SANJINES DIRECTORS, 4 EDItION 1938 Carefree omfort zone of his stars, he brings out the most effective perform- 1939 Man about Town ance for each 1940 Love Thy Neighbor(+ pr); Buck Benny Rides Again (+ pr) Sandrich seems to savor the comedy scenes in his films. His 1941 Skylark (+ pr) attention to camera placement and fast-paced editing result in effi 1942 Holiday Inn(+ pr) cient comedy sequences that bring quick laughs and prevent overly 1943 So Proudly We Hail! (+ pr) long reaction shots. Hips, Hips, Hooray and Cockeyed Cavaliers, 1944 I Love A Soldier (+ pr): Here Come the Waves(+pr) both of which star the zany comedy duo of wheeler and Woolsey, offer examples of this technique. Buck Benny Rides Again and Love Thy Neighbor, offbeat comedies featuring Jack Benny and Eddie Publications Rochester"Anderson, work because Sandrich is sensitive to Bennys precise comic timing, as well as the humorous styles of other popular radio comedians who make appearances in the film. On Sandrich: articles- Sandrich produced as well as directed his films from 1940 until his death. Taking a break from comedy, he made an outstanding World McManus, John T,"A Sandrich and a Dance or So, in New York War II patriotic melodrama of brav imes, 16 May 1937. the Pacific. In So Proudly We Hail!, Sandrich emphasized accuracy Strauss, Theodore, That Sandrich Man, "in New York Times, 12 and brought in several experienced combat nurses to document details July 1942 of their experience. That authentication was particularly important to audiences since the film was in production when the war was in progress. This project, plus a follow-up called I Love a Soldier, a drama about wartime marriage which re-teams several of the so The signature of Mark Sandrich is blurred. With a string of Proudly We Hail! stars, demonstrates Sandrich's willingness to significant features to his credit, it would seem that a few books on expand his cinematic repertoire, and make films that are serious Sandrich should have been published. Yet there have been no career well as escapist. evaluations of this director/producer. The reason is two-fold. First of Because of Sandrich's sudden death, one only can speculate Secondly, Sandrich diedinespstaged by the star power in his films. whether he would have further developed his talents during the post- all. Sandrich,s efforts ar n early middle age in 1945, cutting short his war era, perhaps in a manner similar to director George Stevens, creen legacy at a time when the major studio factory system was whose early career parallels Sandrich's beginning to be derailed and director/producers of his caliber were just starting to assert their position as auteurs within an about-to-be With few exceptions, Sandrich's most important films are come- es featuring legendary performers n legendary pertormances Te SANJINES, Jorge he made at RKO. No matter how often these films are packaged, they never are tagged ""Mark Sandrich films. Instead, they are the Nationality: Bolivian. Born: La Paz, Bolivia, 31 July 1936. Educa Astaire-Rogers musicals. Even so, it is Sandrich's contribution that tion: Studied filmmaking and philosophy at Catholic University in allowed for the creation of Astaire-Rogers as one of the 1930s most Santiago, Chile, late 1950s. Career: Made first film, Suerios popular and exciting screen teams. Sandrich employed his extensive realidades, with Oscar Soria, in Bolivia, 1961; named head of experience in screen comedy to mold a bland-looking Fred Astaire Bolivian Film Institute, 1965; left Bolivia following coup led by from a stage dancer/singer into a lively and charming screen presence. Hugo Banzer, 1972; returned to Bolivia, 1979. Address: clo Consejo Directing dozens of silent and early sound comedy shorts gave Nacional del Cine Casilla 9933. La Paz. bolivia Sandrich an experts viewpoint on presenting screen comedy. With his sharpened eye, he determined how best to complement Astaires rather stagy manner and distant formality with the more free-flowing, Films as director: vivacious Rogers. The results were dynamic. When The Gay Divo cee was being made, Rogers had more screen ex e than astaire 1961 Suerios y realidades(co-d he acts more loosely for the camera than Astaire, whose theatrical 1963 Revolucion; Una dia Paulino(co-d) gestures and reactions are a bit heavy-handed for films. Realizing this, 1965 Aysa Sandrich adjusts the placement of the camera to accommodate each of 1966 Ukamau his actors. The film unfolds with a series of brief comedy sequences 1969 Yawar mallku( blood of the Condor) involving Astaire Rogers, and a number of character actors. When 1971 El coraje del puebi Sandrich films Astaire, he does so in a series of quick takes, and he 1974 El enemigo principal oes not bring the camera in for a close shot. When Astaire and 1976 Fuera de aqui Rogers"meet cute'over a large trunk in which Rogers'dress is 1983 Las banderas del amanecer(co-d) caught, Sandrich moves in for a couple close shots of Rogers reacting 1989 La nacion clandestina(+ sc) to the situation, but he keeps Astaire at a distance. By recognizing the 1995 Para recibir el canto de los pajaros(+ sc)SANJINÉS DIRECTORS, 4th EDITION 862 1938 Carefree 1939 Man about Town 1940 Love Thy Neighbor (+ pr); Buck Benny Rides Again (+ pr) 1941 Skylark (+ pr) 1942 Holiday Inn (+ pr) 1943 So Proudly We Hail! (+ pr) 1944 I Love A Soldier (+ pr); Here Come the Waves (+ pr) Publications On SANDRICH: articles— McManus, John T., ‘‘A Sandrich and a Dance or So,’’ in New York Times, 16 May 1937. Strauss, Theodore, ‘‘That Sandrich Man,’’ in New York Times, 12 July 1942. *** The signature of Mark Sandrich is blurred. With a string of significant features to his credit, it would seem that a few books on Sandrich should have been published. Yet there have been no career evaluations of this director/producer. The reason is two-fold. First of all, Sandrich’s efforts are upstaged by the star power in his films. Secondly, Sandrich died in early middle age in 1945, cutting short his screen legacy at a time when the major studio factory system was beginning to be derailed and director/producers of his caliber were just starting to assert their position as auteurs within an about-to-be newly designed Hollywood. With few exceptions, Sandrich’s most important films are come￾dies featuring legendary performers in legendary performances. The best known are the several Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers musicals that he made at RKO. No matter how often these films are packaged, they never are tagged ‘‘Mark Sandrich films.’’ Instead, they are the Astaire-Rogers musicals. Even so, it is Sandrich’s contribution that allowed for the creation of Astaire-Rogers as one of the 1930’s most popular and exciting screen teams. Sandrich employed his extensive experience in screen comedy to mold a bland-looking Fred Astaire from a stage dancer/singer into a lively and charming screen presence. Directing dozens of silent and early sound comedy shorts gave Sandrich an expert’s viewpoint on presenting screen comedy. With his sharpened eye, he determined how best to complement Astaire’s rather stagy manner and distant formality with the more free-flowing, vivacious Rogers. The results were dynamic. When The Gay Divor￾cee was being made, Rogers had more screen experience than Astaire. She acts more loosely for the camera than Astaire, whose theatrical gestures and reactions are a bit heavy-handed for films. Realizing this, Sandrich adjusts the placement of the camera to accommodate each of his actors. The film unfolds with a series of brief comedy sequences involving Astaire, Rogers, and a number of character actors. When Sandrich films Astaire, he does so in a series of quick takes, and he does not bring the camera in for a close shot. When Astaire and Rogers ‘‘meet cute’’ over a large trunk in which Rogers’ dress is caught, Sandrich moves in for a couple close shots of Rogers reacting to the situation, but he keeps Astaire at a distance. By recognizing the comfort zone of his stars, he brings out the most effective perform￾ance for each. Sandrich seems to savor the comedy scenes in his films. His attention to camera placement and fast-paced editing result in effi- cient comedy sequences that bring quick laughs and prevent overly long reaction shots. Hips, Hips, Hooray and Cockeyed Cavaliers, both of which star the zany comedy duo of Wheeler and Woolsey, offer examples of this technique. Buck Benny Rides Again and Love Thy Neighbor, offbeat comedies featuring Jack Benny and Eddie ‘‘Rochester’’ Anderson, work because Sandrich is sensitive to Benny’s precise comic timing, as well as the humorous styles of other popular radio comedians who make appearances in the film. Sandrich produced as well as directed his films from 1940 until his death. Taking a break from comedy, he made an outstanding World War II patriotic melodrama of brave nurses caring for fighting men in the Pacific. In So Proudly We Hail!, Sandrich emphasized accuracy and brought in several experienced combat nurses to document details of their experience. That authentication was particularly important to audiences since the film was in production when the war was in progress. This project, plus a follow-up called I Love a Soldier, a drama about wartime marriage which re-teams several of the So Proudly We Hail! stars, demonstrates Sandrich’s willingness to expand his cinematic repertoire, and make films that are serious as well as escapist. Because of Sandrich’s sudden death, one only can speculate whether he would have further developed his talents during the post￾war era, perhaps in a manner similar to director George Stevens, whose early career parallels Sandrich’s. —Audrey Kupferberg SANJINÉS, Jorge Nationality: Bolivian. Born: La Paz, Bolivia, 31 July 1936. Educa￾tion: Studied filmmaking and philosophy at Catholic University in Santiago, Chile, late 1950s. Career: Made first film, Sueños y realidades, with Oscar Soria, in Bolivia, 1961; named head of Bolivian Film Institute, 1965; left Bolivia following coup led by Hugo Banzer, 1972; returned to Bolivia, 1979. Address: c/o Consejo Nacional del Cine, Casilla 9933, La Paz, Bolivia. Films as Director: 1961 Sueños y realidades (co-d) 1963 Revolución; Una día Paulino (co-d) 1965 Aysa 1966 Ukamau 1969 Yawar mallku (Blood of the Condor) 1971 El coraje del pueblo 1974 El enemigo principal 1976 Fuera de aquí 1983 Las banderas del amanecer (co-d) 1989 La nacion clandestina (+ sc) 1995 Para recibir el canto de los pajaros (+ sc)