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Posted: |
Feb 19, 2023 - 7:53 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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In TOO LATE BLUES, Bobby Darin plays jazz musician "John 'Ghost' Wakefield," who exists only on the outer fringes of the successful musical world. One day he meets and falls in love with "Jess Polanski" (Stella Stevens), a timid and uncertain vocalist, and takes her away from her fast-talking agent, "Benny Flowers" (Everett Chambers).
Stella Stevens said in a 2004 interview that she was sent the script for the Elvis Presley film GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS! by Paramount, with whom she was under contract, and she thought, "Hmmmm, he's from Memphis and so am I. That's a good idea to put us together." But when she read it, she wound up throwing it across the room because she thought it was "a piece of shit." She went back to Paramount and said, "I'm sorry, but I'm not going to be in this." And they said, "Young lady, you are going to do this picture or be put on suspension, and you will not be able to work here or anywhere else. You will not be able to make any money." Stevens said she was still young at the time, but old enough to fight the studio, so she told them, "You're not going to put me in this piece of junk and make me the girl that Elvis Presley dumps for another girl. That is not what I had in mind for my career. I'll starve. I don't care. My child will starve because of you, and we will die because of you, because I will not do this junk."
The studio asked her to reconsider and promised that her next film would be with Montgomery Clift. She said, "Oh, well, yes. Okay, I'll do the Elvis picture. It's only six days' work, and I'll just forget about it." She filmed her part (it took eight days) but was treated pretty badly by director Norman Taurog, who screamed his lungs out at her all the time, which was very embarrassing and humiliating. Once done, she moved onto the film Paramount promised, TOO LATE BLUES (which ended up being released before GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS!). But then, Montgomery Clift, who was in bad shape due to his drinking, was replaced by Bobby Darin. (Producer, director, and co-writer John Cassavetes actually wanted Gena Rowlands for the role of Jess, but his choice there was overruled as well.)
Stella Stevens and Bobby Darin in TOO LATE BLUES
One month after the start of production, Stella Stevens was suffering from exhaustion, having had no time off after completing her previous films, MAN-TRAP and GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS!. Cassavetes allowed her to rest for nearly a week.
Stevens recalled that in one scene, she was standing near a wall and Bobby Darin walked over and kissed her passionately. They kissed for a long time, and when he stood back, she noticed he had a very prominent erection. Stevens said "Now I can't think of Bobby Darin without thinking of him with a huge erection. That is an honor, you know? To me and to him."
Bobby Darin and Stella Stevens in TOO LATE BLUES
An agency known as GAC Associates negotiated a production deal between Paramount Pictures and John Cassavetes for the film. Cassavetes noted that the studio “has accepted a picture and an approach that don’t fall into any mold or category,” regarding commercial prospects. Much of the dialogue was improvised, with Paramount’s approval.
In May 1961, Paramount executives viewed a rough edit of the film and were pleased with the results, prompting the studio to offer Cassavetes a seven-year, non-exclusive contract. The picture was scheduled to screen at the Venice Film Festival in August. The film had its world premiere on 23 November 1961 in London. Stella Stevens, the only cast member in attendance, left for Paris the following day on a promotional tour.
TOO LATE BLUES opened 28 February 1962 in Los Angeles, on the bottom half of a double bill with SUMMER AND SMOKE (1961). Reviews were mixed, although critics commended Darin and Stevens on their performances. Dennis Lim of the Los Angeles Times said that Stevens proved her "range and nerve."
After the film grossed a weak $1.3 million, the 29 March 1962 New York Times announced that Paramount abandoned its deal with Cassavetes. While the filmmaker described the Paramount staff as “cooperative and considerate,” he lamented the studio’s inability to market films to “art houses.” Paramount production chief Martin Rackin claimed he was unaware of Cassavetes’s intention to target art-house audiences. The 6 June 1962 Daily Variety reported that Paramount intended to produce a series of comedies, hoping to improve its sagging profit margin. The article noted that TOO LATE BLUES was described as a “stinker” at a stockholders meeting.
In January 1961, before production began, composer Andre Previn was hired to write the score. The next month, however, it was announced that Previn was replaced by David Raksin, whose score would include lead sheets to accommodate jazz improvisation. Raksin completed his score in August 1961. Kritzerland released the score in 2013, and copies are still available on their website.
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Posted: |
Feb 20, 2023 - 11:53 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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In GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS!, Elvis Presley plays nightclub singer “Ross Carpenter,” who also skippers a charter fishing boat for “Papa Stavros” (Frank Puglia). Ross dreams of someday purchasing the latter's sailboat, which Ross and his late father built. Stavros offers the prize craft for sale when he is forced to move to Arizona because of his wife's illness, and Ross is determined to earn enough money to buy it, in spite of strong objections from his girlfriend, “Robin Gantner” (Stella Stevens), who also sings at the club.
Elvis Presley and Stella Stevens in GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS!
Norman Taurog directed the 1962 film, which had location shooting in Hawaii. Stella Stevens did not want to do this film, and was nearly suspended by Paramount. Her protests hurt her relationship with the studio. She also stated several times that she refused to watch the film because she was so mistreated by the producer and the director. Stevens said that Elvis was very pleasant to work with, but even though they were both from Memphis, her short time on set didn’t allow for much of a relationship with Presley.
Stella Stevens sang three songs in the film, but only Elvis’ songs appeared on the RCA soundtrack LP, which was re-issued on CD in 1997. The song score contained the final UK and U.S. chart topper from a movie in which Elvis starred—“Return to Sender.” The picture ended up in the top 30 grossers of the year at the domestic box office, with a $9.4 million take.
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Posted: |
Feb 21, 2023 - 10:55 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Glenn Ford and Shirley Jones starred in the 1963 romantic comedy THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S FATHER. In the film, “Eddie Corbett” (Ron Howard) would like his recently widowed father “Tom” (Ford) to become romantically involved with a woman such as their attractive neighbor, divorcée “Elizabeth Marten” (Jones), who nursed Eddie when he was ill. When Eddie fails to interest his father in a relationship with Elizabeth, he strikes up a friendship with a shy beauty contestant from Montana, “Dollye Daly” (Stella Stevens); but she falls in love with “Norman Jones” (Jerry Van Dyke), a disc jockey who is also a friend of Tom's.
Stella Stevens in THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE’S FATHER
Vincente Minnelli directed the picture, which had an unreleased score by George E. Stoll. Stella Stevens said in a 2004 interview that Minnelli was her favorite director. She said she felt he was "the most fabulous genius with whom I've ever worked." She added that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had recently had an evening of Minnelli's work. She attended it, and they had shown excerpts from almost all his films, but nothing from this one. She thought it was wrong to exclude this film.
The film had average grosses of $5.4 million domestically.
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Stella Stevens may be one of the chorus girls in this still from SAY ONE FOR ME. But if she is, which one?
Upper left corner.
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Posted: |
Feb 21, 2023 - 11:54 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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In THE NUTTY PROFESSOR, wishing to impress “Stella Purdy” (Stella Stevens)—a beautiful student in one of his classes—nerdy “Prof. Julius Kelp” (Jerry Lewis) tries gym exercises and chemical formulas to improve his appearance. Ultimately, he drinks a potion that temporarily turns him into the handsome, but obnoxious, “Buddy Love.”
Stella Stevens and Jerry Lewis in THE NUTTY PROFESSOR
Stella Stevens was completing her role for THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE’S FATHER at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios in Culver City, CA, while at the same time rehearsing with Lewis at Paramount Studios in Hollywood. It was reported that a “dream sequence,” featuring Stevens in a bikini, was removed from the screenplay by Paramount censors.
Location scenes were filmed at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, using members of the student body as extras. Stevens joined Lewis on location at Arizona State from 15–17 November 1962, even though she was not needed on set. Lewis explained that her presence added “an important feeling of authenticity.” She was, however, scheduled to accompany Lewis in a live performance at the university’s stadium.
Stella Stevens' character's name was first “Stella Paine,” but Stevens asked Jerry Lewis to change it to “Stella Purdy.” During filming, Lewis and Stevens reportedly started an affair that lasted two years. Lewis was 37 and Stevens was 24 at the time.
Stella Stevens in THE NUTTY PROFESSOR
Perhaps his most famous film, Lewis directed and co-wrote THE NUTTY PROFESSOR. Lewis wrote seven scripts for the film by himself and two with Bill Richmond. It was widely believed at the time that the Nutty Professor's sleazy alter ego, Buddy Love, was a satirical swipe at Jerry Lewis' longtime partner, Dean Martin.
Walter Scharf's score for the 1963 film has not had a release. The film was in the top 25 box office grossers of the year, taking in $11.4 million domestically.
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Posted: |
Feb 24, 2023 - 12:12 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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In the first of the "Matt Helm" spy spoofs starring Dean Martin, THE SILENCERS, Stella Stevens played “Gail Hendricks,” an innocent who is given a vital computer tape by dying strip tease dancer “Sarita” (Cyd Charisse) and thus becomes a target of the evil “Tung-Tze” (Victor Buono). Daliah Lavi played "Tina Batori," Helm's former ICE colleague and now a member of the evil BIG O organization.
Daliah Lavi, Stella Stevens, and Dean Martin in THE SILENCERS
Producer Irving Allen decided to film the Matt Helm series after randomly purchasing one of the novels at an airport. Allen licensed the character the next day, and after shopping the series to several studios, he reached an agreement with Columbia Pictures, provided he used his own money to finance the films. Actors such as Paul Newman refused the role, fearing they could not compete with Sean Connery’s “James Bond” films. After a comedy element was added, Allen cast Dean Martin, who was enjoying a wave of popularity with the launch of his television variety series that same year.
Stella Stevens said in an interview that she could play any role, but had always considered herself a comedic actor. She always enjoyed doing sexy things for fun, and joking in films. She said the scene in this film where she gets locked outside the car in the rain is one of her favorite examples.
Stella Stevens and Dean Martin in THE SILENCERS
In early 1967, Stevens took out a splashy ad in Variety promoting her highly acclaimed comedic performance for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She wasn't nominated. However, Stevens received a Best Actress award from the Rocky Mountain Motion Picture Association.
Phil Karlson directed the 1966 film. Elmer Bernstein's score was released on an RCA LP, which was not released on CD until 2016 by Vocalion. Reprise Records released a separate LP of Dean Martin’s songs, which has not had a CD re-issue. The $3.5 million production was a big hit, finishing as the #13 film of the year at the domestic box office, with a $18.4 million gross.
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Posted: |
Feb 25, 2023 - 1:14 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Stella Stevens co-starred a second time with Dean Martin in the 1968 romantic comedy HOW TO SAVE A MARRIAGE—AND RUIN YOUR LIFE. In the film, executive “David Sloane” (Dean Martin) tries to save the marriage of his best friend, department store owner “Harry Hunter” (Eli Wallach), by proving that Harry's mistress is unfaithful. But David mistakenly presumes that clerk “Carol Corman” (Stella Stevens) is the secret woman Harry's stashed away for afternoon recreation. To prove his point, David sets Carol up in a love nest that happens to be right next door to the love nest of Harry's real mistress, “Muriel Laszlo” (Anne Jackson), who is indeed very faithful to her man.
Stella Stevens in HOW TO SAVE A MARRIAGE—AND RUIN YOUR LIFE
Stella Stevens' appearance in this film (and THE SILENCERS) opposite Dean Martin led to a falling out with her co-star/director/paramour Jerry Lewis (THE NUTTY PROFESSOR), who refused to speak to her for two decades. Martin and Lewis were famously feuding after the breakup of their comedy duo in the 1950s, themselves not speaking for years. Only her unannounced backstage visit after seeing Lewis perform in "Damn Yankees" on Broadway in the late 1980s brought the two together again. Stevens was the only leading lady to have starred with both Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in films after their professional breakup.
Fielder Cook directed the film. Michel Legrand’s score was released on a Columbia LP, which has not had a CD re-issue. The film had moderate domestic grosses of $7.1 million.
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Posted: |
Feb 26, 2023 - 1:22 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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SOL MADRID starred David McCallum in the title role as an undercover narcotics agent, searching for “Harry Mitchell” (Pat Hingle), who has absconded with $500,000 of Mafia leader “Riccione's” (Paul Lukas’) money. Also looking for Harry is “Dano Villanova” (Rip Torn), who is assigned to kill him before he reveals any organization secrets to the police. Madrid finds Villanova's former mistress, “Stacey Woodward” (Stella Stevens), who has half the stolen money, and learns from her that Mitchell is in Acapulco.
Stella Stevens in SOL MADRID
John Cassavettes, who was originally set to co-star in this film in the Rip Torn role, specifically requested Stella Stevens for the role of Stacey. She was under contract to Columbia at the time, and her schedule was adjusted to accommodate the loan out. She said she was thrilled to work with William Tuttle (makeup), Sydney Guilaroff (hair) and Moss Mabry (wardrobe) again. She had previously worked with some or all of them on ADVANCE TO THE REAR and THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE’S FATHER at MGM.
Brian G. Hutton directed the 1968 film. Lalo Schifrin’s score was released on an MGM LP, which was re-issued on CD by Film Score Monthly in 2010 as part of their box set “The Cincinnati Kid: Lalo Schifrin Film Scores, Vol. 1 (1964–1968).” That release also contained the complete chronological soundtrack recording for SOL MADRID, absent the editing that had gone into the LP.
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Posted: |
Feb 26, 2023 - 9:45 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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In WHERE ANGELS GO…TROUBLE FOLLOWS, pious old-fashioned “Mother Superior Simplicia” (Rosalind Russell) resignedly accompanies the liberal “Sister George” (Stella Stevens) to chaperone the high-spirited girls of St. Francis Academy in Pennsylvania to an ecumenical peace rally in Santa Barbara, California, after the young nun got permission from the bishop (Arthur Godfrey). As they trek there by bus, they encounter unusual bus trouble; attend an amusement park; run into a Hell’s Angels-like gang of menacing motorcyclists; and spend a night at a Catholic boys’ school run by “Father Chase” (Van Johnson).
Rosalind Russell, Van Johnson, and Stella Stevens in WHERE ANGELS GO…TROUBLE FOLLOWS
This 1968 comedy was a sequel to the 1966 film THE TROUBLE WITH ANGELS. Actresses Rosalind Russell, Binnie Barnes, Mary Wickes, Dolores Sutton, and Barbara Hunter signed on to reprise their roles. The producers wanted Hayley Mills, who played “Mary Clancy” in the first film, to play the new “Sister Clancy” in this sequel, but she turned them down. This led to the re-writing of the part and the casting of Stella Stevens (who was 29) as Sister George.
James Neilson directed from a script written by Blanche Hanalis, who had written the script for THE TROUBLE WITH ANGELS. Lalo Schifrin’s score, which was reportedly cut short due to budget issues, has not had a release. The film had average grosses of $4 million.
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Posted: |
Feb 27, 2023 - 9:17 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Stella Stevens had her first lead role in the 1969 horror film THE MAD ROOM. In the film, set and shot on Vancouver Island, “Ellen” (Stevens) is a young woman who works as a companion/assistant to the massage-loving “Mrs. Armstrong” (Shelley Winters). Ellen is planning to get married to Mrs. Armstrong’s stepson “Sam Aller” (Skip Ward), and everything’s going along smoothly until she gets a letter from Toronto informing her that her younger brother and sister (Michael Burns and Barbara Sammeth), both in their late teens, are ready to leave the asylum where they’ve been locked up for a dozen years after apparently committing a brutal double parricide!
Stella Stevens in THE MAD ROOM
Stella Stevens said in a 1994 interview that she hated working with Shelley Winters in this film so much that she swore she'd never work with her again. Winters had been under a lot of stress because Robert Kennedy was assassinated during the filming, and she had a very bad reaction to it. She began soothing her nerves with white wine and was drunk most the time. A year later, Stevens was cast in THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE and soon found out that Winters had been cast too. But it worked out. Winters wasn't drinking anymore, and they got along fine.
Stella Stevens and Skip Ward met, fell in love, and became engaged after making this movie. However, they never ended up marrying.
Bernard Girard directed the film, which was a remake of the 1941 Columbia release LADIES IN RETIREMENT, directed by Charles Vidor and starring Ida Lupino and Louis Hayward. Dave Grusin provided the unreleased score.
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Posted: |
Feb 27, 2023 - 2:59 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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In the 1970 Sam Peckinpah film THE BALLAD OF CABLE HOGUE, Stella Stevens plays “Hildy,” the town prostitute of Deaddog. She is hired by “Cable Hogue” (Jason Robards Jr.) who, after finding water in the desert, establishes Cable Springs, an oasis for weary travelers. The pair eventually fall in love.
Stella Stevens was always Sam Peckinpah's first choice for the role of Hildy, and he reassured her, even when Stevens doubted she was right for the part. As Stevens and the producers clashed over money and billing, executive producer Phil Feldman looked at Joanne Woodward as a possible replacement, but she wanted too much money, so Stevens got the part.
Stella Stevens and Jason Robards Jr. in THE BALLAD OF CABLE HOGUE
Stevens said in an interview that Peckinpah was a great director, but he was tough to put up with. He had an alcohol problem, he was a bitter man, knowing how talented he was and not being acknowledged by the studios he had worked for. The more it went on, the more he drank, and the worse it got. She described working with him during a 1995 interview: "Sam is probably one of the greatest characters whom I ever worked with. It was like working with a wounded rattlesnake. He was a very volatile personality. You never knew if he was going to love or hate you. He hid behind dark glasses or mirrored sunglasses and mumbled when he spoke on the set, so you'd have to go right up to his face to hear what he was directing you to do. He did everything he could to drive everybody crazy."
According to Stevens, Peckinpah fired around 35 people off the crew and sent them home for various "little political games." But then the union warned him that if he fired one more person, they'd shut him down, and he wouldn't be able to make the film. So he straightened up and used the crew he had.
Stevens recalled that in one of the first scenes she shot, she had to take off her clothes and put on a nightgown. "That meant I had to strip naked in front of the crew," she said. "I spent an extra hour doing a total body makeup. I said good morning to Sam and he said, 'Get that goddamned makeup off.' So I had to go back to my trailer, where I had nothing but cold water and no makeup remover. I had to scrub with cold water. I was so angry, and had been crying, that in that scene my face is still blotchy from my crying."
Following his work in creating costumes for Stella Stevens on a Bing Crosby television special, Robert Fletcher designed Stevens’ costumes for the film. His specific credit was “Costumes for Miss Stevens.”
The film was chosen as one of two U.S. entries for the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain. However, problems arose at San Sebastian when Warner Bros. pulled the picture from competition for reasons related to its release in Paris. Peckinpah was upset by the studio’s decision, and also peeved about unauthorized edits he had detected in the screened print. He was quoted at a festival press conference as saying, “I’m furious with Warner Bros…I’m ready to stop them from ever repeating such a stunt. I’m going to sue.” Stella Stevens, who also attended the festival, was said to be at odds with Peckinpah and refused to join him onstage when he presented the film.
Despite positive audience reactions of seventy percent at its previews in January and February 1970, the film was dumped onto the market in the spring with hardly any promotion behind it. According to Stella Stevens, "Warner Brothers didn't release it, they flushed it.” Nevertheless, the $3.7 million production turned a small profit with a $7.4 million gross in the U.S. Jerry Goldsmith’s score for the film was released by Varese Sarabande in 2002.
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