The most depressing birthday party in Hollywood history — and it's a BTS doc.
This promotional short film for "Soylent Green" (1973) begins by showing clips of films that depicted what the future might be like beyond Earth. The narrator then discusses the origin of the idea depicted in "Soylent Green." Director Richard Fleischer and star Charlton Heston discuss how an upcoming crowd scene will be filmed. Then we see what happens when the crowd riots because there is not enough food available to be distributed to everyone. "Soylent Green" was Edward G. Robinson's 101st (and, as it turned out, his last) feature film. During a break in filming, the cast and crew hold a ceremony celebrating the first film of his "second hundred," and Robinson makes appreciative remarks to the crowd. Studio head Jack L. Warner and friend George Burns are among those in attendance.
Acting
Edward G. Robinson's final on-camera appearance, unknowingly.
Production
Heston and Fleischer casually planning dystopian crowd chaos.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Edward G. Robinson was completely deaf during filming and learned his lines by reading lips; Heston was one of few who knew.
This short captures the last time Robinson and Heston worked together — they were close friends, and Heston delivered the eulogy at his funeral.
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