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American actor and film director. Comedies filmed in the movies: "Three era", "Navigator", "General," "Our Hospitality, Sherlock Jr., and others created the still, impassive mask man," who never laughs " . In the United States released a film installation "The History of Basseterre Kitona" (1975).
Joseph Francis Kitona was born Oct. 4, 1896 at peak, Kansas. Son of Joseph and Mayra, variety artists, from early childhood, he lived in the atmosphere of the theater. Due to the lack of nanny′s mother took him with them to work. Six-month-old child rolled down the stairs theatrical ladder, and left a whole. The celebrated "King of circuits Harry Gudina gave him the nickname of" Basseterre "(slangy term, meaning something astonishing, extraordinary, knockdown).
No wonder that in the age of three Basseterre has already spoken in the family room variety "Three Kitona Three." Of course, most caused laughter boy, whose name was Joseph, a nickname Basseterre. His father, though very good estradnik, acrobat and musician who could not be reconciled with the fact that his son like an audience than he, Joseph Helli Kitona. Once, vypivshi, during his five-year performance numbers otshvyrnul child with a force greater than normal, so he flew into the pit for the orchestra. Basseterre was already a real actor with a two-year tenure, despised ritual of pain and knew he got on stage with the traditional smile on his face. Audience laughter, applause, and - once again anger a father. Now the father has intentionally threw his son in the orchestra. Little Artist at this time came out with a kind of unflappable. Ovation auditorium was his reward. Even if it is a legend in it - a huge meaning. Basseterre Kitona later be called "comic with a smile."
In 1917, a young actor Joseph Kitona, with the consent of the mother left the family room three Kitona. Perhaps, just speculation that he made it for psychological reasons - it was obviously sad to part with the need for a father addicted to drinking, and often disrupt the room. Kitona immediately received a contract in one of the best music halls in obozrenie Schubert, with a salary of 250 dollars a week and promise to raise rates soon. Basseterre long been noticed in the press and the audience: his picture, at the age of nine and ten years old, had been on the covers of magazines theater, and in 1909 Boston newspaper was published with the headline: "Even a giant snow does not kept the audience, trying to see Basseterre Kitona !
He was twenty-one years at the time of the meeting with Fattah - Arbeklem, who had just resigned from the Makah Sennetta and searched two "masters" for short tapes. He chose his cousin Ola St. John and Basseterre Kitona.
In 1918, Kitona mobilized and sent to France to fight American troops.
Upon his return, he again collaborated with Fattah and Saint John. In 1920, Basseterre shot at feature films "nitwit" and immediately became popular. In the same year he became a producer himself Kitona, founding "Kitona Movie Company, which in fact refueled George Schenk. In 1921, Basseterre Kitona married the sister-in-law of producer actress Natalie Tolmedzh.
First a short ribbon Kitona production was the film "One Week" (1920). Novice director was a master of comic genre.
He finds his mask - "the dead person." Kitona himself claimed that his mask has arisen purely by chance: "I′m to the point focused on their task of the actor that knew nothing about the expression of my face, until I was told about it until my friends and I do not see themselves on the screen ..
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From 1920 to 1923 Kitona shot twenty-two and trehchastevyh short straps, which are considered by some critics as the best part of his creativity. For example, the movie "Blacksmith master" (1922) raises a laugh, on the one hand, the fabulous use of props (the horseshoe, as the shoes stacked in boxes and on shelves), on the other - manic destruction: the hero is causing a lot of trouble beautiful Amazons, white жеребцу and destroys the very luxurious crew.
The real fame comes to Kitona in 1923, when he began to produce feature films. Studio Kitona has made available all necessary facilities, and complete freedom of action. Before you begin shooting, he never had a finished script. There was a movie theme, invent some tricks - the rest were born on the set.
Each scene is shot until the actors are not "posted" to the end and still have enough film in the camera. Eight weeks - and the picture is ready. Then Kitona adopted for the installation - and there is not spared either film or time.
Первый его фильм x26quot;Три эпохиx26quot; имел огромный успех. Three age - the Stone Age, ancient Rome and modern America. Gegi are lifted, especially in the middle of the (Rome). To win the heart of the beloved girl, Basseterre must participate in the contest chariots. Astrologers predicted good weather, however, vyglyanuv the street, saw the snow and going to quickly change the outlook. Kitona is a brilliant idea, he replaces the wheels skid, horses - dogs. Having lost a dog in the team, Kitona getting another from the luggage. The victory is close, but suddenly the dog saw the cat, released in the field of competitors, and turned from the path. Kitona caught a cat and holding it to stick to the dogs, comes first to the finish.
During the "three ages" followed by undeniable classic - "Our Hospitality" (1923) - comedy situations. Effects of the film takes place in the thirties of the XIX century. Home can not hit. Night, shooting, terror, death ... This is proof of a great understanding of the laws Kitona comedy. Contrast, the combination of conflicting emotions ...
Upon receiving the news of the death of a relative, he bequeathed his house, the hero goes on a train in the southern town where the bequests to him a house and where he is destined to face the enemies of his family sort of - by some Mac Keyami. Parts on the hero′s journey to the South, must take the same textbook for the film, as dance rolls from Chaplin.
In 1924, Kitona produces another two masterpieces - "Sherlock Jr." and "Navigator".
"Sherlock, Jr." - the shortest of the full-length movies Kitona (five parts). Basseterre performs the role of projectionist. He wants to conquer the heart of the daughter of his master and become a great detective. During the film, he falls asleep. And then strange things begin to happen.
From Suspend mechanic removed it, so to speak, "astral body", his twin. Passes through walls kinobudki part of the cinema hall, Sit down, watch more film, more and more worried, of course, in its way, with a frozen face. Then becomes part of the movie shown.
Nothing of the kind was not in the art world, but it is only a prelude. It starts with a change of scene, precipitate benumb.
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Venue has changed, but Kitona changed from frame to frame is not the assembly, and continuously, as if the picture was shot with a single point. Kitona explained later in this article: before taking a picture of each new piece, he became just the place for shooting the lens apparatus inserted last cell (kadrik) of the previous piece, and the operator to correct the position of the actor, not yet matched the contours of all-shapes. Work hard, but that one would expect from an actor, with three years working in the circus and the stage where you want to phenomenal accuracy.
Otherwise, an "Navigator". This situation is quite unusual, but the action hero in the very ordinary.
Promptly millionaire is on the high seas on a ship to leave the team. By a strange coincidence on the ship got to love a millionaire. Basseterre is trying to show himself: he and the captain and the sailor and the cook and steward, and engineer-diver.
In a critical article about the film the lives of two characters on the ship amounted stay true Adam and Eve in paradise. Kitona himself remarked on this occasion: "If Adam and Eve as they could not meet my heroes, the human race would not exist."
A year later he produced "a step the West", even later - as the best film kitonovskim "General." If one considers that in the same period (1923-1928) established, it may be less than perfect, but certainly interesting picture of "The Seven chances, fighting Butler," "College", "Steamship Bill, Jr." , as well as one of the best films - "camera", it is clear that Kitona created eleven prestigious films in six years!
In the film "The West" (1925) Kitona become a cowboy. He make friends with the cows and to save them from slaughter, the animal is first in the village, and then to the city.
The basis scenario films "The General" (directors Kitona and Clyde Brakmen) on the original episode of the Civil War, North and South. A driver Johnny Gray (Basseterre Kitona) two great passions: locomotive "General" and the charming Anabella. It is a war. Exploration enemy kidnaps "General" with Anabelloy. Johnny rushes in pursuit ... After countless adventures he manages not only to save the engine and the bride, but also help to defeat the enemy.
None of the film to the "General" Kitona not reached such heights of artistic excellence, the humanity. Udiraya to steam from the enemies, he asked the girl to bring him wood for the fireplace. In English and firewood and chips are indicated in one word. The girl obediently brings one schepochku. Kitona smile without looking at her, then suddenly kisses, takes chips, throws in the furnace. The charm of this frame can not be transferred.
Surprisingly, when the on-screen "General" had no success - neither the audience nor the media. For many years after cinema called "general" among the ten best films in the history of cinema.
The "General" completely relate Bunyuelya thoughts about the next film Kitona - "College" (1927).
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In the movie "Steamship Bill, Jr." (1928), almost comparable to the "General", "Kitona plays the role of funny student, takes possession of old ship′s father (Ernst Torrens) and gets married the daughter of his competitor. Main stage of film - a cyclone that destroys everything except the old sudenyshka. Collapsed at home, at Kitona falls a facade, but it is not surprising that his death saved the window, and he continues imperturbably go forward until it has reached up to the horror situation. Kitona both spoke about the shooting of this scene: "I had to fit into the frame of the window with an accuracy of three inches, that it does not hurt my head and shoulders. The facade of the house, I′m not kidding, weighed two tons. It had to be built from heavy and solid, that it does not gnulsya and does not deform under the pressure of the wind. The entire crew, except Geyba [Fred Geyburi, Technical Director of Film Kitona], rebelled against the execution of this my gega. "You should not do." Brakmen threatened to resign. My director Chuck Reysner still in tents, which read "Science and Health (Science and Health). For the first time I saw that the operators are looking in another direction. But we Geyburi provided with all the details and know that everything will turn out. "
On the screen (as in life), a young Kitona was constantly in love, like Chaplin and Max Linder.
Basseterre Kitona loved mechanics and took post-war visitors to Hollywood bungalow, where the whole room took a big infernal machine pins nuts. He built it out of the "General" and, as his former driver, included her in front of guests, demonstrating that this fantastically complex mechanism is not able to crush even the walnut skorlupku ...
For kinolyubiteley 1920-1930′s, each new movie Basseterre Kitona was an event, and they went to watch it even if there was no money. In all the magazines of those times, published intellectuals published articles in which about Basseterre Kitona described with great admiration.
Since 1923, full-length movies Kitona produced by "Basseterre Kitona Productions and distributed by" Metro "(later" MGM "), hire of the last two paintings provide the company, United Artists, which moved Joseph Schenk. When started the worldwide dissemination of sound film, Kitona committed as he said in his autobiography, "the biggest mistake in life." He give up their independent company and finally passed to the service of a giant "MGM".
True, the first one made her film was one of the best and perfect pictures. In the movie "camera" (1928) Basseterre, petty street photographer, has become the operator of a documentary to try to achieve love Sally (Marcelino Day), and after the many adventures of becoming a professional. The results of the first sample shown on the screen, as follows: "... a horse skachut backwards, subverting the barriers that stand by themselves in the place, beautiful naiads jumps out of water on the springboard; battleship gets to sea on New York streets, pugaya people competing in speed with the bus. "
The second film Kitona for MGM was "ponevole Marriage" (1929). That was his last silent film.
By serving Kitona, Irving Talberg producer gave him, his son-in-law Lawrence Veyngartena.
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"I have frantically fought for the salvation of this scene - remember Kitona. - It caused the biggest explosion of laughter. "
Caused by differences in the stage of Basseterre is trying to put to bed his wife, after they were both beyond measure to pump at a wedding champagne. That was the scene saved the film - and especially because of the dexterity Kitona when handling props, and "props" in this case was exceptionally beautiful woman.
For every good scene from the "Marriage ponevole" had to fight with a head of MGM. " Experts to sharpen their attacks, the battle was tightened, and each victory meant a penalty. "I think - said many years later Basseterre - that Larry Veyngarten angry, especially after the scene with the bed has won wide popularity. My God, had to fight because of the obvious, but they refused to listen to me. " Gradually, with a reputation Kitona "sticky" and it all began and all reproach. Well, Larry Veyngarten went to sit on the Executive Board of the company. "
Kitona favorably treated talkie. He said: "In New York, the producers paid aggressive investments in an attempt to enlist the services of the dramatic author, composer, songwriter and theater directors. I had to work with these people and the studio, vainly persuading them that, because of the peculiarities of my mimic the sound of the game for us and damaging it must be kept to a minimum, focusing on scenes without much dialogue, but with a musical background. Only in this case we are not moving away from the principles of silent comic films.
Claude Otan-Lara, who worked in 1931-1932 years in Hollywood over the French versions of the two feature films Kitona, Basseterre marry "and" Love plumber, said that while the actor believed in the "MGM" movie and he even had the right to live while filming the movie in a bungalow built in the studio - the privilege of leading film.
In 1932, barely reached thirty-eight years old, became another victim of Kitona producers. Power imposed on him execrable script, and after the relative failure with the other two films imposed calmly put it beyond the gates. The wife quickly divorce him vysudila all money Kitona.
But none of his ten full-length films, shot between 1930 and 1933 years, did not have this success. He had to go to London and Paris, and taken in poor conditions.
Kitona tried to go back to the cinema as an actor. He took the "MGM" back to a salary of 100 dollars a week, but Kitona well remembered, as previously it is the same "MGM" paid a week-long detention in the amount of three thousand dollars.
In France, he played in "King Enisejskij Fields" (1934), which he said: "I signed a contract, do not read the script. And when he was in my hands, it became clear that this is the same story, which I refused for ten years. " In Hollywood Kitona removed only in short scenes. His unhappy star led Basseterre, even in Mexico, where he was shot in the film "Pan on the Moon" (1946), and the circus - he gave in Paris a few representations of the Circus Medrano, returning to the old profession MIMA.
In 1950, Billy Wilder gave him in the movie "Sunset Boulevard" bit part of one of Hollywood "ghosts" that arise in the standard Desmond.
Then Basseterre Kitona appears to "light the ramp, where he and Chaplin performed eccentric musical duo.
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Invite Kitona was from Chaplin′s noble gesture: he has been for many years as being filmed in the comedies and the audience almost managed to forget it. All the crew were sold, making sure that at the stage of Chaplin and Kitona turned into two old comedians professionals, each of which seeks to obscure the other.
Success on television corrected case Kitona. He was able to reissue their old films. Their demonstration ended in a complete triumph. Critics have again opened Kitona, showered with deserved praise. His retrospective in Venice and the French Cinematheque returned him to a well-deserved reputation of genius. Despite age and undermine health, and now he offered leading roles in films (as opposed to statistical work, as in the painting "In eighty days around the world ′, 1956, directed by M. Anderson).
In 1957, the firm "Paramount" was a film about the life of an actor. Role Kitona performed minor actor Donald O′Connor, and the Basseterre was a "technical consultant". It should also mention the occasional Kitona role in the film Kramer "The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World."
In 1963, actor and director Basseterre Kitona was awarded a special Oscar for his contribution to the film. Cinema tried to unravel its wonder. Kitona never smiles, but even a very responsive and precise: he is afraid, surprised, angry. Theorists who studied this phenomenon, came to the conclusion that Kitona thus would have wanted the contrast between groteskovo-fatal adventure in which the hero falls, and the absolute lack of reaction.
"Basseterre Kitona built their game on comic imperturbability - writes French cinema Sadul Zh. - "The man who never laughs" has committed, even on the contract did not smile or in films or in public places. Dispassionately His composure sharp contrast with the extravagant situations where it involved. Light-getter, like Charlie, storyteller, master of all trades , melanholik, he looked like the absurdity of belief in peace and life, everything was ready to accept and overcome everything. But it is rarely a victim of absurd situations, suffering more from the mechanical means within the range of comic clown props.
Venetian Festival Hall in 1965, for "Retrospective Kitona, he arranged pyatnadtsatiminutnuyu ovation.
He complained of destiny. At the end of life Kitona gave numerous interviews. He willingly talked like we did some sort of scene. He said that in his best films have weak spots and breaks. Kitona, artist and craftsman in the best sense of the word, liked to "neat" and was a truly humble. He believed that it had not reached perfection.
Inimitable Basseterre Kitona died on 1 February 1966, after shooting a sad short "Film" (1965), Alain Schneider off on the original scenario, Samuel Beckett.
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