"Souls For Sale" has the reputation for being the movie for which Eleanor Boardman and William Haines both won roles - as supposed winners of the Goldwyn New Faces Competition. This is not true, so says Dewitt Bodeen in his 1973 FIR Eleanor Boardman article. Haines went to Hollywood after being tested by a Goldwyn talent scout and besides the "New Faces" competition was open only to women. Eleanor Boardman was given the full grooming treatment at Goldwyn (rather like the heroine of "Souls For Sale") - they saw her potential. She then came to the attention of Rupert Hughes - the "one man power house" of Goldwyn studios, he was their resident writer, director and producer. He had a real eye for talent and instantly saw that she would be ideal for the role of Remember Steddon, the heroine of his latest best seller "Souls For Sale".
Remember Steddon, a minister's daughter, had run away from her sheltered background to marry charming villain, Owen Scudder (Lew Cody, of course) but even on their honeymoon train, she is overcome with a feeling of revulsion for him and when the train makes a stop she jumps off. She finds herself in the desert and is rescued by an Arab on a camel who tells her he is not a mirage but a movie actor - she has stumbled onto a company shooting on location. There are the "usual suspects" - the harried director, Frank Claymore (Richard Dix), the egocentric matinée idol (Frank Mayo), the screen's most wicked vamp (Barbara La Marr - she really is beautiful), the enthusiastic production assistant (William Haines), Komikal the Klown (Snitz Edwards) and the temperamental star, Robina (Mae Busch). Mem tries to find a job that her father would consider respectable but finds she is drawn to Hollywood and it's glamour. There are some amazingly revealing glimpses of Erich Von Stroheim directing Jean Hersholt in "Greed" and Charlie Chaplin directing as well. Mem is working as an extra, happens to see Frank and is determined to secure a role in his next film.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch.....the police have caught up with Owen, who is a real Bluebeard, having murdered several wives for their insurance policies. He stages a dramatic escape at a railway station. After a disastrous screen test, Frank still believes Mem has what it takes to be a star. While filming at a prison and after a speech about scandal being death to stardom, she sees Owen's wanted poster and almost collapses. Owen, meanwhile, is in Egypt, where he is romancing his latest victim but the tables are about to be turned. Lady Jane (Aileen Pringle) is a con woman and when Owen finally escapes, he is left with nothing and has to work his passage back to America as a stoker. When Robina's legs are broken in a freak accident Mem finally gets her big chance and nasty Owen catches up with her. He tries to blackmail her and shadows her every move. The film ends with a huge fire (the film is beautifully tinted) with everyone trapped under the big top (the film they are shooting has a circus theme).
Even though the title "Souls For Sale" promises a lurid provocativeness (probably hoping to lure patrons into the cinema for a Hollywood expose) it is really a dazzling melodrama with a behind the scenes look at Metro stars of the early 20s, eg Zasu Pitts, Barbara Bedford and Kathlyn Williams. When "Souls For Sale" was released in 1923 it was given a big build up. It showed an authentic Hollywood film-making atmosphere and was a big hit with the movie going public.
Highly Recommended.
Remember Steddon, a minister's daughter, had run away from her sheltered background to marry charming villain, Owen Scudder (Lew Cody, of course) but even on their honeymoon train, she is overcome with a feeling of revulsion for him and when the train makes a stop she jumps off. She finds herself in the desert and is rescued by an Arab on a camel who tells her he is not a mirage but a movie actor - she has stumbled onto a company shooting on location. There are the "usual suspects" - the harried director, Frank Claymore (Richard Dix), the egocentric matinée idol (Frank Mayo), the screen's most wicked vamp (Barbara La Marr - she really is beautiful), the enthusiastic production assistant (William Haines), Komikal the Klown (Snitz Edwards) and the temperamental star, Robina (Mae Busch). Mem tries to find a job that her father would consider respectable but finds she is drawn to Hollywood and it's glamour. There are some amazingly revealing glimpses of Erich Von Stroheim directing Jean Hersholt in "Greed" and Charlie Chaplin directing as well. Mem is working as an extra, happens to see Frank and is determined to secure a role in his next film.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch.....the police have caught up with Owen, who is a real Bluebeard, having murdered several wives for their insurance policies. He stages a dramatic escape at a railway station. After a disastrous screen test, Frank still believes Mem has what it takes to be a star. While filming at a prison and after a speech about scandal being death to stardom, she sees Owen's wanted poster and almost collapses. Owen, meanwhile, is in Egypt, where he is romancing his latest victim but the tables are about to be turned. Lady Jane (Aileen Pringle) is a con woman and when Owen finally escapes, he is left with nothing and has to work his passage back to America as a stoker. When Robina's legs are broken in a freak accident Mem finally gets her big chance and nasty Owen catches up with her. He tries to blackmail her and shadows her every move. The film ends with a huge fire (the film is beautifully tinted) with everyone trapped under the big top (the film they are shooting has a circus theme).
Even though the title "Souls For Sale" promises a lurid provocativeness (probably hoping to lure patrons into the cinema for a Hollywood expose) it is really a dazzling melodrama with a behind the scenes look at Metro stars of the early 20s, eg Zasu Pitts, Barbara Bedford and Kathlyn Williams. When "Souls For Sale" was released in 1923 it was given a big build up. It showed an authentic Hollywood film-making atmosphere and was a big hit with the movie going public.
Highly Recommended.