Cecil B. DeMille: Empire of Dreams by Scott Eyman

[moira finnie]

I just started reading the newest book by our past guest star and SSO friend, author Scott Eyman.

Cecil B. DeMille: Empire of Dreams (Simon & Schuster) is incredibly detailed and, like a thriller, you keep wondering how ol' Cecil is going to pull off his latest stunts on and off screen as he became a filmmaker who invented the job as he went along. A far more complex character than one might guess from relishing some of his lavish productions, which could be funny, moving and of course, titillating, so far (I'm only on page 124) it is enthralling and hard to put down. As ever, with anything Eyman writes, he has done his research (he had access to many of the DeMille files that had never been examined previously), and he has a lively, fluid writing style, as well as an instinctive sense of fairness toward his subject.

My favorite DeMille movie has gotta be the incredible Sign of the Cross (1932), followed by the surprisingly subtle and moving The Cheat (1915). If you would like a taste of DeMille, you might enjoy Samson and Delilah (1949) which is being broadcast tonight at midnight ET on Sept. 24th. Maybe this time that lion will win his wrestling match with Victor Mature?

You can hear Scott Eyman being interviewed on NPR by Scott Simon here.

Tim Rutten reviews the book for The Los Angeles Times here.

You can read more about Scott Eyman's terrific books here at his website.

[MissGoddess]

I like Eyman's writing style, so I may eventually get to this book. I trust his research and fairness, as you point out. It helps that he writes very personably (and funny). It's a huge subject to tackle. What year did DeMille die? I'm wondering what he thought of the changes he saw to the Hollywood he helped build.

Eyman would make a good panelist for the next TCM Film Festival. He can talk about so many
key Hollywood figures.

[JackFavell]

Recently I found out that DeMille had been a flyer (!) and an air nut, which totally did not jibe with my previous view of him - I though of him as that stodgy bald guy who liked to get in front of the camera and knew how to give the audiences what they wanted. I think I may see if I can check out this book from the library, since I enjoy Scott Eyman's books so much, and I obviously don't know a whole lot about DeMille. Thanks for pointing this one out, Moira!

[moira finnie]

I got my copy of the book out of the library, Miss G., since I can't buy every book I'd like too. Fortunately, I can renew it at least once to finish it. DeMille was born on August 12, 1881 and lived until January 21, 1959. Since DeMille became increasingly right wing and more involved in studio and national politics near the end of his life, (especially when he targeted Joe Mankiewicz in the DGA), his activities helped to give credence to HUAC's hysteria, with devastating results on the already beleaguered studio system.

I suspect that he wouldn't have enjoyed the company of directors such as Kazan, Ray, or Mann in that period of their finest work. Btw, he admitted that if he made The Volga Boatman (1926) in the '50s he would have been scrutinized by HUAC too. Gee, I'd love to see this silent!

Though he wasn't a big fan of the Production Code privately, he certainly learned to work around it by layering in the holy joe stuff along with the illicit pleasures he depicted. I always think of DeMille as a man with a 19th century mentality applying it to all the myriad technological changes he witnessed in the 20th century.

[charliechaplinfan]

He's not a director I've warmed to, I prefer his silents, there are so many I'd recommend, The Cheat, Don't Change Your Husband, Why Change Your Wife, The Affairs of Anatole, The Godless Girl and the Volga Boatman.

I liked The Sign of the Cross, it's camp in a fun sense with some truly great actors. Could Fredric March's costume had been shorter? Four Frightened People is entertaining but for me Claudette Colbert makes the film. I've never been encouraged to look out for anymore of his talkies. I like Eyman's writing style, I wish we had a decent library. Perhaps this is one for the Christmas list.

[JackFavell]

I enjoy Samson and Delilah, it's a riot! And I love Victor Mature, even if he is a little paunchy and that lion looks like a rug.

I remember liking those early Claudette/DeMille movies pretty well, but I haven't seen them since I was a kid.

Three of the early DeMille films are available for streaming on Netflix.

[feaito]

Thanks for posting this info Moira. I'm interested in De Mille's career and films, especially those made prior to 1944 and the 1956 "The Ten Commandments", but since I recently read Bob Birchard's Cecil B. De Mille's Hollywood and there many other bios of directors and actors on my Wish List, this one is going to have to wait.