9_iill?.?.L' ^^ MAIDEN LANE (1936). With Claire Trevor, . Courtesy Ivy Film/16 mm. 13^1^31^ MAfJl^L Ji_i5.L?JL) • UP IN MABEL'S ROOM (1944). With Dennis O'Keefe. Courtesy American Continental. —OVER— -4-

W_eA^e_sAajL»_illL9.?LJJ_ill9.9.L.J_-i_?i: GETTING GERTIE'S GARTER (1945).^ With Dennis O'Keefe, Marie McDonald. Courtesy American Continent! Th^r_s^_a_y_^ A_pj_il^_l_j^2_;_qj)j__5_^3 0]^: (1946). With] E"3die ATbert. Courtesy Ivy Film/I6mm. I'ji^Mi._'^PliL_?_i?.L?_9j ^_li£i* FRONTIER M A R S HA L (1 93 8 ). With Randolp] Scott. Courtesy 20fh Century Fox. S£lirdayj__^pri_l_3J_3_:^_0_^_5j_^0^)_: THE SANDS OF IWO JIMA (1949). With 1 JoTin Wayne. Courtesy Ivy Fil m/16mm . Sunday^_AprU_4_j^2_^3_qj_5_^3 0)^: THE RIVER'S EDGE (1957). With Ray MiTFanJ, Anthony Quinn. Courtesy 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros' M?JL4f^3L»_APjJi_5.Ji_?^^0|: THE INSIDE STORY (1948). With William Lun^igan. Courtesy Ivy Film/l6mm. W_ejL'L6_sj[ajr_^_ A_p_r li_l._(^_L 0 0^_5^-J_0_)^ BREWSTER'S MILLIONS (1945). With' Dennis O'Keele. Courtesy American Continental. 2J^J!^i'Ji'_?Ja_ A_Pi"ii JLi 2l0.0.,__5jJ^i • WOMAN THEY ALMOST LYNCHED (1952|J With Audrey Totter, . Courtesy Ivy Film/l6mm. I'i'i^iyA._-^££iL^_i5.L^JL): DRIFTWOOD (1947). With Walter Brennen, Deanl Jagger. Courtesy Ivy Film/l6mm. Zji^ilj-.-^PliLi-i^L^JL): SILVER LODE (1954). With , Dan Duryea. Courtesy Ivy Film/l6mm.

Additional information available from Lillian Gerard, Film Coordinator,^ and Mark Segal, Assistant, Department of Public Information, The Muse ill of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, New York, New York 10019. Tel: (212) 956-7296. #•