HOLLYWOOD DISCOVERS POINT LOBOS

Movie history compiled over the years by the ranger staff.

First Movie Productions
In 1914 the first movie to be filmed at Point Lobos was "Valley of the Moon" directed by Hobart Bosworth and starring Jack Conway and Myrtle Stedman. Thus began a long period of moving making. For the next twenty-six years over thirty films were "shot" here.

In 1919, a Monte Carlo style set was erected at Sea Lion Point with interior scenes filmed at the James estate in the Carmel Highlands. The silent film by Universal Pictures "Foolish Wives" was written and directed by Erich von Stroheim, who also starred in it.

In 1929, the movie "Evangeline" directed by Edwin Carewe of United Artists, and starring Roland Drew and Delores del Rio was filmed. Half the population of Carmel was out working as extras. Some trees were burned in the fire with much brush and grassland also destroyed. During one scene the village was burned down. The after scars from the movie set that was built above Headland Cove remained until the late 1940's while the vegetation slowly recovered. This human erosion was one of the main examples that was shown as reasons why the State should purchase Point Lobos for the State Park System. For years after, people in the local community were opposed to film companies using Point Lobos. They wanted the landscape protected from damage.

Protection of the Park
On December 30, 1944 the State Park Commission passed the following resolution. "If any future applications should be made for the use of the park for making moving pictures a hearing will be held at which both the representatives of the moving picture industry and the residents of the vicinity of the park, and others who object to the use of the park for moving picture purposes, can present their views." On December 20, 1945 the "movie battle" began. The Point Lobos League was formed as a protective organization last year following the making of a motion picture in which considerable damage to foliage and terrain was caused. The President of the organization was photographer Edward Weston of the Carmel Highlands. Representatives of the Point Lobos League announced that they would send representatives to Sacramento to participate in a State Park Commission hearing in which Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio was seeking permission to make a move at Point Lobos.

Presented at the meeting were personal views and letters on the pro and con reasons for having pictures made at Point Lobos. The Monterey Peninsula Associates entered their approval for movies as this added a shot in the business arm and brought the park to all the people instead of just to those who could pay to see it in person. After all views were expressed, the State Park Commission voted approval for filming. At this point, the Point Lobos League said they would become watchdogs and keep an eye on everything that the movie people did. "Movie crews from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer expected to be 'on location' at Point Lobos in the near future will do well to restrain any urge to monkey with the sea anemones or make off with decorative bits of Cypress bough."

Then on February 6th, MGM decided to tone down their original plans at Point Lobos which included "construction of a small cottage; importation of considerable top soil and the planting of a Victory Garden and construction of two piers." The new plan was to let actress Greer Garson walk through the Cypress trees and along the rocks near the ocean. This was approved by everyone involved and the great "movie battle" came to a sudden end. The movie "Desire Me" directed by George Cukor and starring Greer Garson and Robert Mitchum was completed in 1946.

With protection of Point Lobos as the key factor filming was allowed to continue. Eleven more films were filmed at or near Point Lobos between 1946 and 1989. Present day filming includes many still fashion shoots for catalogues like Eddie Bauer and Neiman Marcus. The Budweiser Clydesdales and Bengal tigers for Exxon have used the beach at Carmel River for filming commercials.

* Point Lobos State Reserve or adjacent locations were used for the filming of a scene or scenes.