Douglas Fairbanks, John Gilbert and Rudolph Valentino
Brad Pitt has said he modeled his character, Jack Conrad, on Fairbanks, Gilbert and Valentino. Valentino exists in “Babylon” (his death in 1926 is mentioned), and unlike Jack, who sometimes pretends to be Italian, Valentino was born in Italy. Fairbanks and Gilbert are commonly cited as great silent leading men whose popularity petered out with sound, but there are sound movies in which they appear perfectly comfortable. (When Gilbert played opposite Greta Garbo in “Queen Christina” in 1933, the New York Times critic Mordaunt Hall praised him as “far more restrained” than in silents.) Both men died young, although their fates differed from Jack’s.
Babylon
USA Today
Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt can’t get you into the most rip-roaring Hollywood parties, but with their latest film, “Babylon,” they can give you a taste of the singular magic of a movie set.
Art imitates stressful life in a massive scene early on during Damien Chazelle’s over-the-top ode to old Hollywood. In “Babylon” (in theaters Friday), filmmakers are trying to line up a key shot in a silent costume drama where A-list power player Jack Conrad (Pitt) plants a kiss on his leading lady just as extras bang around in swords and shields behind them, an orchestra plays, an explosion goes off and the sun sets – all at the same time. And that had to be like clockwork for Chazelle and Co., too.
“I’m so excited that people who aren’t in the movie industry can watch this and be a part of that moment,” Robbie says. “Because if I could give that to everyone in the world, I would.”
BP Gallery Update
• x044 December 15 – Babylon – Los Angeles, CA.
• x017 December 18 – Hollywood, CA.
• x003 Magazines (Premiere, Financial Times & Veronica).
• x015 Photoshoots (2000, 2017, 2020 & 2022).
• x009 Babylon (Art Basel, Cover Art, Promo, BTS & Stills).
Cinematography Featurette
• x009 December 20 – Cinematography Featurette (screencaps).
PS. The video can also be found at BP Media.
