Lewis Milestone (born Leib Mendelevich Milstein; September 30, 1895 – September 25, 1980) was a Russian-American film director, screenwriter, and producer active during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He twice won the Academy Award for Best Director, for Two Arabian Knights (1927) and All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), with a third nomination for The Front Page (1931).
Milestone's other notable directing credits included The General Died at Dawn (1936), Of Mice and Men (1939), The North Star (1943), A Walk in the Sun (1945), The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946), Pork Chop Hill (1959), Ocean's 11 (1960), and his final film Mutiny on the Bounty (1962).
Early life
Leib (or Lev) Milstein was born in Kishinev, the capital of Bessarabia Governorate in the Russian Empire (present-day Chișinău, Moldova), into a wealthy, distinguished family of Jewish heritage.Millichap, 1981, p. 26: "born in Odessa [into] a clan of prominent Russian Jews... his father a well-off manufacturer" and "until 1919, Milestone retained his surname, Milstein".Silver, 2010: "Lewis Milestone (1895–1980) was born Lev Milstein near Odessa, Ukraine."Barson, 2020: "Lewis Milestone, original name Lev Milstein, born September 30, 1895, in Kishinyov, Russia [now Chișinău, Moldova]."Robinson, 1970, pp. 141–142: "Lewis Milestone was born in Kishmev, Ukraine."Canham, 1974, p. 72: "born in the Ukraine, near Odessa." Milstein received his primary education at Jewish schools, reflecting his parents' liberal social and political orientation, and including a study of several languages. Milstein's family discouraged his early love of theater and his desire to follow the dramatic arts and dispatched him to Mittweida, Saxony, to study engineering.Canham, 1974, p. 72: "His formal education took place in Russia [then] his parents sent him to a German engineering school in Mittweida, Saxony."
After neglecting his classes to attend local theater productions, Milstein failed his coursework. He was intent on pursuing a theatrical career and bought a one-way ticket to the United States. Milstein arrived in Hoboken, New Jersey, on November 14, 1913, shortly after his eighteenth birthday.Robinson, 1970, p. 141: "after commercial studies in Europe reached America, apparently as an illegal immigrant, just before the First World War."Canham, 1974, p. 72: Milestone abandoned his academic studies and "used his return fare home at the end of the [school] term to emigrate to New York... on arrival he was [temporarily] financed by an aunt but ran out of funds." His appeal for financial support from his father in Russia was rejected.Millichap, 1981, pp. 26–27: See section The Director's Early Life And p. 27: ".free of family restrictions [in the United States], he felt he might realize his dream of a theatrical career."
Milstein, who found difficulty supporting himself in New York City, worked as a janitor, door-to-door salesman, and lace-machine operator before finding a position as a portrait-and-theater photographer in 1915. In 1917, shortly after the US entered World War I, he enlisted in the Army Signal Corps. Milstein was stationed in New York City and Washington, D.C., and was assigned to the corps' photography unit, where he trained in aerial photography, assisted on training films, and edited documentary combat footage. His cohorts in the Signal Corps included future Hollywood directors Josef von Sternberg and Victor Fleming.Millichap, 1981, pp. 26–27: he held a series of odd jobs, including janitor, door-to-door salesman and machine operation in a lace factory.... In 1915 [he secured a job] as a photographer's assistant... more to his liking... [then became] a theatrical photographer" and p. 27: In 1917, upon America's entry into WWI "he enlisted in the photography section of the Signal Corps [performing] aerial photography [and shooting] training films... also edited combat footage" and Sternberg and Fleming mentioned.Canham, 1974, p. 72: "He began work as a factory sweeper, then became a salesman and finally a photographic assistant. The latter job stood him in good stead when he enlisted in the Signal Corps in 1917" where he worked as "an assistant in the making of army training films."Barson, 2020: "During World War I he served as an assistant director on training films for the U.S. Army."Whiteley, 2020: Milestone "received a thorough grounding in all aspects of filmmaking [with the Signal Corps], which would prove invaluable in the years to come." In February 1919, Milstein was discharged from the army, immediately obtained US citizenship, and legally changed his surname to Milestone. An acquaintance from the Signal Corps, Jesse D. Hampton, now an independent film producer, secured Milestone an entry-level position as an assistant editor in Hollywood.Millichap, 1981, pp. 27–28: Upon discharge from the Army in 1919 "Milestone became a [US] citizen and changed his name [from Milstein to Milestone] at the suggestion of the [immigration] judge" and "Jesse D. Hampton, an independent film producer.... Milestone asked for a job in [Hollywood] movies; the only thing available was assistant editor."Canham, 1974, p. 72: "he left the army in 1919 and headed for Hollywood, where he found employment as a cutter with Jesse Hampton" a former army comrade, now 'independent producer"
Hollywood apprenticeship 1919–1924
When Milestone arrived in Hollywood, he was still in financial difficulties. He later said to sustain himself until his studio job commenced, he briefly worked as a card dealer at a Los Angeles City Oil Field gambling venue.Millichap, 1981, p. 28: An unpublished interview with Mark Lambert, see Millichap footnote. And See p. 28 for comparison to 1913 arrival in America.Silver, 2010: Silver describes Milestone as "émigré, not "immigrant"Koszarski, 1976 p. 317: "Milestone was a Russian émigré."Strago, 2017: "Like most great pioneer filmmakers, Milestone led an adventurous life before he hit the soundstage."
Milestone accepted mundane assignments from Hampton at $20 per week, and progressed from assistant editor toward director. In 1920, he was chosen as general assistant to director Henry King at Pathé Exchange. Milestone's first credited work was as an assistant on King's film Dice of Destiny.Millichap, 1981, p. 28: For Hampton he performed "a multitude of off jobs... sweeping floors and running errands... editing work consisted merely of splicing films... [but] "personal contacts would prove valuable in his steady advancement... became King's general assistant" in 1920Canham, 1974, p. 72: Began work as "a cutter"And "promoted to the role of general assistant" for Henry King.Barson, 2020: "He launched his Hollywood career in 1920, working for Henry King."
During the next six years, Milestone "took on jobs in any capacity available" in the Hollywood film industry, working as editor for director-producer Thomas Ince, as general assistant and co-author on film scripts by William A. Seiter, and as a gag writer for comedian Harold Lloyd. In 1923, Milestone followed Seiter to Warner Brothers studios as assistant director on Little Church Around the Corner (1923), completing most of the film-making tasks on the production.Millichap, 1981, p. 28Canham, 1974, p. 72: "For the next six years [1921–1926] Milestone took on jobs in any capacity available: he assisted William A. Seiter, wrote scenarios and treatments and did some editing." Milestone's reputation as an effective "film doctor" who was skilled at salvaging movies led Warner to begin offering Milestone's services to other studios at inflated rates.Millichap, 1981, pp. 28–29: "Warners often lent out the young editor to other studios at several times his salary".
Director: Silent era, 1925–1929
By 1925, Milestone was writing screen treatments for films at Universal and Warner studios, among them The Mad Whirl, Dangerous Innocence, The Teaser, and Bobbed Hair. The same year, Milestone approached Jack L. Warner with a proposal: Milestone would provide the producer with a story free of charge if he was allowed to direct it. Warner agreed to sponsor Milestone's directorial debut, Seven Sinners (1925).Robinson, 1970, pp. 141–142: "After varied work in Hollywood, he emerged as a writer on Alan Crosland's Bobbed Hair (1925) and a director on Seven Sinners, made later the same year."Barson, 2020: "In 1925 Milestone made his directorial debut with Seven Sinners; he also wrote the screenplay."Millichap, 1981 p. 30: "Milestone offered Warner a story idea he had created himself if he could direct it himself. Warner took the bait."Rhodes, 2020: "Milestone had honed his career in comedies, writing the scripts for The Mad Whirl (1925), The Teaser (1925), and Bobbed Hair (1925), all of which humorously depicted the jazz-crazed youth of the Roaring Twenties."
Seven Sinners is one of three films Milestone directed with Marie Prevost, Mack Sennett, and a former female comedian. Jack Warner appointed Darryl F. Zanuck as a screenwriter. The film is a "semi-sophisticated" comedy incorporating elements of slapstick, and was sufficiently successful with critics and the public to allow Milestone, now 29 years old, additional directing assignments.Canham, 1974, p. 72: "... he was given a chance to direct a Marie Prevost vehicle, Seven Sinners (1925)."Millichap, 1981, p. 30: "Milestone's career as a director was launched."Strago, 2017: "The New York Times critic called Milestone's first feature, Seven Sinners (1925), made for Warner Bros., the best recent picture he'd seen at Warner's flagship theater, but Milestone chafed at studio demands. Happily, Hughes soon formed his own company and, in 1927, the young director went to work for him."
Milestone's second Prevost comedy was The Caveman (1926), which quickly earned him praise for its "adroit direction". During production, Milestone broke his contract with the studio over his exploitation as a "film doctor": Warners sued for damages and won, forcing Milestone to file for bankruptcy. The Caveman was his last film for Warner Bros. until Edge of Darkness (1943). Undeterred, Paramount Pictures quickly acquired Milestone.Millichap, 1981, pp. 30–31: "By 1926 [Warners] was paying Milestone $400 a week [but] loaning him out as a film doctor at the rate of $1000 a week and more.... Milestone demanded the difference" and broke his contract when Warners refused.Canham, 1974 pp. 72–73: "Warners and Milestone capitalized [on the success of Seven Sinners by finishing a second comedy vehicle two months later... The Caveman (1926)... contemporary reviewers lavished praise on Milestone's adroit direction, and his ability to switch from sophisticated comedy through slapstick to suspense."
The New Klondike (1926), a sports-themed drama based on a Ring Lardner story, was filmed on location in Florida. Despite a "lukewarm" response from critics, Paramount was enthusiastic regarding Milestone's prospects, showcasing him with other young studio talent in the promotional film Fascinating Youth (1926). An argument with screen star Gloria Swanson on the set of Fine Manners (1926) led Milestone to walk off the project, leaving director Richard Rosson to complete it.Millichap, 1981, p. 31: Milestone "a rising talent"and one of "the years graduates of Paramount 'School of Stars" "And "he quarreled with [Swanson] and left the film."Canham, 1974 p. 73: Critics were less pleased with Milestone's The New Klondike (1926) "[but] the fact that it was filmed on location in Florida gives some indication of Milestone's rising status as a director."