Filming Elia Kazan's "Wild River"--Tennessee 20 Possibly 1959

Curator: This is Robert Frank's "Filming Elia Kazan's 'Wild River'--Tennessee 20," a contact sheet likely from 1959. What do you make of it? Editor: Bleak. A feeling of voyeurism, like glimpsing discarded moments. All those tiny, serious faces caught in miniature dramas. It’s almost uncomfortable. Curator: Robert Frank worked as a stills photographer for Elia Kazan's film. These images offer insight into the film's creation and, by extension, the representation of the South during the Civil Rights era. Editor: Right, Kazan. A master of complicated morality. I love the repetition here. Each frame offering a slightly different angle, like a stuttering memory trying to get something right. But the circled ones… what’s the story there? Curator: That's the key, isn't it? Frank, through these circled frames, draws our attention to particular moments. They emphasize specific human interactions and, given Frank’s broader body of work, likely hint at social tensions. Editor: It's beautiful and broken at the same time. The grainy texture and the stark contrasts amplify that. I wonder if Frank felt like an outsider, documenting someone else's vision while grappling with his own? Curator: It's entirely possible. Frank, himself an immigrant, often explored themes of alienation and the outsider's perspective in his work. These frames hint at a critical observation of how stories are constructed, both on film and in societal narratives. Editor: Absolutely. You can almost feel him questioning the director's gaze, trying to uncover a truth beyond the staged scenes. I feel like he's inviting me to choose which narratives seem important. Curator: Indeed. Frank's work often prompts us to consider the role of the image in shaping our understanding of history. These images become relics. Editor: Hmm, I may just need to explore more of his art; these little relics are much bigger and deeper than they seem at first sight. Thank you! Curator: A perfect sentiment, thank you!