Life — July 30, 1925 — page 21: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon mocks Hollywood's film industry by depicting the Biblical creation story as a movie set. God creating the world becomes a film director's production, complete with a camera crew, equipment, lighting rigs, and a large spherical prop representing Earth. The caption shows the "Director" ordering a retake of the sunrise—a joke about Hollywood's obsession with retakes and perfectionism. The cartoon suggests filmmakers would treat even divine creation as just another production to tinker with endlessly. The satire targets Hollywood's grandiosity and pretension, implying the industry views itself as nearly godlike in its creative power. The period details (1920s-era vehicles and clothing visible) suggest this reflects early-to-mid 20th century attitudes about the film industry's cultural dominance and inflated self-importance.