Photograph of director Erich von Stroheim and Corinne Calvet at a party for the release of "Les feu de la Saint-Jean," June 25, 1954

Paris: N.p., 1954. Vintage borderless black-and-white French press photograph. With a French mimeo snipe and a stamp for the French press agency Eclair-Mondial.

Shown are Erich von Stroheim and actress Corinne Calvet ostensibly dancing on the remnants of a burning fire at what can only have been one of the better book release parties of 1954. The book release in question was the second volume of von Stroheim's last book, published only in French, "Les feux de la Saint-Jean: Constanzia."

Calvet was a French actress with the somewhat odd distinction of having appeared in mostly American films as a "French character," including "Rope of Sand" (1949) with Burt Lancaster, "What Price Glory?" (1952) with James Cagney, and Anthony Mann's Western "The Far Country" (1954) with James Stewart. She was at the peak of her Hollywood glory at this time, but would return to France a bit disillusioned in 1960.

Strohiem is remembered as one of the greatest directors of the silent era, demanding, with uncompromising vision, his films sweeping, sultry, costly melodramas. An unfortunate series of events, including falling outs with multiple studios, the advent of the Talkie, and the outbreak of World War II in Europe, would spell the end of Stroheim's career as a director.

5.25 x 7.25 inches. Near Fine.

[Book #138949]