For sunrise William Fox authorised more
now freedom from studio constraints that
became legendary sunrise earned Fox
three Academy Awards Best Actress Janet.
Gaynor cinematography Charles Roscher
and Carl's truce and unique and artistic
picture Fox films.
Rochus Kleiza won honorable mention for
art direction
sunrise went on to became a classic of
world cinema in January 1928 when war
now began shooting his next film for.
Devil's set in the circus
he stated with confidence everything is
subordinated to my picture and just as I
do not permit myself to be influenced
away from what I think is the right
thing to do and the right person to use
I will not do a picture that is based on
a theme not to my liking or conviction
only one year later or now situation had
reversed changing a film's title before
it was released was normal in Hollywood
but changing our daily bread Murnau's
follow up to four Devils to city girl
coincided with his early departure from.
Fox in February 1929 city girl was
finished while marna was in Tahiti
working with Robert Flaherty on taboo
one of the last great films of the
silent cinema war now never made another
movie he died after a car crash in
California the week before taboo
premiered in New York on March 181931
he was only 42 years old from Morehouse
American period only four devils remains
unknown to us all prints seem to have
vanished long ago an accident of fate
that we hope may be rectified by an
accident of rediscovery although we are
not able to see the film itself we have
access to rich materials documenting its
production and reception these traces
help bring us closer to the world of the
film and tomorrow's experience this
essay does not pretend to be a
reconstruction of anything except traces
some of the most powerful air testimony
as accidental witnesses like ghosts
phantom images worthy of the creator of.
Nosferatu
this is the program from the premiere of
the silent version of for Devils held in.
New York City at the Gaiety theatre on
October 3rd 1928 Fox would release a
part talking version in June 1929 the
credits include more now as director.
Berthold fear Tillis writer and Janet.
Gaynor as Marion the only star in the
movie Mary Duncan plays the vamp Charles
Morton has the other lead role as
Charles
these quotations from the final script
and intertitles show the characters
original names in the film.
Fritz's name was changed to the more
American sounding Charles Amy became.
Marian
blueprints survived from the
introductory section of the film when
the main characters are children they
detail the circus wagon that Chucky the
clown and the children live in the walls
and the roof are removable so that the
cameras can shoot from all angles within
the small space the clown takes care of
the two girls as if they were his own
children
publicity stills document many scenes in
the film we see the actors how they are
dressed something of the dramatic
purpose of the scene but still photos
were almost never taken from the same
position as the moving picture camera
and the images are evenly lit showing
much more than the filmed images would
the best indications of visual effects
and the cameras viewpoint although not
movement come from drawings prepared by
more nails art director Robert Harrell
the atmosphere of light and shadow the
confined space the girls are in and the
man's boots that dominate the frame
convey a sense of Menace that is absent
from the publicity photo a woman
approaches with two boys where can I
find the director of the circus
she brings the boys inside checky circus
car.
I understand that you instruct children
the famous aerial acrobats Rossi were
their parents they were killed and leap
to death will you be their teacher.
Adolphe has taken off his shirt to be
examined by checky
but his older brother charles refuses if
he wants to be an artist he better learn
to obey charles is forced to submit
there between old boxes trash and circus
paraphernalia Fritz is hiding like a
wounded animal
he lies huddled on his face
one arm pressed lengthwise along his
body home upturned the other arm crushed
under his head his frame convulsed with
heavy sobs
the children are going to be well
trained
is that your mother
you.
Marian tries to comfort Charles by
giving him the watch that her mother had
given her these are photographs of the
interior of the circus wagon taken by
the art department and meant to be used
for reference purposes
you.
I can't
you
one night Chucky comes in drunk and loud
he wakes up the clown and he wants to
wake up the children
he threatens the children and starts to
fight with a clown the clown fights him
in order to protect the children the
clown leads the children away in a wagon
in this manner the man who has learned
to love the children took them into the
world he became their teacher their
father they go through the countryside
to other circuses the clown performs the
children grow up they worked to the best
of their ability year after year often
they were hungry together the clown is
becoming old and too weak to perform any
longer
yet he tries to carry on for the sake of
the children the clown collapses from
weakness after a performance Marion he
should not work anymore
Charles soon now we will be able to lift
the burden
only at night when the rest of the
artists sleep over on pleasure event
mysterious doing took place in the
circus night after night the clown would
watch and coach the enthusiastic
practice of the one grande number
evening a large city covered with snow
through which come dazzling moving
crossing whirling electric light signs
which we see on shadowy facades and
roofs half-finished words names of
hotels places of amusements through
which appears the motif the for great
sensation leap of death circus dome we
are now at the circus in Paris war now
begins behind the scenes showing animals
and performers coming and going the
circus arena is visible in the
background through an opening in the
tent the four Devils are grown up now
they are about to perform as the main
event the top aerial attraction the
circus director announces ladies and
gentlemen I have the honor to introduce
to you tonight the world-famous Aquabats
known as the four Devils according to an
enthusiastic review and variety war now
has given the four Devils a ring
entrance that will set every acrobat in
the world on fire when seeing it and
flowing devilish raps they ride into the
ring on white horses with the clown's
preceding them their trap pieces are
lowered as each of the quartet rides
under them they are taken aloft their
raps falling off on the way up to aerial
pedestals in films of the future an
essay Marnell wrote while he was
preparing for Devils
he said the camera quote must gallop
after the equestrian it must pick out
the painted tears of the clown and jump
from him to a high box to show the face
of the rich lady thinking about the
clown so I have had them build me a sort
of traveling crane with a platform swung
at one end for the camera this must be
how more now could give the impression
during the spectacular first entrance of
the four Devils into the circus ring
that we are seeing through the eyes of a
galloping horse as if it had a camera
attached to it the script reads
are affixed on the horse's head
there is a program on her lap open at
the page which announces the act of the
four devils giving their pictures the
jeweled fingers of the lady begin
unconsciously to fold the program as one
would to make a paper fan while her eyes
are lifted dreamily to the cupola now
quite dark
where one can dim Li discern the shadowy
shapes of the four tread pieces
lady leaves with her escorts to have
dinner at a fine restaurant the final
script was written by Karl Mayer.
Berthold Yertle and Marian worth
although only fair toll received screen
credit we have every reason to believe
that more now was involved with
developing the script along with fear
toll and at a later stage worth who must
have helped Americanize it the first
treatment in the Fox story file was
written by Moore now it already contains
in miniature the visual logic of the
film which is based on strongly marked
shifts in point of view and optical
effects such as montage sequences and
superimpositions combined with the
realistic details of the circus the
acrobats have finished their evening
meal in their modest restaurant they
climb the stairs to their rooms
the next morning the girls wake up happy
the rose that Charles gave Marion is in
the glass beside her bed then we see the
boys wake up
and then we say the lady
you
lady servants are packing her things for
a trip she tells them to stop I'm not
going to the Riviera
at the next performance the lady is in
the circus box again
you
a lady with a slight shudder moves the
glasses and sees the attendants bring
the net and begin to spread it the
camera still used as opera-glasses moves
from that picture up into the cupola and
we see every detail and rapid flashes
perhaps a dolphin Louise sitting in a
trapeze very high up
look at Amy who is standing on a spring
board holding a trapeze ready to throw
it to her partner Fritz swinging on a
trapeze let's go with a terrific swing
and flying into space throws a three
times somersault amy throws the trapeze
toward him we see her how under an
appealing mental strain she stands ready
to act we see that last-second decision
and then with deadly accuracy she throws
the trapeze on which Fritz lands the
circus family are at the place they
always eat
they've prepared a surprise for Charles
a birthday cake and a celebration.
Adolphe enters Charles room Charles's
bed is empty these drawings show the car
that is taking Charles and the lady to
the ladies villa
you
we see him inside her drawing-room
waiting for her and then we have a
photograph from the art department that
shows the same setting but with no
actors in this one we can see a slate
with the cinematographers name on it
Ernest Palmer
the lady enters we feel rather than see
the door open and suddenly she appears
in the circle of light in front of the
fireplace like an apparition there is a
smile on her face a bewitching smile
which is directed into the gloom where
she sees Fritz as a dark figure and so
it is Fritz who steps in the circle of
light smiling at the lady lady bends
down to the logs which are lying beside
the fireplace picking went up with her
beautiful hands she throws it on the
fire and the fire flares up illuminating
with a flickering light the face of the
woman bending toward it
while Fritz was a dream like gravity
watches
you
Charles finally returns home in a taxi
at the next performance and the next the
lady throws a rose to the feet of her
lover a small area in the sawdust
exactly the same angle as in the two
previous shots except that perhaps the
feet of Fritz do not appear in the shot
as a large Rose falls into it instantly
the Rose dissolves into a note written
on heavy encrusted paper which reads
beloved immediately after rehearsal as
another rose dropping in a different
position falls into the sawdust and
instantly dissolves into another note on
the same paper and in the same
handwriting which reads dearest
I'll be waiting after the performance
hurry hurry
fade is another rose falling in still
another position dissolves instantly
into a third note this note paper bares
a conspicuous crest and letterhead which
reads Hotel Creole precious you will see
by the letterhead that I have found a
new place to meet the next night Charles
waits until he thinks his brother is
asleep he begins to get dressed
his brother tries to stop him from
leaving it is impossible for you to
continue your work and keep on like this
even now you are not steady and you will
ruin the rest of us as well Charles
makes another night visit to the lady we
see the lady on the telephone in her
bathtub the call is from Charles
at the rehearsal Charles is distracted
unsteady
fritzsche hanging on the trapeze with
outstretched arms swings swings
breathing heavily dripping with
perspiration swings out of the picture
tortoise again makes a somersault which
twirls darkly in front of the camera for
the first time he falls in a rehearsal
performing his triple somersault
this is a photograph from the art
department showing a tavern or Charles
writes to the lady close-up of a partly
written letter and in such a mood that I
am NOT good company for anyone so please
do not expect me this afternoon but more
than ever I am yours
he drinks close up spilled sugar as.
Fritz's finger making aimless patterns
with the grains gradually and
unconsciously forms the letters net.
Marian is looking at the window
imagining a time when she and Charles
might be lovers.
Marian has been waiting for Charles to
come back from the lady when he does he
passes around the stairs the four devils
perform again
and a dolphin Charles's dressing-room
there's a bouquet of flowers from the
lady
you
for the first time Chao speaks harshly
to the clown I am NOT an acrobat I am a
man with feelings my life means more to
me than my profession Charles is not
himself anymore he fights with the clown
and he fights with his brother he wants
them to leave him alone.
Marian has tried to hide her heartbreak
from him Charles goes to the lady again.
Marianne is desperate she follows
Charles to the ladies Villa and she
manages to get inside she waits for the
lady
you
then she leaves and she waits outside in
the cold almost all night when Charles
finally comes out he finds her he takes
her up in his arms
you
he decides to break with the lady and go
back with a circus family
you
she decides to see him in the circus
anyway
she convinces him to come to see her
right after the rehearsal that night he
will perform the triple somersault
without a net
you
a large oval mirror which is shattered
as.
Bottle hits it and suddenly the
frightened face of the boy appears
reflected back of the crack glass as he
stares at it
double expose over the cracked lines the
lines of a net double exposure as the
smiling face of the woman appears at.
Fritz's shoulder
laughing recklessly again forgetting his
fear of the moment before for it swirls
around seizes the woman he goes to her
he resists but not for very long
he begins to drink and then he can't
resist her at all time goes by she
changes the hands of the clock so that
it seems to be an hour and a half
earlier than it actually is Charles
wakes up he looks out the window he sees
the city clock and he realizes that his
performance is about to begin he rushes
off to the circus
this photo from the art department shows
a poster for the four Devils and their
leap of death that's what his leap will
be tonight a leap of death Charles
arrives at the last minute this is the
dressing room decorated a farewell to
the four Devils for their last
performance
you
this is the only picture we have that
shows more now directing for Devils he's
the man on the right with the megaphone
standing next to him at the camera is.
Ernest Palmer the cinematographer and it
looks like there are probably two
cameras there the two cameras were
shooting this movie at the same time
which would give two original camera
negatives
you
this advertisement from Fox's press book
shows the Ring of Fire
this is referred to over and over again
and the advertising and in reviews the
triple somersault will be performed
through a ring of fire this is the only
image that we have
you
this is truly a ghost image you have to
look very carefully to see what it is
because the art department took it to
document a space it was a long exposure
and something very fast was happening on
the upper left there's a blur in gray if
you look carefully you can see that it's
a trapeze and it's a somersault that's
being performed if you look on the right
you can see a man also blurred holding a
trapeze that he will send to the trapeze
artist when the somersault is finished
this is another ghost image it was taken
by the art department to document the
circus ring from a particular angle
there are some bystanders who happened
to be there when the photograph was
taken if we move in closely we can see
the profile of alfredo KO dona the
trapeze artist alfredo code ona was the
first trapeze artist to perform the
dangerous triple somersault as a regular
part of his program twice a day matinee
and evening during the American circus
season and in appearances around the
world he was the only performer to do
this during the 20s the leap of death
are salto more tali as it was called in.
Italian was so dangerous that even a
fall to the net could result in a broken
neck and death at the end of his
somersault code ona was caught by his
brother Lalo as we see in this diagram
in for Devils the character Charles.
Charles Morton ends his triple
somersault by catching a trapeze that.
Marion Janet Gaynor sends to him at the
critical moment a somersault to the bar
as that was called would have been much
more difficult it may never have been
performed with the triple at that time
and the circus but it was essential for
the dramatic climax of the film when.
Marion's.
Hwang's forward on the return trapeze
instead of sending it to Charles in the
version that were now shot first
that was previewed in July 1928 Marion
is determined that both of them should
die rather than letting the vamp ruin
them and so she swings forward herself
on the returned trapeze Charles has
nothing to catch but her body which
cannot hold them for long this was not
circus realism but rather an emotional
and even a metaphorical transformation
of the act Janet Gaynor could not forget
that experience I was hanging on the
trapeze and Charles was to hang with his
legs around my legs and his head down so
more now went to Alfredo Coe Dona and
said this is what he wanted Alfredo said
this is impossible mr. Mohr now because
no woman can hold her weight and a man's
weight with her hands this is impossible
I can't do it no one can do that
mr. Mohr now said this is what we're
going to do the climax of the film leads
to four different endings none of them
to our knowledge today are documented
with photographs or drawings except for
one small photograph that was included
in this handout for the film called a
herald it is a ghost image barely
recognizable but something we can see a
crowd inside the circus ring we can see
someone lying on the ground in Warren.
House treatment
Charles arrives at the circus for the
final performance at the last minute
because the vamp has tricked him about
the time he is confused drunk and
reckless after the leap of death he
misses the trapeze that Marian throws
him and falls to the ground panic breaks
out he must be dead but the circus
manager announces the Charles will live
and the show will go on the film ends
there Charles Falls his own recklessness
is to blame with the help of the lady
and he lives in the final script both.
Charles and Marian die but not because
of an
accident when Marian realizes with
heartbreak the Charles has returned to
the lady again after their rehearsal on
the afternoon before their final
performance without a net after his
promise to her the night before that he
had left her for good and that he had
come back finally to Marian and to his
circus family she resolves that death is
better than letting him remain with the
lady Marian is called a nemesis several
times after this she becomes Charles's
second from photo effectively the ladies
double in ruining him the night they
perform without the safety net instead
of throwing Charles the trapeze at the
end of his leap of death Marian swings
on the trapeze toward him therefore he
has nothing to catch after his
somersault but her body when she can no
longer hold on they both fall this is
the ending that Murnau decided to shoot
this version added a brief epilogue to
offset the tragedy but the couple did
not come back to life instead the
younger brother and sister decide to
start over as a married couple
taking the clown with them preview
screenings were held in Fresno and in
San Jose California during the first
week of July 1928 nearly 50 letters
written in response to the preview
questionnaire have been preserved in the.
Fox archives
most of them comment on the tragic
ending its difference from what was
usually seen and many writers made a
point of urging that that ending not be
changed in closing my suggestion would
be do not change the finale and have the
boy and girl live because that would not
be true to life and I think that motion
pictures should picture life as it is
even though it showed pain at times of
course numerous people will criticize
the ending but I imagine the majority of
people will want the logical ending
Elizabeth G roni San Jose my general
impression
four devils is one of the greatest if
not the greatest motion picture that I
have ever seen I say this because four.
Devils is truthful and honest and goes
relentlessly to its inevitable
conclusion it does not say this is all a
good joke and then give us a perverted
happy ending which is the usual Waterloo
of most motion pictures leaning toward
tragedy I have a plea for God's sake
don't change the end of the picture let.
Pollyanna fans and Sunshine fans come to
you in a body place a revolver against
your chest and demand that you change it
tell them to go to hell
Richard Shelley Campbell California but
after the previews a new ending was shot
instead of the couple falling together
and dying it is Marian who falls she
deliberately lets go of her trapeze out
of despair she is assumed dead but she
revives and tells the repentant Charles
that she loves him this is the ending
that was used when four Devils premiered
at the Gaiety in New York in October
1928 with a synchronized Movietone score
all the variations on a happy ending to
an inherently tragic story undercut its
force at least on paper but they were
nothing compared to the changes imposed
on four Devils when the studio decided
to re-release it by the time it was shot
were now had already run into
insurmountable problems with our daily
bread and had ended his employment at.
Fox in the late spring of 1929 the
studio in Los Angeles had already been
transformed by the opening of Fox's
movie tone city dedicated to the future
of sound cinema and morals personal
sponsor William Fox was absorbed in
monumental takeovers of theater chains
the part talkie phenomenon had a
disastrous impact on more now for.
Devil's was shot silent and was
subsequently partly reshot with dialogue
and released as a talkie for Devil's
even had two separate premieres and
reviews in the trade.
Journal's eight months apart the non
dialogue version opened in New York on.
October 3rd 1928 and the part talking
version premiered in Los Angeles on June
101929 the dialogue section was
substantial and more now had nothing to
do with it some new credits had been
added staged by a H Van Buren and a F.
Erickson dialogue by John Hunter Boothe.
Fox's publicity stressed that Van Buren
and Booth had years of experience
working on the Broadway stage and were
well qualified to handle dialogue.
Erickson had previously been warned
house assistant another new credit went
to cinematographer LW O'Connell who had
worked alongside Ernest Palmer on the
original production these were the men
responsible for creating the new ending
before the film went into general
release nonetheless that version was
also reviewed as more nails although we
cannot know the full effect of these
substitutions of key personnel and
language in the absence of the film's
transcripts in the Fox story files
titled dialogue as taken from the screen
for for Devils show us how the style and
abundance of talking worked against the
mood rhythm and characterizations that
had been established up until the point
when the actors began to speak more over
far more radical changes were made than
substituting talking for titles the
narrative events were altered for the
worse and not simply by substituting a
happier ending for for Devils doubtless
more now never saw it
he had set sail for Tahiti and his new
filmmaking venture on May 12 his
secretary Rose Kirin wrote to him the
day after she attended the gala Los
Angeles premiere of the new version On
June 10 it's quite changed from your
story and mary startles everyone which
he suddenly speaks after almost an
entire evening of silence what was quite
changed from were now silent for Devils
adding dialogue and replacing the
director writer and chief
cinematographer were bound to make it.
France but that was not all in this
version Marian succeeds in speaking to
Charles after she follows him to the
vamps home and in his presence
she is treated disparagingly and leaves
defeated Charles reacts by breaking with
the vamp definitively but in order to
maintain the story structure whereby.
Charles doesn't arrive at the circus
until his act is supposed to begin
rather than succumbing to champagne and
sex he is hit by a car and knocked
unconscious he wakes up in a hospital
just in time to run to the circus for
his performance the rest seems to
correspond to the first version Marian.
Falls but she lives and tells Charles
she loves him the quality of the
dialogue however is banal and overly
explicit the selling point was Janet.
Gaynor talks perhaps eliminating the
final seduction scene and thereby
reducing Mary Duncan's screen time was a
response to critics who had complained
that she played the vamp in an outmoded
exaggerated manner or perhaps newcomer
Duncan had stolen the show as varieties
reviewer of the silent version believed
all you see or think of in the picture
is Mary Duncan Janet Gaynor has nothing
and does nothing to stand out here she
and the others are completely submerged
by miss Duncan were now earned high
praise even though four devils was
characterized by this reviewer as
another film like sunrise that probably
would not earn the profits expected of
such an expensive production it came
close though
to being box-office for the American
market and the sets photography and
direction were superior the reviewer
ended with these promising words it
looks as though there is a big picture
in Moore now maybe it will be his next
and if one then more for he classes
among the big directors was more now
perfectionist that he was capable of
overlooking the fact that a second
ending was going to be shot for four.
Devils without him that would still
carry his name is director or had he
refused to participate in it if dialogue
would have been a major component of the
film under more nows direction then in
these days of the part talkie at Fox
he would have had to work with a
specialized dialogue writer and an
intermediary director who would stage
scenes from the perspective of sound
recording was this part of his decision
to leave Fox more now gave us two more
magnificent films city girl even if it
was not completely finalized before he
left Fox and taboo what about for Devils
a ghost film for now we have the traces
it left behind
you