A title at the beginning of Damien Chazelle's "Babylon" (Paramount, 2022) says "Bel-Air, 1926" and all we see is undeveloped scrub-covered hills. But we're headed to a party at the castle-like mansion of the Kinoscope Pictures head Don Wallach, played by Jeff Garlin.
This Hollywood epic is set primarily in the 1926 to 1930 period as the silent era ended
and the studios began transitioning to sound features. Stars include
Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, Jean Smart, Diego Calva, Olivia Wilde, Samara Weaving and Tobey Maguire. The cinematography was by Linus Sandgren.
That's party-crasher Margot going wild in the ballroom of the house at the top of the hill. We're actually in the inner lobby of the United Artists Theatre, 933 S. Broadway. The exterior shots used a 20s vintage house in Lancaster built by Hancock Park developer Richard Peter Shea.
Another UA shot. Yes, that's a midget with a giant penis. That spurts. The venue is now known as the Theatre at Ace Hotel.
More partying at the UA. There will also be an elephant at the party, providing cover for several gentlemen to carry out a dead guest.
During the party Margot and Diego adjourn to an upstairs room in the
mansion where all the host's drugs are kept. The scene was shot in the
children's nursery in the basement of the Los Angeles Theatre, 615 S.
Broadway.
Piles of cocaine on the table. Margot hasn't yet appeared in a film but tells Diego that she's already a star.
Another shot in the nursery scene. Margot makes quite an impression at the party and is told to report to the studio's set at 8am the next day.
Back downstairs. Shall we talk about the elephant in the room?
The United Artists lobby after the party.
For the premiere of the faux-1926 film titled "Maid's Off" we're outside
the Los Angeles Theatre. Samara Weaving plays Constance Moore, the star
of the film. In real life the Los Angeles didn't open until January 1931.
A closer view of the Los Angeles. Margot was basically an extra on the film but she kept stealing scenes and one complaint from the star was that she thought Margot was icing her nipples.
Margot at the check-in table trying to get in. She's not even on the guest list. Someone comes up and asks for her autograph and, seeing that, the lady at the desk lets her go in. As she goes in we see the payoff to the "fan" she's hired for the little stunt.
In the theatre during the premiere we see Margot watching herself onscreen. Initially concerned and then reveling in the audience's reactions. The scene is reminiscent of "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" when she's watching herself on the screen at the
Bruin in Westwood.
Margot coming out after the "Maid's Off" premiere at the Los Angeles and greeting the reporters and new fans.
We get a bit of doctored footage of the Chinese when the studio was premiering their 1926 epic "Blood and Gold." Of course, the theatre didn't open until May 1927. This footage was actually shot during the 1932 premiere of "Grand Hotel." Note the forecourt's hotel "check-in desk" in the center of the image. Kurt Wahlner notes that the verticals are turned off, evidently in an attempt to make the setting appear more like a hotel.
Diego, by 1927 a studio executive, goes to New York because everyone's heard that there is quite a buzz around the Warner release "The Jazz Singer." This exterior of the Warner Theatre is back lot stuff.
When Diego goes inside to find a seat we're at the Orpheum Theatre, 842 S. Broadway. The audience is transfixed by Al Jolson's performance.
A pan up to the ceiling with a look at the box at the front of the balcony housing the theatre's digital projector.
"The Jazz Singer" is on the Orpheum's screen as the audience stands and cheers.
A quick run through the lobby so Diego can call Hollywood to tell his bosses "Everything is going to change."
Margot is an ongoing problem and when Diego gets a new job as production head at Kinoscope Studios, where he once was a gofer, one of his tasks is to upgrade her accent, manners and overall behavior. They go to a party at one of the houses of William Randolph Hearst and try to impress the society types in attendance. The film used a mansion in the West Adams neighborhood that was once owned by Busby Berkeley. Margot has gone upstairs to the bathroom and a worried Diego heads up after her.
The room of the mansion she's in is the actually the cosmetics room of the ladies lounge in the basement of the Los Angeles Theatre.
After a bit of yelling she promises to behave herself. Of course she doesn't.
We're back at the Los Angeles again with this lovely shot as Brad Pitt, in the light colored coat, drops in
to observe a showing of his latest 1931 MGM costume drama.
Coming down a side aisle.
A great shot looking in at the back of the house.
Peeking in. It's not going well and the audience is laughing at the serious parts of a love scene.
More unwanted audience reaction in the first balcony.
Elinor St. John, a gossip columnist in the mold of Hedda Hopper who is played by Jean Smart, writes an article saying it's over for Brad's career. Later they have a nice scene together when he visits to ask why she wrote the article. She tells him that it's not really anything he did, or didn't do in the movie. It's just over. He's had his turn.
Diego had left his studio job after getting enmeshed in a problem revolving around a gambling debt owed by Margot to crime czar Toby Maguire. He's told to get out of town if he wants to live and ends up starting a new life in New York. In 1952 he comes to visit Los Angeles with his wife and daughter and walks by the gates of the studio where he once was an executive.
Diego walks aimlessly in Hollywood after his wife and daughter go back to the hotel. The theatre he walks by in "Hollywood" is the Warner Grand at 478 W. 6th St. in San Pedro.
He takes a look at customers coming out.
A nice shot of a Warner display case as another customer exits. "Young Man With Ideas" was a May 1952 release with Glenn Ford and Ruth Roman.
He buys a ticket and wanders up to the balcony. That's the door to the booth behind him. It seems that he's not been to the movies lately as he's amazed by the magic of it.
Looking down at the big screen we learn that the other feature playing is "Singin' in the Rain" with Debbie Reynolds. Earlier in the film we've seen Diego's involvement with a production of the same number decades earlier. The title song of the 1952 film by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown debuted in a Hollywood stage show titled "The Hollywood Music Box Revue" then shortly afterward was in the MGM film "The Hollywood Revue of 1929."
The audience at the back of the main floor.
A fine look toward the front of the balcony at the Warner.
Shooting at the Los Angeles Theatre, 615 S. Broadway:
Getting the Los Angeles ready for a shoot. Photo: Mike Hume - September 4, 2021
They had been out shooting under the name "Wild Chickens." See a February 2021 article about the film on the site
CinemaBlend. Some early scenes were done in Santa Clarita. In mid-September there was shooting at a number of locations in San Pedro including a beach scene with Brad Pitt. See a post by Steve Johnson on the Facebook group "
What's Going On in Riverside County" for information about the production's use of the Victoria Bridge in Riverside in May 2021.
"Opening To-Night." They were trying for a white-on-black look to simulate the milk glass letters of the era. Photo: Bill Counter - September 8, 2021
A closer look at the letters. Photo: Bill Counter - September 8, 2021
The operation from across the street. Zukor's was moving back into the north storefront. Well, for the film anyway. Photo: Bill Counter - September 8, 2021
A closer look at the new facade for the north storefront. Photo: Bill Counter - September 8, 2021
The "Famous For Dresses" sign in place several hours later. Photo: Bill Counter - September 8, 2021
A new soffit treatment for the film. Photo: Bill Counter - September 8, 2021
Posters up for a fictitious film and stage show. Photo: Bill Counter - September 8, 2021
The view from across the street. The tarp on the south readerboard was hiding the copy from inquisitive eyes. Photo: Bill Counter - September 8, 2021
The marquee copy revealed. It was to be a sneak preview night for "The Captain," a new (fictitious) MGM picture with Jack Conrad. Note the new awning and facade to hide part of the storefront this side of the theatre entrance. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
The new south storefront. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
A closer look at the south readerboard. A preview with "two showings daily"? Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
Displays south of the boxoffice. "Goose-Land" with Alice Day, "Whispering Canyon" with Jane Novak and "Pleasures of the Rich" with Helene Chadwick all date from 1926. The Los Angeles Theatre opened in 1931. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
"Ice-Cooled Air." Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
The project as seen from across the street. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
A new face for the clock. Always 15 minutes until show time. Esther Moore and her film were inventions of Mr. Chazelle. Ms. Moore's first name would later be changed to Constance. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
The north readerboard. Here they were saying "New Show Every Wednesday." But they had a banner above the boxoffice touting a different policy: "Program Changed Daily." Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
Displays north of the boxoffice. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
Looking north from 7th after the street was closed. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
Cars ready for action parked near the Palace. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
Looking back toward the Palace. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
A view from the east side of the street. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
The entrance from a bit farther north. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
Neon off during a copy change on the south readerboard. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
Extras heading to the Palace, used as a break area. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
Red drapes, a chandelier and a mannequin added at Zukor's. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
Cars on the west side of the street. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
Instructing the premiere's "reporters" on flash powder use. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
Mounting the camera on the remotely operated crane. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
A bit of a camera rehearsal. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
More rehearsal action. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
Looking north as cars get into position. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
The marquee letters they used weren't backlit. But they were painted with reflective paint. Here, on the right, is seen one of three Lekos they brought out and mounted on stands in the middle of the street. They were framed in to just light the three readerboard sections. Photo: Bill Counter - September 9, 2021
Black panels off the marquee and back to the normal look of the soffit. Photo: Bill Counter - September 13, 2021
A last bit of paint touchup to restore the facade of one of the north storefronts. Photo: Bill Counter - September 13, 2021
Shooting at the Orpheum Theatre, 842 S. Broadway --
Well there was nothing to see on the front of the theatre but it was a lovely fashion show on 9th St. as extras made their way back to the Orpheum after a lunch break. Photo: Bill Counter - September 13, 2021
A group crossing at 9th and Broadway. Photo: Bill Counter - September 13, 2021
A parade of 1927 evening wear on 9th east of Broadway. Photo: Bill Counter - September 13, 2021
Heading into the alley and the Orpheum's rear exits. Photo: Bill Counter - September 13, 2021
The encampment behind the theatre. There was more across the street. And north of the United Artists / Theatre at Ace. And yet more west of the Eastern Columbia Building. Photo: Bill Counter - September 13, 2021
Meanwhile, at the United Artists / Theatre at Ace, 933 S. Broadway:
Earlier the production had shot a big party scene in the lobby at the United Artists. At this point the lobby was being used as makeup space while filming was happening at the Orpheum. Photo: Bill Counter - September 14, 2021
A closer look under the bridge. Photo: Bill Counter - September 14, 2021
See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Orpheum Theatre, the United Artists/Theatre at Ace, the Los Angeles, Grauman's Chinese and the Warner Grand.
On IMDb: "Babylon" | Trailer 1 | Trailer 2 red band |
The work of production designer Florencia Martin is discussed in "How Babylon's production designer resurrects a Hollywood long gone," a December 27, 2022 L.A. Times story by Jordan Riefe. Thanks to Donavan S. Moye for spotting it.
Also see "What's the real life Hollywood history behind 'Babylon'? We asked the experts," a second Times story by Mr. Riefe that appeared on December 27.
