The Law and the Lady Stable

Edwin H. Knopf

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Daniel B. Cathcart, Cedric Gibbons

Created for The Law and the Lady (1951), this backdrop depicts the exterior entrance to a stable in the film's turn-of-the-century San Francisco setting. The simple wooden architecture reflects the utilitarian buildings that formed part of the city's commercial streets during the early 1900s. George Gibson supervised MGM's scenic art department when this backdrop was produced. Although modest in appearance, the painting demonstrates the careful use of perspective, architectural proportion, and controlled color relationships that allowed scenic artists to create convincing exterior environments on a soundstage. The backdrop's restrained design also illustrates how scenic artists balanced realism with practicality. Rather than competing with the actors, backgrounds like this established a believable setting while supporting the story. Today, the backdrop is preserved in the Texas Performing Arts Hollywood Backdrop Collection as an example of the craftsmanship behind MGM's studio-era scenic painting.

San Francisco, California, 1900s

1951

25’-8” x 17’-4”

Dry color and gelatin binder on cotton muslin

Exterior Architecture

Gift of J.C. Backings Corporation

ADG Archives, Melinda Sue Gordon