Filming 'Greed' (1923)

Newsreel footage of Erich von Stroheim's crew making the trek to Death Valley to film the final sequence of 'Greed'.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Erich
• Stroheim
• Greed
• Newsreel
• Cinema
• Silent

[goback3spaces]

39 men and one lone woman on a remote location? That sounds like a movie plot in itself. I assume the lone woman is ZaSu Pitts. Too bad we don't see her in this clip.

[Tasutpen]

No, it's not ZaSu. Her character has been murdered long before the Death Valley sequence.

My guess as to the identity "one lone woman": Probably a script-girl; and like everyone else on the picture at that point (except for Stroheim and those members of the crew who didn't make it out alive), she doubtless remembered it as one of the worst experiences of her life.

I know I would.

[colvinis]

Probably the greatest silent film I've ever seen (and I've seen a lot). Too bad the original 9 1/2 hour cut is lost (it's the greatest cinematic tradegy ever).

-Ian C., 12-year old filmmaker

[Tasutpen]

There's some debate as to whether the 9 1/2 hour cut reflected Stroheim's intentions or whether it was just a glorified assembly (my guess is the truth lies somewhere between).

I just hope, when the 4 hour Turner Entertainment 'reconstruction' is finally issued on DVD, they decide to include the 1924 release version of 'Greed', which is too underrated by those who dream (justifiably) of that mythic marathon cut only a handful of people got to see.

Btw, good luck on the filmmaking!

[Hadewijch]

"I'm uploading the entire movie of greed onto my youtube accounjt if anyone is interested."

I certainly am! That would be great.

Thanks so much!

[TrevorHoltzworth]

Erich Von Stroheim Masterpiece

Timeless Classic Of Human Nature

Truly The Greatest Silent Movie Ever Made

[victorbrunswick]

It's interesting that the crew included musicians to set the mood of the scene being filmed.  I'd love to see some of today's stars work under such conditions. No air-conditioned trailers back then!

[javakogan]

I wonder if they rescued the canary that was released at the end... Horrible place to be stranded...

[revaluator]

One of the greatest films ever made. I still have a VHS of it I bought in the late eighties.

[goback3spaces]

All right, thank you for that info. Never saw all of GREED, or all of what remains of it. Yeah, working for the "Von" probably wasn't all that fun.

[johnoplinger2]

This is a remarkable clip of cinematic history. I thought I'd add to my earlier comment. The best way to understand this cinematic giant is to find old periodical articles and books written in the 50s, 60s and 70s by people like Herman Weinberg and others. They actually knew Stroheim on a personal level and were probably instrumental in reviving his reputation in the post war era.

[johnoplinger2]

Here is a little known fact. Although this legendary epic was made in 1923, It had been made twice before. Both versions were produced before World War I.