Thanks to Tom Trusky, who was the top sleuth of Idaho movies, I’ve had an interest in them for several years. I recently ran across an oblique mention of one I’d never heard of called All Faces West.
The mention of the movie included a note of regret that it was never shown because it had been filmed as a silent movie just when talkies were coming out. I decided to see what I could find out about it.
First, it was a movie with at least four titles. That’s not especially unusual because a movie often goes into production with a working title that changes before release. This one had two working titles,
The Exodus and The Exodus of the New World. It was meant to tell the struggle of the Mormons as they moved West to Utah. It premiered in Salt Lake City in 1929 under the title All Faces West to good local reviews.
When it was put out for general release as Call of the Rockies in 1931, there had been some changes. The movie had lost the original tie to the story of the Mormons, and sound had been added. Sort of. There was some narrative at the beginning of the film and at the end, otherwise the familiar dialogue cards were inserted to move the story along. Oh, and they dubbed in some additional sounds such as barking dogs and whinnying horses to thrill movie goers.
Those changes were probably the result of someone trying to cobble together a flick that would make some money. The production company had gone bankrupt after spending about $250,000 on the project. Someone bought the rights to the film for $10,000.
Most of the movie was shot in Utah, but several scenes were filmed near Heise Hot Springs and along the Snake River near Twin Falls.
So, not purely an Idaho movie but certainly one that should be included in the history of Idaho filmmaking.
The mention of the movie included a note of regret that it was never shown because it had been filmed as a silent movie just when talkies were coming out. I decided to see what I could find out about it.
First, it was a movie with at least four titles. That’s not especially unusual because a movie often goes into production with a working title that changes before release. This one had two working titles,
The Exodus and The Exodus of the New World. It was meant to tell the struggle of the Mormons as they moved West to Utah. It premiered in Salt Lake City in 1929 under the title All Faces West to good local reviews.
When it was put out for general release as Call of the Rockies in 1931, there had been some changes. The movie had lost the original tie to the story of the Mormons, and sound had been added. Sort of. There was some narrative at the beginning of the film and at the end, otherwise the familiar dialogue cards were inserted to move the story along. Oh, and they dubbed in some additional sounds such as barking dogs and whinnying horses to thrill movie goers.
Those changes were probably the result of someone trying to cobble together a flick that would make some money. The production company had gone bankrupt after spending about $250,000 on the project. Someone bought the rights to the film for $10,000.
Most of the movie was shot in Utah, but several scenes were filmed near Heise Hot Springs and along the Snake River near Twin Falls.
So, not purely an Idaho movie but certainly one that should be included in the history of Idaho filmmaking.
Marie Prevost, one of the starts of All Faces West, later released as Call of the Rockies. She appeared in 121 silent and sound films during her 20-year career. Sadly, Alcoholism took her life at the age of 40 in 1937. Her death was one of the catalysts for the creation of the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital.
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