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| Note |
THE GARDEN OF ALLAH
Marlene Dietrich:
In 1936, when I was still under contract to Paramount, David
0. Selznick wanted to make a colour film based on Robert Hichens's
successful novel. He negotiated with Paramount and borrowed
me for the duration of the shooting. David Selznick's situation
in Hollywood was quite unique. Through his extraordinary knowledge
of the mech-anics of power and skill at achieving his aims
by listening attentively to his interlocutors, he had created
his own empire in which his every word was a command. I liked
working for him very much, since I knew exactly what he wanted
from me. Naturally, he wasn't infallible. But he could generously
make up for his mistakes, and he was also very liberal with
money for his own productions.
Selznick and I had the same views. Like me, he detested garish
or too-powerful colours. Since he always knew what he was
about, he let Ernest Dryden design my costumes. That was a
tough job for Dryden. My role was that of a woman at once
mysterious and convincingly real. The action took place in
the desert, and Selznick didn't want an Amazon running around
in pants and boots. He was pleased with the idea of keeping
the costumes in sandy colours, and we began to try different
materials while Dryden continued to sketch. Despite all the
stories that have been told about this film, and although
Josh Logan and his anecdotes became the centre of attention
of quite a few parties, THE GARDEN OF ALLAH remains
the most beautiful colour film ever made.
Charles Boyer played a monk who has broken his vows, and I,
an odd creature whose reactions are unforeseeable. I bore
a ridiculous name, Domini Enfilden, and I was supposedly seeking
'peace of mind' in the desert. I found it exciting to be participating
in the first great colour film. Selznick attached great importance
to the real-life character of my role, and he would listen
to me with infinite patience when I explained my ideas regarding
the costumes to him. I had decided to choose shades of colour
that would harmonize with the desert sand.
Dryden, a very talented costume designer, agreed with me,
and we created some wonderful outfits. Pastel tones were used
for the first time in the history of colour film, and the
takes were superb - which is saying a lot, since up until
then the great cameramen of black and white films had never
been concerned with the special problems of colour.
A young man, Joshua Logan, arrived from New York (at that
time he had the job of 'dialogue director'). Later, he wrote
a book on our experiences, and scores of people at parties
were entertained by his anecdotes of the shooting of the THE GARDEN OF ALLAH. Although these stories do not always
correspond to the truth, they are quite amusing.
We went to the Arizona desert, where we camped in tents with
countless scorpions. The heat was awful. The make-up ran down
our cheeks, but the greatest disaster was Charles Boyer's
toupee.
In the early afternoon when the light of the still-scorching
sun was already changing colour, we hurried to complete the
scene before the yellow rays could no longer be photographed,
and the light no longer corresponded to the shadings of the
morning. At that time nobody paid special attention to Boyer's
toupee.
One day, when we were shooting the great love scene of the
film, Boyer bent over me to kiss me when suddenly his toupee
loosened. The sweat that had accumulated under it poured all
over my face. General panic. Make-up artists and hairdressers
ran around frantically. The sun sank lower and lower, and
became more yellow than ever. The cameraman shouted: 'That's
it for today!'
Selznick sent the whole team back to Hollywood, where we were
to await further instructions. In the meantime, the desert
was recreated in a giant studio. Trucks brought sand from
the shores of the Pacific. Huge ventilators were installed
to simulate light breezes. The production company spent a
real fortune.
Finally, we had to reshoot the scene ruined by the temperamental
toupee, as well as the scenes following them.
At that time, it took several days before you could see the
results of all this effort on the screen. Again a disaster.
The verdict read: 'Wrong sand colour.' And, in fact, the sand
from the Pacific beaches does have a different colour from
that in Arizona.
We were sent home again. While we were waiting, the 'wrong'
sand was removed and replaced by the 'right' sand from Arizona.
(Selznick was the greatest perfectionist I have ever known.)
Yet, despite all the changes in the script, he could not save
this film, even though it remains one the most beautiful colour
films from those pioneer days. To our great regret, THE GARDEN OF ALLAH is no more than that. We all gave it
our best to insure its success. But the miracle was not wrought.
Nobody can foresee what will please the critics. Every artistic
activity is, and always will be, a poker game.
Excerpt
from Marlene Dietrich: My Life.© 1987 by Marlene Dietrich.
Reprinted by permission of M. Dietrich, Inc.
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