Mary Pickford PBS documentary

[35MM]

Can anyone recommend (or not) this film? It's bargain priced at Amazon now and was thinking about getting it since I keep missing the broadcasts.

http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Pickford-Lau ... 896&sr=1-2

[rollot24]

It's not bad. It covers most of the important points but occasionally seemed a little choppy to me.
For $10, go for it.

[George O'Brien]

It's awful.

A portentous narration by Laura Linney strewn with outlandish, foolish statements, and a series of talking heads, experts I guess they consider themselves, one more odd than the next, with one appearing about to explode with anxiety, and another appearing to have just come off a bender.

The Pickford documentary narrated by Henry Fonda may have glossed over a few unpleasant truths, but this one conjures up "edginess" and doom and gloom where none existed. At one point, as scary chords pound on the soundtrack and some dismal image appears on the screen, Laura Linney intones something like " ... in a minute she(Mary Pickford) would lose everything".

When, I would like to know, did Mary Pickford lose everything?

[salus]

If it wasn't for Buddy Rogers staying married to her thru all those years of her alcoholism, Mary Pickford would have been the Norma Desmond figure portrayed on screen, she would have likely locked herself up in Pickfair years earlier and become a tourist attraction for being a recluse.

[colbyco82]

Someone needs to do a proper bio of Buddy Rogers. I would like to know more about what made him tick. I always thought he and Mary were an odd pair but their marriage lasted until Mary's death.

[Gagman 66]

I happen to like the Documentary very much. But it focuses mostly on the Teen's, and says almost nothing about the films in the 20's. Except ROSITA, and jumps to the coming of sound. The early portion of it is excellent though. Well worth seeing in my estimation. Have you seen A LIFE ON FILM?

[Brooksie]

I haven't seen the documentary, but to me, she was a completely tragic figure in her later years. I know modern documentaries have a ridiculous habit of overstating the more sensational parts of a star's life, but it would be wrong to say that her life was all hearts and roses.

Have you seen the footage of Pickford accepting her Honorary Oscar in the 70s? It's appalling, they never should have broadcast it. She was absolutely a Norma Desmond figure, even despite her marriage to Buddy Rogers - sadder, in fact, because while Norma Desmond was, in her own twisted way, trying to return to the real world, Pickford just withdrew from everything (even Buddy was living in one of the Pickfair guest bungalows at the end). Someone who spends a decade drinking and never leaving the bed is not a happy person.

[missdupont]

I like the documentary too, and the fact that Robert Cushman was a part of it. He wrote the great foreword of the book Mary Pickford Remembered.

[Sisterluke]

I haven't seen the documentary, but to me, she was a completely tragic figure in her later years. I know modern documentaries have a ridiculous habit of overstating the more sensational parts of a star's life, but it would be wrong to say that her life was all hearts and roses.

Have you seen the footage of Pickford accepting her Honorary Oscar in the 70s? It's appalling, they never should have broadcast it. She was absolutely a Norma Desmond figure, even despite her marriage to Buddy Rogers - sadder, in fact, because while Norma Desmond was, in her own twisted way, trying to return to the real world, Pickford just withdrew from everything (even Buddy was living in one of the Pickfair guest bungalows at the end). Someone who spends a decade drinking and never leaving the bed is not a happy person.

The documentary is currently on youtube in case anyone hasn't seen it. I find it a nice compliment to the 1999 documentary. My issues with it are brushing over the last 50 years of her life as another poster had said before. I believe in retirement, she produced a number of films was was still active in the film industry until the 1950s when she sold her share of UA.

That honorary oscar appearance was bizarre and I'm surprised they put it on youtube. It gives me the creeps just looking at her half sane, wrapped in a robe with a crooked wig. I can't believe they showed her that way.

[Harold Aherne]

"I didn't think it was possible, but Mary Pickford, the one-time screen darling of America, has managed to offend lots of people. She did it by growing old".
--Mike Royko, 31 March 1976

The PBS documentary edits the Oscar footage and narrates it to make the event seem more Desmond-ish than it actually is. Here's the full segment, minus some opening film clips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vXhqrbSeOE

It's a well-handled piece and the moments with Mary and Walter Mirisch are very sweet. Her health had obviously declined, but she was clearly aware of what was going on and certainly gave her free consent to appear on TV. All parties involved likely knew that this would be her public farewell and nobody deserved the honour more than Mary.

Royko goes on to say some pretty accurate things about those whose dainty feelings are offended by watching her: "But [...] if you turn your head away from Mary Pickford and find it all so distasteful, then there's something wrong with you, kid, because it's perfectly normal. It happens to all of us, unless we croak first. We get old."

Feeling creeped out by Mary Pickford, age 83, is scarcely more than a latent fear of what *you'll* be like at that age. Do you think that taping the segment and refusing to broadcast it would make Mary feel just wonderful inside? It would have been one of the most hurtful insults anyone could have inflicted on her. And I'm glad no one took that route.

-Harold

[Brooksie]

Someone needs to do a proper bio of Buddy Rogers. I would like to know more about what made him tick. I always thought he and Mary were an odd pair but their marriage lasted until Mary's death.

I absolutely agree. He always comes across as an incredibly sweet guy, but there was something strange and sad about their relationship. Particularly in the later years, he worked so hard on maintaining the illusion that Mary's life was still on an even keel, but behind the scenes it must have been pretty awful.

[Sisterluke]

Someone needs to do a proper bio of Buddy Rogers. I would like to know more about what made him tick. I always thought he and Mary were an odd pair but their marriage lasted until Mary's death.

I absolutely agree. He always comes across as an incredibly sweet guy, but there was something strange and sad about their relationship. Particularly in the later years, he worked so hard on maintaining the illusion that Mary's life was still on an even keel, but behind the scenes it must have been pretty awful.

I agree too. There's something really strange about this man when he declares nothing was wrong with their relationship with a good old fashioned charm. It was obvious denial. I wasn't there watching them everyday of their lives but I'm sure living with a reclusive alcoholic was no walk in the park. Also anybody read how Mary would often refer to him at parties as Douglas Fairbanks?

This is not to take away from either person's talent or work. I am genuinely curious about Charles Buddy Rogers as a human being and how was it that he stayed married to her for all those years because that must have been difficult at times.

[Brooksie]

Feeling creeped out by Mary Pickford, age 83, is scarcely more than a latent fear of what *you'll* be like at that age. Do you think that taping the segment and refusing to broadcast it would make Mary feel just wonderful inside? It would have been one of the most hurtful insults anyone could have inflicted on her. And I'm glad no one took that route.

You're misunderstanding my point (I was also basing my view on the full clip which is on YouTube, not the version in the documentary, which I haven't seen).

My despair over this clip most certainly wasn't that Mary got old. It may simply be a matter of interpretation, but to me, she appeared at best bewildered and possibly senile; but at worst, drunk. I simply don't believe it painted her in a very good light, or a light she would have liked to be painted in.

[Doug Sulpy]

I wonder if those of you who describe her as "half sane" or "possibly...drunk" have been around people in their mid-80's. Personally, I don't see anything too unusual, and the most offensive thing I saw was that they spelled Buddy Rogers' name wrong at the end.

[WaverBoy]

I thought the clip was touching. Very sweet.

[moviepas]

How about Deep Discount @US$13.82??? Free Postage in USA

[Jason Liller]

I'm pretty sure I've seen all of the Pickford biographical documentaries. They're all OK; none of them are great. The biggest problem, I think, is that not one of them really makes the case for her as an artist.

As for the Pickford-Rogers marriage, I always felt that Buddy must have spent a lot of time being hurt and heartbroken. Why would he choose to live like that? Maybe the reality was different from what's been handed down to us.

--Jason Liller

Blog: TheCenturyBook.WordPress.com
Twitter: TheCenturyBook

[Rob]

Here is an odd memory I have - take it as you will. About 1973 or 74 I was up at Pickfair one day. At that time there was a wonderful coffee-table book that had recently come out called THE IMAGE MAKERS, which was composed of beautifully reproduced portrait photos of movie stars from the 1910s through the 1960s.

At the time I was trying to get my copy signed by as many people represented in the book as I could, and both Mary Pickford and Buddy Rogers were in the book. Anyway, Buddy signed his picture and then he was going to take the book up to Mary for her to sign it as well. Trying to be polite, I asked, "how is Mrs Rogers?"

One would have expected a reply like "Fine, thanks", but Buddy said, "Well, I have not been up to see her for the last couple hours, but I'll take your book up now and let you know when I come back".

I always thought that was a very strange response, but he did come back down in 15 minutes or so - with the book signed by Mary - and told me she was fine.

About that same time I heard a story about Jetta Goudal getting up to see Mary during some function Buddy held at the house. Mary was in her bed and there was apparently some discussion about Buddy and Matty Kemp forbidding a local LA screening of LADY OF THE PAVEMENTS - which the Pickford Corporation owned - at which Jetta was going to make an appearance. Mary told Jetta, "don't worry, you go ahead and run the picture. After all, I still sign all the checks around here."

Rob

[Mr. Grimes]

I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was an hour long episode of American Experience on PBS. Yes, it did gloss over her later years, but overall I thought it was well done. I do prefer the Milestone offering "A Life On Film" with Whoopie Goldberg narrating. I would also recommend the books "Pickford: The Woman Who Made Hollywood", and "Mary Pickford Remembered".

[Scoundrel]

It's unfortunate that the last 8 minutes or so of this was removed from You Tube due to a dispute with AMPAS.

[sc1957]

I used to love reading Mike Royko's columns. I miss him.

[kndy]

I enjoyed the documentary and I felt they covered Pickford tastefully. I think the only thing that was tragic is how people weren't used to seeing Pickford at her older age and were shocked (reminds me of Brownlow's documentary of Greta Garbo).

I can understand since some people's image of Pickford is during her silent years but everyone ages and personally, I wasn't phased by her appearance at all. If anything, the two things that struck me was how loving of a husband Buddy Rogers was and also despite what Douglas Fairbanks did to end their marriage, I was surprised he still loved her until his death. I didn't know that until I watched this documentary.

[Sisterluke]

Mary and Doug always seemed like complete opposites to me for some reason. The funny thing about them is they both cheated on their spouses for years. Because the world was so smitten over them they didn't even criticize them for cheating, divorcing their spouses(in Pickford's case I think she had to actually pay Owen Moore some crazy amount of money to get rid of him) and marry.

In today's day oddly enough I don't believe they could get away with that with TMZ monitoring your every move.

When they divorced the main person to blame was Douglas Fairbanks. He cheated on her with two women for sure maybe more that are not known and avoided her by going on world trips for months.

I feel bad for Mary because I still believe the most important person in her life was her mother and when her mother died, she had nobody.

[kndy]

I feel bad for Mary because I still believe the most important person in her life was her mother and when her mother died, she had nobody.

We hear a lot about her relationship with her mother and of course, we hear about her brother due to the Olive Thomas' tragic story but what about her sister Lottie? I haven't really heard too much about her.

[Jason Liller]

I've always wondered about Lottie, too. She's rarely treated well by biographers and historians and I don't think that any of her films are easily available (i.e. on video) for evaluation. Even photos of her are virtually nonexistent. I'd love to see some more info about her.

Coincidentally enough, Bruce Calvert recently added a page about her serial, THE DIAMOND FROM THE SKY, over at the Silent Film Still Archive: http://www.silentfilmstillarchive.com/d ... he_sky.htm

Thanks, Bruce!

[pickfair14]

personally, I felt the PBS doc, spent too much time on Mary's later years and the drinking. It is what it is, and we all know it, so I think it could have been covered much quicker without dwelling on it. The Henry Fonda narrated doc, and the Timeline Whoopi Goldberg narrated doc are much better IMO

However - yesterday I watched a new doc, not yet commercially available called "MARY PICKFORD - MUSE OF THE MOVIES" which is narrated by Michael York and Mary herself, using old radio interviews. Really well done, with Mary herself, steering the narrative. Look for it on some Festival agendas until it becomes commercially available

[rudyfan]

However - yesterday I watched a new doc, not yet commercially available called "MARY PICKFORD - MUSE OF THE MOVIES" which is narrated by Michael York and Mary herself, using old radio interviews. Really well done, with Mary herself, steering the narrative. Look for it on some Festival agendas until it becomes commercially available

I saw this not too long ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. Especially for the Pickford interview portions. It was great to hear Mary talking about things, first hand.

[missdupont]

I enjoyed it too, but there were a few inaccuracies in Mary's rememberances of things. There was little on the family or Doug, mostly her career. It was a pleasant little film.

[T0m M]

Circa 2001-2002, Patrick Watson hosted a documentary series, produced for History Television, The Canadians: Biographies of a Nation. I enjoyed this series, especially the Nell Shipman episode. Three volumes of books followed the TV series and the first volume includes a chapter on Pickford, so I assume there was a Pickford documentary that I missed. Has anyone seen this, and if so, how does it compare to the other documentaries on Pickford?

[pickfair14]

I have not seen it, but Patrcik Watson was an interviewer for many years with the CBC here in Toronto. It may be available in the www.cbc.ca archives