Eames on Film: The Architect and The Painter

New documentary explores the hidden lives of 20th-century design icons Charles and Ray Eames

Vanessa BrunnerDecember 12, 2011

Houzz Contributor

Modern furniture lovers would be hard-pressed to find a more influential and innovative pair of 20th-century designers than Charles and Ray Eames. Although they were often thought to be brothers, they were a husband-and-wife team, now best known for their iconic line of chairs for Herman Miller, and experts on nearly every type of art form. "Charles wasn't an architect trying to do architecture, or a furniture designer trying to make furniture," says film producer Bill Jersey. "He and Ray were two people who were trying to get us to see the world differently."

When producer Jason Cohn approached Jersey to help him create a film on Ray and Charles Eames, Jersey didn't know much about the couple. "Charles Eames always said that he didn't sell his expertise to clients — he sold his ignorance," says Jersey. "The same was really true for me with this film." As they learned about the couple, they realized there was much literature on their work, but very little on Charles and Ray as individuals.

Premiere: Eames: The Architect and The Painter aired Dec. 19, 2011 on American Masters. A DVD was released Tues., Dec. 13, 2011

Interestingly, Cohn's introduction to Charles and Ray Eames was through their films, not their iconic furniture. While in film school, he was given a box set of their experimental movies. "They were so odd and esoteric, I knew that I had to learn more about them," he says. "The images in those films stuck with me for a long time."

Film had always been a passion for both Ray and Charles, and they often experimented with films in their office. In 1968, they gained national attention with their educational film, Powers of Ten. After that, they were quickly hired by the United States Government, IBM, and other large corporations for exhibitions and corresponding films.

Eames: The Architect and the Painter is the first comprehensive film about Charles and Ray since their deaths, exactly 10 years apart, in 1978 and 1988. "Film is really more of an emotional realm than a practical one," says Cohn. "We thought it would be the perfect medium to explore the Eames's personalities." "We didn't necessarily want it to be educational," says Jersey. "We wanted people to watch the film and say 'wow'."

Throughout the film, the viewer is instantly drawn to the unique charm of the Eames — particularly Charles, who is repeatedly described by former co-workers as charismatic. Despite the charisma that seemed to ooze from them both, there were still aspects of their working life that caused challenges, especially for Ray. Many of the people that they talked to almost viewed Ray and Charles as saints — but Jersey and Cohn wanted to paint a more accurate picture. "It's not really a question of what material you want to include, but if you have to," says Jersey.

Jersey and Cohn spend a great deal of time exploring the whimsical home Ray and Charles built for themselves in Pacific Palisades, Calif. (pictured), and their magical office at 901 Washington Boulevard in Venice Beach. The twosome created quirky sets for their lives, installing massive pieces of art on the ceiling, inventing gigantic toys to put in their office, and constantly changing everything around. One former Eames employee describes their office as "Disneyland for adults."

Right off the bat, it's apparent that Ray and Charles were compulsive, artistic people, and often assumed others were the same. "People we interviewed would talk about how Ray would be walking down the street and just start shrieking in delight at an object that she saw," says Cohn. "She had a true childlike appreciation for life."

In life, Ray was often overshadowed by Charles, so the producers made sure to give Ray her fair share of credit in the film. Jersey and Cohn agree that largely because of the biases of the era, Charles was the face of the Eames Office. "But our research convinced us that the Eames Office wouldn't have been the same without her," says Cohn.

"I'm not a design historian, aficionado, or furniture geek," says Cohn. "But my biggest takeaway in terms of design is that it's not a shallow thing. It's not a surface gloss you put on a product. When it's practiced correctly, it's about problem solving at a deep level."

"For me, looking at furniture was sort of like looking at the engine of a car," says Jersey. "I knew what all the parts did, but I didn't care much about how it was made. Now I can see all of the little nuances and thoughts that go into it."

There's a true contrast in the way that the Eames produced their furniture and the way many mass-produced products are made now. Their furniture, films, and artwork were all designed with love and made with morality and ethics in mind. "High-quality objects and images and things can bring happiness, especially when made by happy people," Cohn says. "Poor objects made by unhappy people don't do that."

All photos: Copyright 2011 Eames Office LLC, courtesy of Larsen Associates

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