SIGHT, SOUND, AND SUNSHINE

Martinez chronicles the production of the 1930 movie Hell Harbor and its effect on a Florida city.

The film at this book’s center, which was based on Rida Johnson Young’s novel Out of the Night, was filmed entirely on location in Tampa. The independent production company Inspiration Pictures produced the movie—directed by Henry King and starring Lupe Velez—for United Artists. The movie itself isn’t the star of this book, however; the making of it is, set in a city that was enthralled with the magic of Hollywood. Martinez chronicles the sometimes-absurd happenings when the film crew moved in and weaves together fascinating bits of information regarding the eventful shoot; for example, he tells of how Velez arrived late due to a widely reported “nervous breakdown”; a tropical storm interrupted filming on the barrier island of Rocky Point; Gary Cooper, who was dating Velez at the time, made an appearance; and a member of the Romanian royal court, living in exile, worked for the production. Equally as compelling is the local flavor that Martinez includes. Approximately 500 residents arrived to greet the production at the train station at 5:30 a.m. only to wait hours for anyone to exit the train cars; lavish, bizarre parties were thrown throughout the filming, including beauty contests and a “Nursery Night” theme that “required the stars to dress as babies.” Martinez also effectively places equal importance on everyday local details; Latine influences became part of the look and sound of the production, and Jim Crow–era ordinances kept extras separated by skin color. He also points out that moviemaking on location became less popular for a time due in part to the mediocre reviews and box office returns of Hell Harbor. Overall, it’s an honest, fair portrait of the impact of a temporary and transient industry on a city and a thorough, fast-paced book about filmmaking in the early 20th century, paying homage to all participants.  

An informative and entertaining work about a specific time in filmmaking history.