And, any film, whether it's a trivial comedy or a historical epic, is in some way connected
with the political activity of that country. Now, if you make a film, for instance, in
which negroes are presented not as a different kind of person, but just an ordinary person
like everybody else, that is a social act and it will have all kinds of political repercussions.
Now, in a film like "Gone With the Wind," the aristocratic Old South is the subject.
Certain aspects of it were omitted, others emphasized. And in those emphasis, in those
omissions, politics express themselves. Politics are how we organize ourselves and in every
form of expression, in every art, every word we utter in some way contributes to the political
scene. You can't keep out of it. Mr. Tynan, when I got the idea of doing " The
Best Years of Our Lives," what I understand you liked,
Yes, tremendously. I did not think of politics. I only thought
of what's going to happen to these people when they return from the war. The disabled
veterans and so on and so forth. I never injected politics in it.
But it did explain to you how American society worked. And that was a tremendously important
thing. Miss Leigh, do you think movies-or for that
matter the theatre ought to have a point of view?
I do. This had a point of view!
I do. In fact, I agree with Ken that they have a point of view whether they really want
to or not. Because any good playwright cannot help being taken up with the way the world
is going and I suppose politics come into that. I know nothing about politics and I
don't think I like them at all. But I think that the social conditions in every country
are bound to come into any play of any interest. Whether it's brought in or not- pure propaganda
I naturally don't like because I think it's always pretty dull. But I think it comes into
any play or any movie whether that movie sets out to put it in or not. Because I think any
dramatist of any stature naturally deals with the world as he sees it.
Now Mr. Goldwyn. Yes?
Didn't you have a point of view when you decided to do "Porgy and Bess?"
Yes. I felt that this was, to begin with, the first great American opera that was written.
And secondly, I wanted the public to see the negroes as they are.
I should have said, it simply showed him as he used to be. And I would have thought that,
in spite of your obviously sincere beliefs that politics hasn't any place in the industry,
I think you will find-and perhaps have found-that a great many people will interpret your film
in a socal or political terms. No.
You see, it shows us negroes as downtrodden, dope-fiends, uh-uhm, it's a very slanted and
unfair picture of colored activities. I beg your pardon. No, I don't, I-I-I am sorry.
First of all, my story is laid in the period of 1900 as it was written. Secondly, you might
as well say that the public today do not understand Shakespeare or some of the great things that
have been written in the past hundred or two hundred years! I cannot agree with that at
all. I think the idea is to lead them into that period and stick to the period and don't
get out of it. And I think you have a chance to succeed.
Somebody remarked to me the other day-perhaps a little unjustly-"I see that Uncle Sam is
about to give us Uncle Tom". Now, that may be going a bit too far, but perhaps not a great
deal too far. Mr. Taynan, it's the charm, it's the naïve
of the negro in that period that makes this almost a fantasy. But then a fantasy must
have a certain sense of reality. And I don't think politics or anything that you're talking
about have anything to do with that play whatsoever. The idea is to do it better and the screen
has, has greater opportunity than the stage has. And especially when I did this picture
in Todd-AO- which has six soundtracks-and Mr. Ira Gershwin sat in the projection room
and I showed him some of it in Todd-AO and the remark he made was "I only wish that George
was alive and he could hear this music-his music-played on six tracks now and see
the people-" May I interrupt?
Yes, Miss Leigh. Please, Mr. Goldwyn's just said something
that I don't agree with at all! Because he says that the pictures can do something better.
I think they can do it differently, but it doesn't necessarily mean better! I don't agree
with that at all. They just do it in a different way.
Well, making a movie out of an opera like "Porgy and Bess" is certainly different. It'll
be interesting to see whether it's better. People have been afraid in our business to
do opera, but I felt it's a contribution I'd like to make. Because this business has been
very good to me and I felt I owe them something. So I spent about seven, eight million dollars
and I have to get back about sixteen million to break even--in order to prove that it can
be done successfully and it can be better than what the stage has done. And I am hoping
that the public will agree with me. And if they don't agree with me, it'll be just too
bad for Goldwyn! Now Sam, are you going to do-
As a matter of fact, when I produce a picture I don't usually worry how it's going to be
a box-office success or not. Because the minute anyone starts making a picture and thinks
of the box-office, they're ninety per cent a failure before they start.
This little motion picture, starring Samuel Goldwyn, Vivien Leigh and Kenneth Tynan, will
continue immediately after this word from Olin Mathieson.
Now, back to Edward R. Murrow and "Small World." Go ahead, Mr. Tynan.
Are you ever embarrassed, Mr. Goldwyn, when the artistic success of your films is ascribed
not to the director or the author or the star, but to you yourself? Who, really, haven't
taken an active, creative role in the picture? I've seen a great many films coming out of
all kinds of other countries-in Italy, France-even your own country, Mr. Goldwyn, Poland-and
they're especially out of your own country-the films nowadays are absolutely fantastically
good! And still, I don't think I could name for you who produced any of these films. Italian
or French or Polish. Nobody seems to care about that job. Whereas here it's the absolute
top. But I can't think of any other country where, where it is "Samuel Goldwyn Presents."
I agree with you and I know that some very brilliant pictures come out of France, come
out of England, come out of Russia. I see most of them. As a matter of fact, I'm seeing
one tonight. But Sam, Mr. Tynan's question was, why is
it that the producer in this country gets so much more public credit than he does in
foreign countries? My dear fellow, I can only talk about myself
at this point. I've been at it for forty-seven years. I started when there were-pictures
ran ten minutes. And now they run ten hours!
And fortunately, they remember me, that's all.
Four days at the Chinese Theatre! People are known by the work they do!
We've got one pretty good producer in England who's been heard of it seems to me, Ken. And
his name is Laurence Olivier! Oh yes! Pretty good director too!
Vivien, I consider Larry a great producer. I consider him one of the great actors we
have in our-in present generation. I have great respect for him. But how many are there?
Chaplin was one of them. And you may find one or two more. But how many actors are really
producers? Orson Welles.
Very good! Orson Welles, unfortunately, has not proven
successful in that direction. Oh good heavens, Mr. G!
I disagree with you totally!