Sidney Franklin

'Sidney Franklin' (qv) was involved in amateur filmmaking while still at school. With his brother 'Chester M. Franklin' (qv), he wrote, directed and edited a short film, _The Baby (1915)_ (qv), at a cost of $400. Somehow it attracted the interest of 'D.W. Griffith' (qv), who decided to put the brothers to work making children's films for the Triangle Film Corporation. After three years they went their separate ways. Sidney ended up with the more successful career. He established his reputation with _Smilin' Through (1922)_ (qv), and went on to direct some of the great female stars of the silent era, including 'Norma Talmadge' (qv), 'Mary Pickford' (qv) and 'Greta Garbo' (qv). He joined MGM in 1926 and remained affiliated with the studio until his departure in 1958.A protégé of the similarly inclined chief of production at MGM,'Irving Thalberg' (qv), Franklin was thought of as a "literate" filmmaker. He was at his best bringing classics to the screen, like the 'Noël Coward' (qv) adaptation of _Private Lives (1931)_ (qv); _Reunion in Vienna (1933)_ (qv), based on a play by 'Robert E. Sherwood' (qv); 'Rudolph Besier' (qv)'s period melodrama _The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934)_ (qv) or 'Pearl S. Buck' (qv)'s tale of struggling Chinese farmers, _The Good Earth (1937)_ (qv). All were lavishly produced as A-grade features, with A-grade budgets.From 1939 Sidney spent most of his time as producer on similarly prestigious films, with a strong inclination towards sentimental melodrama. The biggest box-office hits were _Waterloo Bridge (1940)_ (qv), _Random Harvest (1942)_ (qv), _Madame Curie (1943)_ (qv),_The White Cliffs of Dover (1944)_ (qv) and _Mrs. Miniver (1942)_ (qv), a picture he thought would lose money but needed to be made. It turned out to be the most popular picture of the year and contributed in no small way to Sidney winning the 'Irving Thalberg' (qv) Memorial Award in 1943, for "consistent high quality of production and achievement".::I.S.Mowis