Even now Hollywood continues to weigh in with racial stereotypes on the silver screen that leave sensitive patrons breathless with fury. But in 1926, Ramon Novarro stood tall in the chariot in the title role in MGM’s silent epic, “Ben Hur.”
Novarro’s success was part of what some scholars have called “an early window of opportunity,” when Latinos were portrayed with dignity and commanded leading roles. One scholar, Antonio Rios-Bustamante, professor of Mexican-American studies and history at the University of Arizona, identifies this period as lasting from 1911 — the silent era — until the mid-1930s, when barriers to people of color solidified.
To be able to understand minority portrayals by the film industry, it is necessary to understand the societal role of these groups, says Rios-Bustamante. “The history of Latinos is very important. You cannot understand the 1920s without understanding the `Latin Lover’ craze …. You cannot understand MGM without understanding Ramon Novarro. It’s impossible.”
Kissing Garbo
In the early days of film there was a premium on those who were already trained, says Rios-Bustamante. Many of the Latinos who became part of the early industry had acquired experience in the theater or the musical stage.
For example, Myrtle Gonzalez, the industry’s first Latina star, was a singer and part of a theater company before starring in her first film, “Ghosts,” in 1911. Beatriz Michelena was a star on the musical stage in San Francisco before starring in her first film in 1914, “Salomy Jane.” And, of course, Novarro romanced Greta Garbo in “Mata Hari.”
Independent filmmaker, Eustasio Montoya of San Antonio — who shot more than 40,000 feet of film — was a prolific producer of movies during the silent era. Most of his work has been lost. However, due to restoration efforts, a documentary about some of his work is featured in “Imagenes Perdidas de Eustasio Montoya” (Lost Images of Eustasio Montoya) by Mexico’s Fernando Gonzalez del Moral.
