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There's always an actor who becomes a filmmaker. It's just bound to happen. Whether or not said actor has the talent and temperament to be a successful filmmaker is irrelevant (to them), although many may end up showing that they do! Well, this Friday's filmmaker definitely did not have the temperament, but did have an unusual talent. Distinguished readers, the Count! Uh, no...wait - not an actual Count. He said he was, but he really wasn't. Oh, Erich...
1885 - 1957
Erich Oswald Stroheim was born in Vienna, Austria, to Jewish parents. In 1909, he immigrated to America and gave himself the name "Count Erich Oswald Hans Carl Maria von Stroheim und Nordenwall", claiming to be the son of Austrian nobility. Yes, he did. Well, "Count" Erich found work as a traveling salesman - which would eventually take him to (where else?) Hollywood.
In 1914, Erich began working in movies as a stuntman. This led to uncredited acting parts, and working as a consultant on German culture and fashion. In 1915, Erich had his first credited role in a film called "Old Heidlberg". After this, he began working for our previously featured filmmaker, D.W. Griffith, and played the (uncredited) part of a Pharisee in D.W.'s 2-part epic, "Intolerance". Due to the extraordinary number of extras, Erich was also one of the many assistant directors needed on the film, as there were no electronic bullhorns for directors to shout through (yet). Many assistant directors were needed to "echo" the director's orders to alllllllll the extras! *whew, what a job!*
Advertising for the scandalous "Blind Husbands" (1919)
Erich's character in the movie was quite a troublemaker!
As the U.S. went into World War 1, Erich found more work as an actor, often playing a cruel German villain in several films. He is said to have enjoyed acting in these over-the-top roles. But, as for so many typecast actors, it got old - and Erich went into writing and directing as well. In 1919, he wrote, directed AND starred in a film called "Blind Husbands". This film was so sexually explicit (for it's time) that many critics were offended, and thus launched his image of being a crude, vulgar foreigner who made an immoral, shameful movie. Guess what happened? People came in droves to see the movie, and it was one of the first films to make over $1M. Surprise, surprise.
Erich on set (year unknown)
Behind the camera (1924)
Many accounts of Erich as a director are quite negative, and he became known as "the man you love to hate", for his demanding, antagonistic and temperamental manner at work, even having parts of sets completely rebuilt if the smallest details weren't right. However, his third wife remembered him as being a very kind man at home!
Different movie, same old shenanigans! "Foolish Wives" (1922)
The cast and crew of "Greed" (Erich center, 1924)
When he wouldn't stop overspending at Universal, our pal Irving Thalberg ended up firing him (remember the incident between them that we mentioned?), and replacing him with a different director. However, in 1924, Erich embarked on a new film, entitled "Greed". Our heroine June Mathis had advocated for Erich to join them at Goldwyn Studios, as she admired his work and thought he (and the film) would be an asset to the studio. "Greed" would be "the" film for Erich, the one that he would be most remembered for - and (unfortunately) one that June would be blamed for...
"Greed" was based on a book, and Erich had been wanting to make a film version for a long time. He shot it mostly on location in San Francisco and Death Valley...in the middle of summer. One of the cooks for the company flat-out died from the heat, and several others got very sick. This man. Had no regard. The original print of "Greed" ran roughly 10 hours. And some of you complain about a 2-hour movie.... Well, even Erich knew that this was too long, so he "generously" cut it to "only" about 6 hours, intending for it to be shown over 2 nights (each for 3 hours). This (naturally) was still deemed too long, so Erich and his editor cut it more, and came up with roughly 4 hours. However...
During filming, Goldwyn Pictures was bought and merged with Metro Pictures (forming Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer). The newly-formed studio (headed up by guess who - Irving!) took one look at Erich's unending movie, took control of the project from him and gave it to June, instructing her to have it edited down to a reasonable length. June entrusted the print to an editor, who got it down to around 2 hours. Because she was under contract to MGM, they credited her as a writer - unleashing the anger of Erich on her, personally when the finished product was released. Erich refused to even see the film, claiming that she destroyed his work, and his chopped-up movie was "her fault". Never mind the fact that he had shot around 85 hours of footage in the first place!
"The Merry Widow" (1925) was another spending disaster...
...wonder why?
Erich's bad reputation as a rebellious, bad-tempered, overspending director only worsened with time, as the moguls of Old Hollywood began exchanging their experiences with him: he takes too long, he spends too much, he's a jerk, etc. His anti-authoritarian leanings often led to clashes with the "higher-ups" at the studios. Erich also did things on set that were considered inappropriate even by the ignorant, low standards of early Hollywood, such as getting the extras drunk and keeping them on set for 3 days in order to film a party scene (that nearly became an orgy). Unsurprisingly, after a load of drama shooting "Queen Kelly" for United Artists in 1929, Erich's opportunities to direct were few and far between! "Queen Kelly" had so much drama, we were forced to leave it out of this post and feature it exclusively on an upcoming Silent Film Sunday, just saying.
Erich acting on stage (1941)
Erich returned to acting during the 1930's, and although some remember him as having a lower-class Austrian accent, he spoke little German and what he did speak had an "American" accent! Nevertheless, he had many acting roles in talkies, and continued acting during the 40's and 50's. He had an (ironic) role of a wild German director in "The Lost Squadron" (1932), yelling at extras (playing soldiers in war) to "STAY DEAD!". We think he probably enjoyed this role thoroughly! If you want to see a bit of this scene, watch the first minute or two of the "Hollywood" episode in our resources below! After his triumph in "Sunset Boulevard" (1950), Erich moved to France, where he wrote novels and continued acting. Pretty chill for a once power-crazed, dictatorial director, hey?
In 1956, Erich was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and this eventually caused him to be paralyzed. He passed away a year later, in 1957. He was survived by his third wife Valerie (from whom he separated, but never divorced), and his longtime, live-in girlfriend (ah. 'Nuff said), Denise. Erich had 2 sons from his first marriage, Erich, Jr. and Josef, who grew up to work in the film industry.
A lot can be said of Erich von Stroheim - and like many prominent characters of Old Hollywood, they aren't too positive. But also like many others who shaped the film industry, Hollywood wouldn't be what it is today without the artists. Artists like Erich, who had a grandiose vision of their film and did everything they could to make it happen. Erich had an eye for detail that most people did not possess, and did his utmost to make his films seem as realistic and genuine as possible. He also had a flair for complex storylines that cannot be overlooked. His following in France held his work in highest regard, even bestowing upon him the French Legion of Honour before his death.
"Lubitsch [another director] shows you first the king on the throne, then as he is in the bedroom. I show you the king in the bedroom so you'll know just what he is when you see him on his throne." - Erich von Stroheim
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