Baba went with the group to see several films while in Cannes. On the evening of 30 August 1937, they went out to dinner at the Miramar restaurant and then to a double-feature (Bing Crosby in Going Hollywood and Clark Gable in Men in White ). But as it was getting late, they left at 10:15, during the intermission of the first film.
The screenwriter, Alexander Markey arrived in Cannes on 2 September 1937 to see Baba about the possible film projects. After Markey's long discussion with Baba about the films, the "Universal Filmmaker" pretended it was essential to his purposes. Age knew that the real reason Baba showed so much interest in producing a movie was to draw Markey and others, such as Gabriel Pascal and Garrett Fort, to him and to give them his contact. The actual movie was not essential to the Master's work.
Markey had not been in touch with Baba or any of his lovers since their first meeting in London during November 1936. He had intended to start writing a play and had simply decided on going to Cannes to begin work on it. When he arrived in Cannes, he received a telegram that had been forwarded from London, saying that Meher Baba was on his way to Cannes and would like to meet Markey there. Such amazing "coincidences" only further strengthened his love for and faith in Baba.
Markey had another meeting with Baba a week later. On one occasion, Baba disclosed to Markey,
"Someday the themes we are discussing now will form the basis of an entirely new trend in motion pictures."1
Will and Mary Backett arrived in Cannes on the night of 2 September. The next morning Walter and Hedi Mertens and their daughter and son left for Zurich. Baba had permitted Walter, Hedi, Elizabeth and Rano to photograph him and the women mandali on various occasions in Cannes.
That day, 3 September, Baba urged the Westerners,
"Harmony is the basis of life, living in a group, working for and living with me and helping in my work. By following your personal feelings of likes and dislikes, the atmosphere essential for my work is disturbed."
Baba would frequently permit a few of the Western women to join him and his Eastern women in Villa Caldana for an evening of charades and other games. Birthdays were celebrated and all were joyous to be in the Master's lively company again.
Footnotes
- 1.Two years later, in 1939, the first Cannes Films Festival was established. Its aim was "to encourage the development of all forms of cinematographic art and foster a spirit of collaboration between film-producing countries." It became the most prestigious film festival in the world, and draws thousands of visitors to Cannes every year.