Original photograph of King Vidor, in the presence of Ernst Lubitsch, being presented the League of Nations first cinema award for his 1934 film "Our Daily Bread," 1935

Ernst Lubitsch, King Vidor, Interim French Council Lionel Vasse (subjects)

Hollywood: Paramount Productions, Inc, 1935. Vintage press photograph of King Vidor, in the presence of Ernst Lubitch, being presented the first League of Nations cinema award, for his 1934 film "Our Daily Bread," "for its contribution to humanity" by acting French Council Lionel Vasse, Los Angeles, April 2, 1935. Spanish mimeo snipe and stamp from Chilean director and screenwriter "Carlos Borcosque" on verso.

Written by screenwriters Elizabeth Hill and Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and starring Karen Morely and Tom Keene as Mary and John, respectively, a young city couple, living in the midst of the Depression, who flee to the country, take up land, and build a co-op.

From King Vidor's November 2, 1982 New York Times obituary: "During the Depression, no studio would finance a movie about out-of-work city dwellers who form a cooperative farm to survive. But, by going into debt and shooting on a shoestring with a cast headed by Karen Morley, but made up almost entirely of amateurs, Mr. Vidor held to his vision and integrity and wrote, produced and directed 'Our Daily Bread.'

Acclaiming it as 'the most significant cinema event' of 1934, Andre Sennwald of The Times wrote that the movie was 'a brilliant declaration of faith in the importance of the cinema as a social instrument' and that, with it, 'Mr. Vidor brings the American motion picture up to date' and 'clarifies the potential greatness of the screen as a medium for mirroring the modern world.' The movie won a special League of Nations award 'for its contribution to humanity.'"

The Soviet Union would label the film as capitalistic propaganda, while the Los Angeles Examiner called the film "pinko."

8 x 10 inches. Light edgewear and a small closed tear in left margin, else Near Fine.

National Film Registry. Godard, Histoire(s) du Cinema. Rosenbaum 1000.


[Book #150964]