January 11, 2012
This John Wayne photo from John Ford’s classic portrayal of Eugene O’Neill’s “The Long Voyage Home” demonstates the lasting brilliance of carbon prints. This film, produced by Walter Wanger, was the first Hollywood film to employ recognized artists to capture scenes from the movie’s production. Ned Scott, being the still photographer on the movie, photographed this Ernest Fiene painting of John Wayne in character as Seaman Ole using 8 x 10 kodachrome film. Carbon prints were made from these kodachromes, and Ned Scott saved several for his own personal collection. Walter Wagner organized a 24 museum tour of the country for these paintings chiefly as a promotional effort for the movie. Though the film did not do that well at the box office, it made a very great impression as an “art” film. John Ford was so pleased with the effort that he saved and mounted a select group of Ned Scott’s still photographs from the movie and hung them in his house where they stayed for years. Nine artists produced 12 paintings, and each artist was paid $10,000 for his work. Many of these carbon prints are displayed along with some interesting source material and stills photos from the film. Ned Scott made several formal portraits of the painters themselves while they were on the set of the movie. “Long Voyage Home” received seven academy award nominations. Though the Dudley Nichol’s storyline from Eugene O’Neill’s sea themed plays was rather loose, Eugene O’Neill loved the movie so much that he kept a copy in is home which he viewed frequently. Other John Wayne photographs by Ned Scott include those for the movie “Stagecoach” and they may be viewed here.
John Wayne photo of Ernest Fiene’s painting as seaman Ole from “The Long Voyage Home”