Director photo from “Slightly French” discovered

Here is a recently discovered film director photograph which shows Columbia Studios director Douglas Sirk interacting with actors Don Ameche and Dorothy Lamour. The film is a 1949 release called “Slightly French“, and it also featured Janis Carter and Willard Parker. As with the previously discussed director images on this blog, one from January, 2012 (Cover Girl) and another from November, 2011 (Song to Remember), it’s the interplay between director and actor(s) which Ned Scott sought to capture. For him, this was an important part of the story of making a film. There needs to be a current between the director and the actors for the film to work and stand up over time at the box office. In this image, it’s easy to see that both of the actors are in sympathy intellectually and emotionally with their director. To see other interesting photographs of this genre, go to Stagecoach (John Ford with actor Tim Holt) and Hangmen Also Die (director Fritz Lang and cinematographer James Wong Howe).

Director Douglas Sirk with Dorothy Lamour and Don Ameche for “Slightly French”, 1949, by Ned Scott