Dorothy Arzner facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dorothy Arzner
Arzner in 1934
Born	Dorothy Emma Arzner (1897-01-03)January 3, 1897 San Francisco, California, U.S.
Died	October 1, 1979(1979-10-01) (aged 82) La Quinta, California, U.S.
Occupation	Film director
Years active	1922–1943
Partner(s)	Marion Morgan (1927–1971; her death)

Dorothy Emma Arzner (born January 3, 1897 – died October 1, 1979) was an amazing American film director. She worked in Hollywood from the 1920s, during the silent film era, into the early 1940s. For many years, Dorothy Arzner was the only woman directing movies in Hollywood. She was one of the very few women who had a long and successful career as a film director until the 1970s.

Arzner directed twenty films between 1927 and 1943. She helped start the careers of many famous Hollywood actresses. These included Katharine Hepburn, Rosalind Russell, and Lucille Ball. Dorothy Arzner was also the first woman to join the Directors Guild of America. She was also the first woman to direct a movie with sound.

Early Life and Education

Dorothy Arzner was born in San Francisco, California, in 1897. She grew up in Los Angeles, where her father owned a famous restaurant called the Hoffman Café. This restaurant was right next to a theater. Many silent film stars and directors, like Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, often visited her father's restaurant. This was Dorothy's first connection to the world of Hollywood.

After high school, she went to the University of Southern California. She studied medicine for two years, hoping to become a doctor. During World War I, she even joined a local ambulance unit. However, after working with a surgeon, she decided medicine wasn't for her. She wanted to "heal the sick" instantly, without pills or surgery.

Starting a Film Career

After World War I, the film industry was growing fast and needed many workers. Dorothy Arzner saw this as her chance to get involved. She said it was a time when even people without much experience could get a job if they showed talent.

In 1919, a college friend suggested she meet William C. deMille, a big director at Paramount Pictures. Dorothy went to the studio and asked to start in the script department. She wanted to learn "what the film was to be all about."

From Editor to Director

Within six months, Dorothy Arzner became an editor at Realart Studio, a part of Paramount. She edited 52 films there. In 1922, she was called back to Paramount to edit the film Blood and Sand. This movie starred Rudolph Valentino.

During this film, Dorothy got a chance to direct. She filmed some of the bull-fighting scenes herself. She then edited this new footage with older stock footage. This saved Paramount a lot of money. Her work impressed director James Cruze, who later hired her as a writer and editor for his films.

Dorothy Arzner became very important to Cruze. She eventually wrote the script and edited his film Old Ironsides (1926). Because of her success, she was able to ask Paramount for a chance to direct her own movie. She even threatened to leave for another studio if she didn't get an "A picture" to direct.

Paramount then offered her a chance to direct a comedy called Fashions for Women (1927). This was her very first film as a director. Even though she had never directed before, the film was a big success. This led Paramount to hire her to direct three more silent films.

Directing Sound Films

After her silent films, Dorothy Arzner was trusted to direct Paramount's first talking picture. This was The Wild Party (1929). It starred Clara Bow in her first talking role and Fredric March in his first main role.

The sound equipment at the time was very big and made it hard for actors to move. To help Clara Bow, Arzner invented a special rig. It had a microphone attached to a fishing rod, allowing Bow to move freely. This was the first boom mic ever used in filmmaking!

The Wild Party was a huge success. It started a trend of movies set on college campuses. These films showed fun-loving students who fell in love with their professors.

Notable Films and Themes

After The Wild Party, Arzner directed more films for Paramount. These included Sarah and Son (1930) and Honor Among Lovers (1931). In 1932, she left Paramount to work as a freelance director. This meant she could work for different studios.

During this time, she made some of her most famous films:

• Christopher Strong (1933), starring Katharine Hepburn.
• Craig's Wife (1936), starring Rosalind Russell.
• Dance, Girl, Dance (1940), featuring Lucille Ball.

Exploring Women's Roles

Many of Dorothy Arzner's films explored themes about women's lives and relationships. She often showed women in new and different ways.

In Christopher Strong, Katharine Hepburn plays a female aviator. She has a relationship with a married man. Instead of showing the women as rivals, Arzner shows a moment of understanding between the aviator and the man's wife. This was a unique way to show female relationships.

Craig's Wife tells the story of Harriet Craig, played by Rosalind Russell. Harriet is so focused on her home that nothing else matters to her. The original play showed Harriet as cold. But Arzner's film turned the story into a message for women. It suggested women should become their own people, not just possessions. Arzner's films often showed that traditional marriage could be limiting for women.

Dance, Girl, Dance is one of Arzner's most celebrated films. It stars Lucille Ball and Maureen O'Hara as two showgirl friends. The film explores how women perform and how they relate to each other. It also looks at how men often look at women in a way that judges them. In one famous scene, Maureen O'Hara's character stops her performance. She directly speaks to the male audience, telling them off for treating women as objects. This scene is often studied in film classes.

Later Career and Legacy

In 1943, after making First Comes Courage, Dorothy Arzner retired from Hollywood. It's not fully known why she left. Some think it was because her films were not getting as much praise. Others believe it was due to increasing sexism in Hollywood at the time.

Even after leaving Hollywood, Arzner continued to work in film. During World War II, she made training films for the Women's Army Corps.

In the 1950s, she started filmmaking classes at the Pasadena Playhouse. She also produced plays and had a radio show. Later, she became a consultant for Pepsi, making successful commercials with actress Joan Crawford.

From 1961 to 1965, Arzner taught at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. She taught advanced cinema classes and inspired many students, including famous director Francis Ford Coppola. Her films and documents are now kept at UCLA, thanks to efforts by actress Jodie Foster.

Personal Life

Dorothy Arzner lived with Marion Morgan, a dancer and choreographer, for forty years. Marion Morgan even choreographed some dances in Arzner's movies, like Dance, Girl, Dance. Dorothy Arzner kept her private life mostly to herself. She was known for wearing suits and straight dresses, which was unusual for women at that time.

Dorothy Arzner died in La Quinta, California, in 1979, at the age of 82.

Legacy and Tributes

Dorothy Arzner's work is very important in film studies. Her films were almost forgotten until the 1970s. Then, feminist film experts rediscovered them. Her movies inspired some of the first feminist film criticism.

Arzner's films are known for showing strong female relationships. She often showed women finding support and friendship with each other. Her focus on women's relationships and gender roles continues to be studied today.

For her achievements, Dorothy Arzner received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This is located at 1500 Vine Street.

In 1972, the First International Festival of Women's Films honored her. They showed her film The Wild Party. In 1975, the Directors Guild of America also honored her. Katharine Hepburn sent a telegram that was read at the event. It said, "Isn't it wonderful that you've had such a great career, when you had no right to have a career at all?"

In 2018, Paramount Pictures dedicated its Dressing Room building to Dorothy Arzner.

Filmography

Images for kids

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  Dorothy Arzner with Marion Morgan in 1927.

See also

In Spanish: Dorothy Arzner para niños

• Feminism
• List of female film and television directors