Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1512164
A. FOYER, PALACE THRONE ROOM FROM THE IRON MASK. UNITED ARTISTS, 1929. B. DANTE'S INFERNO. 20TH CENTURY FOX, 1935. THE TEMPEST OF HELL SEQUENCE, IN-CAMERA SET WITH GLASS MATTE PAINTING. C. DANTE'S INFERNO. 20TH CENTURY FOX, 1935. THE PUNISHMENT OF SIMONISTS SEQUENCE, IN- CAMERA SET WITH GLASS MATTE PAINTING. "authentic period look" for the production was realized. Ben Carré designed all the palace and tavern interiors and the convent sets. Being both Parisians and mutual lovers of fine food, Carré and Leloir became very close, and they relished their many proper French lunches together over a glass of excellent wine. Difficult Times 1930-1934 With the stock market crash in 1929, Ben found himself entering a midlife crisis that must have been the darkest period of his life. Choosing to remain outside of the studio system, work between the years 1930 and 1934 was very hard and included the 1931 divorce from his first wife of sixteen years, Jeanne Cottrell. Eventually, his luck was improved by the freelancer's friend, that unexpected phone call. This time it was from Frank Sersen, head of Fox Studio's scenic arts department inviting Ben to join the studio's matte painting unit. Dante's Inferno 1935 In 1935, Ben was put in charge of Fox's visual effects unit for Dante's Inferno. Based on the illustrations of Gustave Doré, Ben had to design and supervise many complicated sets, miniatures, and in-camera glass matte paintings for the picture's haunting nightmare sequence. This picture also featured Ben's future wife Anne Pogash, who had an immodest but very visible role as one of the artistically naked tortured souls in hell. A Night at the Opera 1935 After Inferno, Ben received yet another phone call from Cedric Gibbons inviting Ben to come back to MGM to Art Direct their first Marx Bros. film. Gibbons promised Ben a "carte blanche" budget. Ben would have the freedom to do whatever he wanted, and he would have his choice of stages B A C