Hollywood First Movie

Hollywood First Movie: Power, money, glamour, with the right amount of humbleness: that’s Hollywood! Hollywood is the capital for show-business. Incorporated in 1903, Hollywood has given the foundation for big production companies like Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros, Universal Pictures.

In old California is the first movie that was shot in Hollywood. The movie was released in 1910 and has a runtime of 14 minutes. It is a silent movie with English intertitles. The film was directed by D. W. Griffith. The friendly people and the beautiful scenery of the small village near California which is called Hollywood made D. W. Griffith shoot the movie there. The once thought-lost movie was first seen by the public in 94 years when in 2004 a monument was built in Vine Street by Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The movie was restored and released then. The cast for the movie is Frank Powell, Arthur V. Johnson, Marion Leonard, Henry B. Walthall.

The story is set in the time before Mexican independence was proclaimed by California. Perdita Lergnello, is a Spanish girl who is loved by Manuella, who is a wealthy and decent Spanish boy. On knowing the fact that Perdita loves Pedro Cortes, a troubadour from the village steps back from his love. Perdita marries Pedro. After twenty years, the marriage was proven to be a mistake. Perdo was not a man of principles and spent all Perdita’s earnings on alcohol. They have a son who is nineteen years old now. Her son was reflecting the features of his father. Concerned, Perdita seeks help from her ex-lover Manuella, who is now the Governor of the place, for her son. Perdita has written a thank you note for Manuella. While he is reading the letter, the drunk boy is presented in front of Manuella and that gives him a sense that Perdita has no idea about what her son is doing. On knowing that Perdita is dying hoping his son is in a good position no, Manuella decides that he will let her die happily and not knowing the truth. Her son is again caught thieving, but this time Manuella arranges for him to be seen nicely in front of her mother. As soon as Perdita dies, his son is sent to prison for his doings.

Facts:

The movie was first seen by the public after 94 years of its production.
The words “Lights, Camera, Action” were first said by the producer of the first Hollywood film, D. W. Griffith.
A monument that was built near the shooting place was stolen under mysterious circumstances overnight. It was later found in a garbage bin nearby.
The film was in controversy because of its Latino theme. The community found it to be discriminatory.
The Squam Man(1914) was considered to be the first movie shot until the discovery of In Old California.