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Posted: |
May 12, 2023 - 11:29 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Max von Sydow, Julie Andrews, and Richard Harris co-starred in the 1966 epic HAWAII. The film begins in 1820, when, following his graduation from the Yale Divinity School, tall, gangling, bumbling “Abner Hale” (von Sydow) volunteers to carry the word of God to the heathen natives of Hawaii. In need of a wife before he can offer himself to the service, he timorously proposes to “Jerusha Bromley” (Andrews), a young woman in love with an adventurous sea captain, “Rafer Hoxworth” (Harris), from whom she has not received a letter in over three years.
Charlton Heston was offered both the roles played by Harris and von Sydow. Despite rejecting both parts, Heston later appeared in the sequel, THE HAWAIIANS (1970), as “Whip Hoxworth,” grown son of Richard Harris' character in this movie.
The film was based upon James Michener’s 1959 novel, for which Walter Mirisch had paid $600,000 for the movie rights even before it was published. Mirisch hired veteran Fred Zinnemann to produce and direct the film in 1960. Zinnemann brought with him screenwriter Daniel Taradash, as they had already successfully partnered in bringing James Jones’ Hawaii-set FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953) to the screen. But after two years, Taradash was not able to condense Michener’s epic book into a filmable screenplay. When, after two more years' development, Mirisch hired Dalton Trumbo to take over the script, Zinnemann left the project after United Artists rejected his concept of a four-hour movie to be shown in two parts. In the end, much of James Michener's novel was left out of this adaptation. The sequel used additional material from the book.
With Mirisch now personally producing the project, George Roy Hill took over as director before shooting began and, after being temporarily replaced by Arthur Hiller, finished the picture. Both Trumbo and Taradash ultimately received screenwriting credit. Location scenes were filmed in Norway, New England, Tahiti, and Hawaii. Elmer Bernstein re-recorded his score for a United Artists LP. The LP was re-issued, along with the original score tracks (in mono), by Varese Sarabande in 2003. The $15 million production of HAWAII was the top grossing film of 1966, pulling in nearly $39 million in the U.S. Foreign receipts, however, were lower than expected.
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Posted: |
May 13, 2023 - 1:00 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Larry Cohen wrote the screenplay for the 1966 western RETURN OF THE SEVEN. The picture was slated to be the first of three to be produced jointly by the Mirisch Company and Spanish distributor C.B. Films. This first sequel to THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN found two survivors of the initial outfit, “Chris” (Yul Brynner) and “Vin” (now played by Robert Fuller), recruiting four new members in order to re-form the group and defend a village--where the third survivor, “Chico” (now played by Julián Mateos) lives--from attacks by vicious bandits.
The casting went through various changes. Yul Brynner insisted he would only make the film if Steve McQueen was not involved. McQueen initially expressed interest in appearing, but then decided the plot was too absurd and turned the film down, appearing in THE SAND PEBBLES instead. In December 1965, it was reported that actor James Caan would assume the role of “Vin,” originated by McQueen. However, Caan was unable to participate due to his commitment to EL DORADO (1966), and was replaced by Robert Fuller.
It was initially announced that singer-musician Jordan Christopher was assuming the role of “Chico,” originated by Horst Buchholz. However, Julian Mateos later took over the part, while Christopher was re-cast as “Manuel.” Christopher had recently signed a non-exclusive multiple-picture contract with the Mirisch Company and received an “Introducing” credit in this film. Meanwhile, Elisa Montés replaced cast member Maria Cuadra, who was pregnant at the time. Eli Wallach stated that he was invited to appear in the sequel, until the producers remembered that his character was killed in the original film.
Burt Kennedy directed the film. The picture was shot along the southern coast of Spain. When an unscheduled Alicante coastal sandstorm threatened to interrupt production, Kennedy responded by writing the incident into the screenplay.
In June 1966, composer Elmer Bernstein finished recording the score with the London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The score was adapted from that of the 1960 film, also written by Bernstein, earning him an Oscar nomination for “Best Music, Scoring of Music, Adaptation or Treatment.” Bernstein told the 18 January 1967 Variety that, while he believed his recycled score was not deserving of a second nomination, he would not insult his colleagues on the board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) by refusing the nomination. He added that “the concept of adaptation must be clarified” by AMPAS within the year.
In any event, Bernstein lost the Oscar to Ken Thorne's adaptation for A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM. The RETURN OF THE SEVEN score was released on a United Artists LP. The LP was first re-issued on CD by Rykodisc in 1997, and made its most recent appearance in Quartet’s 2022 “Magnificent Seven Collection” set.
The film earned an estimated $1.6 million in theatrical rentals during its initial release in the United States and Canada but did better overseas, earning at least $3.5 million, for a worldwide total of $5.1 million. The film was re-released in the United States and Canada in 1969 and earned additional rentals of $1.3 million, taking its worldwide total to at least $6.4 million.
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Posted: |
May 13, 2023 - 12:25 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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The 1 August 1965 New York Times reported that filmmaker Billy Wilder was in the process of completing a new screenplay, titled THE FORTUNE COOKIE, with his longtime writing partner, I.A.L. Diamond. Actor Walter Matthau, then starring in “The Odd Couple” on Broadway, had already accepted a supporting role, based on Wilder’s story outline. Matthau’s contract with the play allowed him to take a four-month hiatus for movie work and return when filming was completed. His replacement was Jack Klugman. Principal photography on the film was scheduled to begin 31 October 1965 at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, OH.
Less than two weeks later, it was announced that Jack Lemmon would be Matthau’s co-star, marking the first cinematic teaming of Lemmon and Matthau. The two bonded early in the production process, finding a connection in their mutual love of football. They would remain friends the rest of their lives, working together in 11 more films.
The cast also included African American musician Ron Rich and sportscaster Keith Jackson, both making their screen debuts. Lemmon’s Jalem production company teamed with the Mirisch Corporation for the production.
Wilder had taken a sabbatical in Europe after being stunned by the failure of his latest film, 1964’s KISS ME, STUPID. He returned to Los Angeles six months later to find himself ostracized by the entertainment industry. Undaunted, Wilder resumed his collaboration with Diamond, and they developed a story about a man (Lemmon) given the opportunity to win a fortune and the love of a woman if he is willing to compromise his integrity, when his shyster lawyer (and brother-in-law) (Matthau) persuades him to feign a serious injury. Wilder said that he came up with the idea for the film when, while watching a football game, he saw a player run into a cameraman on the sidelines.
In October 1965, Lemmon accompanied Wilder and his production crew to Cleveland for two weeks of shooting. Locations included Cleveland Stadium, a hospital, and several nightclubs along the Lake Erie waterfront. Cleveland Browns president Art Modell agreed to let Wilder stage a football game for the film, with approximately 250 background actors recruited by team staff member Tony Lolli. The background actors included Modell and several local newspaper columnists and sports writers.
For the film’s hospital scenes, Keeley Morse of Diagnostic Laboratories was hired as a medical technical advisor. When Morse attempted to demonstrate an assortment of diagnostic equipment to Wilder, the director reportedly stated, “Forget that authentic stuff. Just show us some nice flashing lights.”
In January 1966, Walter Matthau was hospitalized in Los Angeles, reportedly with a case of hepatitis. Billy Wilder anticipated a quick recovery and no delays in filming. However, seven weeks later, the 5 March 1966 New York Times described Matthau’s ailment as “a mild heart attack,” from which the actor was still recovering. Matthau slimmed from 190 to 160 pounds by the time filming was completed and wore a heavy black coat to conceal the weight loss.
Production ended in late May 1966, and THE FORTUNE COOKIE was available for private exhibitor screenings at the end of July. An October 1966 release was expected. Distributor United Artists (UA) declined an invitation to premiere the picture at the New York Film Festival in September. Although no explanation was reported, Variety deduced that UA preferred not to risk the picture’s reputation on the “volatile” New York City audience, and instead accepted an invitation from the San Francisco International Film Festival for a late October 1966 screening.
On 12 October 1966, UA and The Mirisch Company held a party in Billy Wilder’s honor at the CBS building in New York City, while the filmmaker was in town on a promotional tour. The picture opened 19 October 1966 in New York City, the same day that RETURN OF THE SEVEN opened. While reviews were not consistently enthusiastic, critics praised both Matthau’s and Lemmon’s performances. Los Angeles Times film writer Charles Champlin suggested that Matthau’s characterization was inspired by comedians W. C. Fields and Groucho Marx. The actor claimed to have simply played his character as written, and commended Jack Lemmon for allowing him most of the film’s humorous content. Matthau said that he intended to return the favor by having Lemmon as his co-star in the film version of THE ODD COUPLE.
THE FORTUNE COOKIE was nominated for four Academy Awards in the following categories: Writing (Story and Screenplay—written directly for the screen); Cinematography (Black-and-White); Art Direction (Black-and-White); Actor in a Supporting Role. Walter Matthau won in the latter category, in addition to a Golden Laurel Award and a Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) Award. The picture also received an award from the Southern California Motion Picture Council (SCMPC).
Andre Previn’s score was released on a United Artists LP. Film Score Monthly re-issued it on CD as part of their box set "The MGM Soundtrack Treasury" in 2008. Kritzerland followed that with a 2009 stand-alone release, with the score paired with Adolph Deutsch’s THE APARTMENT.
THE FORTUNE COOKIE cost $3.7 million to produce but generated only a lackluster $4.2 million at the domestic box office.
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Posted: |
May 14, 2023 - 2:09 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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In October 1964, the Mirisch Corp. paid over $1 million for the screen rights to the 1961 Broadway musical, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, which was based on Shepherd Mead’s 1952 best-selling book of the same name. Mirisch had also promised twenty-five percent of the film’s gross after production costs were recouped. The long-running musical, still in its initial run at the 46th Street Theatre in New York City, had won seven Tony Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, and the New York Drama Critics Award. The show ultimately ran for 1,417 performances.
Mirisch’s film adaptation, slated for release by United Artists, was to be one of five “roadshow” releases the company planned to produce in the next two years under a total budget of $39 million. HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING was said to be the least costly of the five with an anticipated budget of $5.5 million. A much lower figure of $2.5 million was later cited in the 29 April 1966 Daily Variety, which deemed it “a record-busting low budget” for a major film musical.
Writer-director-producer David Swift had tried to persuade Columbia Pictures, with whom he was under contract at the time, to option the screen rights to the musical, as he was an ardent fan who had seen it multiple times on Broadway and in other cities. When Mirisch obtained the rights, Swift then approached them and was hired, on loan-out from Columbia. Swift acknowledged that, although his screen adaptation was to be closely based on the Broadway show, he would build up the romance between “J. Pierpont Finch” (Robert Morse) and “Rosemary Pilkington” (Michelle Lee) which, he said, “didn’t mean much in the play.” Swift completed the screenplay in only seven days. His wife, Micheline Swift, who was enlisted to design the costumes, was credited under the single name “Micheline.”
Swift was adamant that certain actors reprise the roles they had originated on Broadway, and reportedly held out for his desired cast, particularly Rudy Vallee (“J. B. Biggley”). Other original cast members set for the film included lead actor Robert Morse, Ruth Kobart, and Sammy Smith; while Michele Lee, Maureen Arthur, and Jeff DeBenning had appeared in later performances on Broadway. Another Broadway cast member, Joe Cowan, was reportedly hired to reprise his role but was ousted from the production when a doctor’s report concluded that his blood pressure was too high. It was reported that Cowan planned to sue the “Hollywood insurance company” doctor who had reported the high numbers, after obtaining lower results from another physician.
All of Rosemary's songs (including "Happy To Keep His Dinner Warm" and "Paris Original") were cut from the movie version. Additionally, the song "Rosemary" was shortened to only be sung by Finch, rather than being a duet between the two. To make up for this, "I Believe In You" was given to her for the movie. In the stage play, she does not sing this to Finch, and the first time it is heard is during the scene where Finch sings it to himself in the executive washroom, but she does a brief reprise of the song after this scene. In the film, Rosemary sings the full version in an earlier scene, making Finch's washroom version the reprise. Parts of the song “Paris Original” are used as underscoring in several scenes of the film.
Principal photography began one year later than planned on 2 May 1966. Filming took place on thirty-five sets built across three soundstages at Goldwyn Studios in Hollywood. Dale Moreda's choreography was based upon that of Bob Fosse, who choreographed the original stage presentation. After Hollywood shooting was completed six days early, the cast and crew moved to New York City to shoot half a dozen additional scenes.
Upon conclusion of principal photography, a non-musical print was readied for overseas audiences, since musical sequences were difficult if not impossible to dub. Although it was unclear whether the non-musical version would be deemed necessary, additional sequences had been shot as potential “dialog bridges,” and it was anticipated that thirty minutes of musical footage might be removed.
The film opened on a non-roadshow basis as the Easter attraction at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall on 9 March 1967. However, at the time, that theater had a strict two-hour limit on films, and HOW TO SUCCEED ran a few minutes over. In order to meet the two-hour limit, the filmed song "Coffee Break", which does not involve the three major characters and doesn't advance the plot, was cut. That brought the film in at one hour and 59 minutes. The footage for the song was misplaced, and years later, when MGM/UA wanted to put it back for the DVD, it could not be found. However, the song itself still survives on the soundtrack album.
Critical reception in the U.S. was generally favorable. The $3.5 million production did not meet expectations, finishing out of the top 30 films of the year and grossing $7.2 million in the U.S. Frank Loesser’s song score, adapted by Nelson Riddle, was released on a United Artists LP. Rykodisc re-issued it on CD in 1998, and the film’s mono music and effects track appeared on the 2017 Twilight Time Blu-ray release of the film.
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Posted: |
May 15, 2023 - 1:07 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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On 16 June 1965, it was announced that The Mirisch Corporation was set to produce a motion picture adaptation of John Ball’s first mystery novel, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT. Founder Walter Mirisch felt that the crime story made a strong statement about contemporary race relations, and scheduled the project as one of the company’s nineteen upcoming films.
Three days later, a New York Times article noted the involvement of actor Sidney Poitier and writer-producer Robert Alan Arthur, who previously worked with Poitier on a televised Philco Playhouse production of “A Man is Ten Feet Tall.” Arthur did not remain with the project, and his writing duties were assumed by Stirling Silliphant, who had adapted Poitier’s latest film, THE SLENDER THREAD (1965). The screenplay was completed by February 1966, at which point it was offered to director Norman Jewison. In August 1966, Rod Steiger was hired to play Police Chief “Bill Gillespie.” Steiger and Poitier were old friends who had long sought an opportunity to work together.
With a director and principal cast in place, crewmembers began a three-month location scout of roughly 150—200 townships throughout the Southern and Midwestern U.S. before deciding on Sparta, IL. The novel’s fictional setting of “Wells,” MS, was changed to Sparta for the film, allowing the art department to use existing signage and storefronts. Production headquarters were located in Chicago, and additional shooting was completed in the cotton-growing community of Dyersberg, TN, where filmmakers constructed a greenhouse containing a $15,000 orchid collection from growers in Signal Mountain, TN.
The ten-to-twelve-week schedule brought roughly $500,000 to the local community. However, the crew left Tennessee a day and a half early to finish production on a studio lot in Los Angeles. Jewison claimed the crew lacked the cooperation from the local community and felt “insecure” at the location, hinting at racial tensions in the region; Poitier reportedly did not leave his motel room “except when necessary.” The final cost of the film was less than $2 million.
Prior to its domestic release, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT was one of fourteen American films to play out of competition at the Moscow Film Festival in Russia in July 1967. The film opened on 2 August 1967 in New York at the Capitol, Broadway and 31st Street, and 86th Street East Theatres. In Los Angeles, the film began an exclusive engagement at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre that ran from 23 August to 17 October 1967. United Artists hesitated to release the movie in the southern states because of the potential for trouble and violence due to its theme of racial conflict. Producer Walter Mirisch convinced the studio that the film would make a profit even if it did not play in the South at all. As it turned out, there were no reports of violence occurring at any venues in which the film played.
Well-received by critics, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT won five Academy Awards: Actor (Rod Steiger), Film Editing, Sound, Writing (Screenplay—based on material from another medium), and Best Picture, and earned additional nominations for Directing and Sound Effects. It was the second Best Picture win for the Mirisch Corporation. Due to the assassination of civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968, the presentation of the Oscars was postponed for two days from Monday April 8th to Wednesday April 10, 1968.
The film was also nominated for seven Golden Globe Awards, of which it won three: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama (Rod Steiger), Best Screenplay – Motion Picture (Sterling Silliphant), and Best Motion Picture – Drama.
Quincy Jones’ score, with its main title vocal by Ray Charles, was released on a United Artists LP. Rykodisc re-issued the LP on CD in 1997, along with three dialogue snippets and Jones’ score from the film’s sequel, THEY CALL ME MISTER TIBBS! IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT was the #10 film at the domestic box office for 1967, grossing $24 million.
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Posted: |
May 16, 2023 - 10:08 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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HOUR OF THE GUN was a continuation of director John Sturges’ 1957 film GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL, which starred Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas as Wyatt Earp and John ‘Doc’ Holliday. Sturges’ intention to develop a story based on the events after the legendary 1881 Tombstone, AZ, shootout was reported as early as 1963. At the time, Sturges hoped to have Douglas and Lancaster reprise their roles, but distributor United Artists was against this, wanting to distinguish this film from its predecessor.
Although GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL was produced and released through Paramount Pictures, HOUR OF THE GUN officially began development at the Mirisch Corp., marking the firm’s sixth film with Sturges. On 27 May 1964, Variety noted that Edward Anhalt had signed on to write the script following his collaboration with Sturges on the Mirisch Corp.’s THE SATAN BUG (1965). One source claims that the screenplay was based on a historical book by Douglas D. Martin, published in 1951 as “Tombstone’s Epitaph.”
James Garner had agreed to assume the role of famed lawman Wyatt Earp after starring in Sturges’ THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963), while Jason Robards, Jr. later stepped in as Doc Holliday. Robert Ryan played the Earp’s nemesis, Ike Clanton. Jon Voight made his motion picture debut in the role of “Curly Bill Brocious.”
Although he was unable to cast his stars from GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL, Sturges believed that the roles of Virgil and Morgan Earp from the previous film were small enough that the same actors who played them could do it again without harming the film's uniqueness. The studio agreed and allowed Sturges to cast John Hudson (Virgil Earp) and DeForest Kelley (Morgan Earp). Unfortunately, Hudson had retired from acting in the early 1960s and was unwilling to do the role. Kelley, on the other hand, was working on "Star Trek" and unable to break away to play Morgan Earp. Thus, both Earp brothers were re-cast, with Frank Converse playing Virgil and Sam Melville playing Morgan.
Principal photography began 9 November 1966. Sturges felt that the real Tombstone had since become too modern for the nineteenth-century story, so location work was moved to Torreón, Mexico, with interiors completed in Mexico City. Filming concluded the weekend of 4-5 February 1967, after an earlier report cited a temporary delay due to unexpected snowfall.
The film opened in San Francisco on 4 October 1967, while the Los Angeles release followed one week later. The New York City engagement began at several theaters on 1 November 1967. The $1.8 million production flopped at the box office, grossing just $2.1 million.
Jerry Goldsmith's score was released on a United Artists LP, which had its first CD re-issue by Intrada in 1991. The most recent release was by Varese Sarabande in 2005. Prometheus issued a new recording of the score in 2012 by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Nic Raine.
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Posted: |
May 16, 2023 - 10:46 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Although the 3 November 1960 Daily Variety reported that Poyntz Tyler’s upcoming novel “A Garden of Cucumbers” was being sought by Twentieth Century-Fox for a motion picture adaptation, the following spring, the book was picked up by the Mirisch Corp. for just over $50,000, according to the 16 May 1961 Daily Variety. United Artists was set to distribute.
The leading role was initially offered to Cary Grant and Alec Guinness, while Ronald Neame was in negotiations to direct. However, the project remained untouched for another four years until the 16 June 1965 Variety reported that the production, eventually titled FITZWILLY, was finally due to commence. Eight days later, the Los Angeles Sentinel announced the casting of Dick Van Dyke as part of a new four-picture deal between the Mirisch Corp. and Dramatic Features, for whom he was under contract. Director Delbert Mann joined the production in the summer of 1966.
The film concerned butler “Claude R. Fitzwilliam” (Van Dyke) and the staff of eccentric aged philanthropist “Victoria Woodworth” (Edith Evans), whose family wealth is exhausted. They engage in larceny and crimes to maintain her lifestyle and provide funds for her charitable activities.
Principal photography for the Walter Mirisch production took place at the Samuel Goldwyn Studios in Los Angeles. FITZWILLY marked the first credited feature film performance of Barbara Feldon, known to audiences for her role on the television series “Get Smart.”
East Coast screenings began 20 December 1967 at the Astor and other metropolitan theaters in New York, while the Los Angeles area engagement launched on Christmas Day. The film had average grosses of $5 million. John Williams re-recorded his score for a United Artists LP, which was issued on CD in 2004 by Varese Sarabande, paired with Williams’ score for THE LONG GOODBYE. A 2013 Music Box CD re-issued the LP program along with the film’s original tracks (in mono) for the first time.
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Posted: |
May 17, 2023 - 10:09 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Although the two previous Pink Panther films (THE PINK PANTHER and A SHOT IN THE DARK), both directed by Blake Edwards and starring Peter Sellers, were successful, Sellers and Edwards clashed during production and vowed never to work together again. Producer Walter Mirisch was interested in making a third Pink Panther film, but Sellers repeatedly refused the role.
Following Alan Arkin's success in THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING, THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING, Mirisch cast Arkin in the title role of INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU. Blake Edwards turned down the director's chores, so Mirisch hired Bud Yorkin. Just prior to the beginning of production, Sellers contacted Mirisch stating that only he could play Clouseau and would appear in the film if he was given script approval. Mirisch turned him down.
The falling out between Sellers and Blake Edwards did not last long. The two teamed up on another Mirisch film, THE PARTY, which was in production the same time as INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU and was released just two months later.
INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU was produced by Lewis J. Rachmil as one of Mirisch Corp.’s films that qualified for Eady Levy funds in Britain. Location scenes were shot in England. In the film, Inspector Clouseau arrives in Britain to assist Scotland Yard, but becomes the center of a crime wave seemingly perpetrated by several identical Clouseaus.
The animated opening credits were created and designed by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises and animated by London-based TVC, using DePatie-Freleng`s character design of “The Inspector” from the series of cartoon shorts under that title.
INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU was a complete fizzle at the box office, grossing just $1.9 million in the U.S. compared to $16.9 million for THE PINK PANTHER and $19.3 million for A SHOT IN THE DARK.
With Henry Mancini also working with Sellers and Edwards on THE PARTY, Ken Thorne took over the scoring duties for INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU. His score was most likely re-recorded for the United Artists LP release, which was re-issued on CD by Kritzerland in 2009.
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ATTACK ON THE IRON COAST was made as part of a six-picture deal between producer John C. Champion’s Oakmont Productions, The Mirisch Corporation, and United Artists (UA), as reported in a 10 April 1967 Daily Variety article. It was said to be one of seventeen WWII pictures in the planning stages at five major U.S. studios at that time. Champion stated that all six of his upcoming pictures for Mirisch and UA would focus on WWII, a topic he believed to be of particular interest to young moviegoers who were “potential draftees…curious about war.”
The film was based upon a true incident in which a commando leader named “Major Jamie Wilson” (Lloyd Bridges) led a group of soldiers on a suicide mission to destroy a Nazi naval stronghold on the French coast. In the actual event, 622 men took part in the raid on the locks of the French port of St Nazaire in 1942.; 169 were killed, 215 became prisoners of war and 228 returned in one way or another to Britain.
The film’s budget was set at over $1 million. Since filming was set to take place entirely in England, Champion confirmed the production would qualify for an Eady subsidy. Under the direction of Paul Wendkos, principal photography began in London on 15 May 1967, and ended the week of 26 June 1967. In addition to location shooting in London, filming took place at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s studio lot in Borehamwood, England.
The film opened in March 1968, and grossed less than $750,000 in the U.S. Eight minutes from Gerard Schurmann’s score were released on a Cloud Nine Records Schurmann compilation CD in 1993. Reportedly, parts of Ron Goodwin's score from the Mirisch production 633 SQUADRON (1964) were used without credit.
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The second of the six Oakmont Productions was SUBMARINE X-1, which told the fact-based story of how, during World War II, the British Royal Navy used experimental midget submarines to raid German warships in Norway.
James Caan plays “Lt. Commander Bolton,” a stern, no-nonsense, gung-ho sailor. He is just coming out of a Naval inquiry as to his decision to attack the heavily fortified German battleship ‘Lidendorf’ in a Norwegian fjord, during which his submarine was severely damaged and 50 of his men lost their lives. He is cleared of all reckless error in judgment charges and is called into the office of “Vice-Admiral Redmayne” (Rupert Davies) to find out his next assignment. He is surprisingly given a promotion and told that his next assignment is a top-secret mission, where he is in charge of a training program in Scotland. He will train three specially picked volunteer crews for a commando mission to go through the nets and attack the German battleship again, but this time with three experimental small submarines.
William A. Graham directed the film, which opened in the UK in March 1968, but was held until August 1969 for the U.S. market. Location shooting took place in Scotland. Ron Godwin’s score was released by Film Score Monthly in 2005. SUBMARINE X-1 grossed a decent $2.3 million in the U.S.
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Posted: |
May 18, 2023 - 11:18 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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“Hrundi V. Bakshi” (Peter Sellers), an actor on the New Delhi stage, is brought to Hollywood to play the title role in “Son of Gunga Din.” Bakshi is a bungler, however, and before long he has accidentally blown up the picture's most expensive location set. The enraged studio head, “Fred Clutterbuck” (J. Edward McKinley), vows that the Indian will never work in Hollywood again and writes his name on a slip of paper. Clutterbuck's secretary, however, misinterprets the memo and adds Bakshi's name to the guest list for THE PARTY, a lavish affair that her boss is giving at his home.
THE PARTY was originally conceived as a near-silent film in which seventy-five percent of the picture would be “without conversational dialog.” Director and co-writer Blake Edwards later altered the script to allow Peter Sellers and co-star Claudine Longet to improvise as much dialogue as they wanted. The action-heavy screenplay was said to be only sixty-three pages long.
Shooting began on the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) studio lot on 15 May 1967. Except for a pre-title sequence that showed Sellers’s character on the set of a Hollywood film, the picture was set entirely at the home of “Fred Clutterbuck.” The interior of the house reportedly cost $150,000 and was built, at least partially, on Soundstage 5 at MGM. With the aid of firefighting equipment, the set was covered in “cleansing foam” during an elephant washing scene.
In early July 1967, filming moved from MGM to a location in Beverly Hills, where principal photography was scheduled to conclude five days early, on 21 July 1967. Re-shoots on Saturday, 10 February 1968, required the studio set to be rebuilt. At the time, Sellers was filming I LOVE YOU, ALICE B. TOKLAS! (1968) during the week.
THE PARTY was Blake Edwards’ only collaboration with Peter Sellers that was not a PINK PANTHER film. A wrap party took place on the set at MGM. Furnishings used as set decoration were sold off to attendees, including Harold Mirisch of the Mirisch Corporation, who bought patio furniture; and Sellers, who purchased a barbecue.
Critical reception for the film was tepid. Edwards, Sellers, and principals of Mirisch Corporation had agreed to defer their salaries on the film. Although the film grossed $8.3 million, it earned only $2.9 million in film rentals, a figure equal to its estimated budget. The fact that the film opened the day that Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated did not help its prospects any. The film was, however, hugely popular in India.
Henry Mancini’s score was re-recorded for an RCA LP, which was re-issued on CD by BMG Japan in 1995, RCA Spain in 1998, BMG Great Britain in 2001, Legacy in the U.S. in 2014, and then back on LP by Quartet in 2018. The original film tracks have not been released.
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Posted: |
May 18, 2023 - 2:28 PM
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Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR marked the first feature film written by Alan R. Trustman, a Boston lawyer and former banker. Trustman first thought of the film’s story while working at a bank, and later wrote the treatment after becoming a lawyer. He sold the treatment to the William Morris Agency, which then interested director Norman Jewison.
Jewison stated that both he and Trustman originally wanted Sean Connery for the part of “Thomas Crown,” but Connery, tired after completing YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, declined. Jewison also considered Rock Hudson for the role, while Walter Mirisch originally wanted Richard Burton to star. Steve McQueen, whom Jewison had directed in 1965’s THE CINCINNATI KID, lobbied hard for the part, which Jewison was reluctant to give him, as he felt it was too divergent from McQueen’s onscreen and offscreen personas. Jewison also noted that among the many actresses considered to play “Vicki Anderson” were Brigitte Bardot, Julie Christie, Leslie Caron, Vanessa Redgrave, Sharon Tate, Raquel Welch, Candice Bergen and Anouk Aimeé. On the suggestion of McQueen, Jewison tested Camilla Sparv, but ultimately the part went to Faye Dunaway on the strength of footage Jewison saw from 1967’s BONNIE AND CLYDE before its release.
THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR was a co-production of the Mirisch Corp. and McQueen’s Solar Productions. The film was shot mostly on location in Boston, MA, with interiors filmed at the Samuel Goldwyn Studios in Hollywood. The production shot for ten weeks in ninety locations around Boston. The initial bank robbery was filmed at the downtown branch of the National Shawmut Bank, and although the guards and bank officials knew what was going on, the customers did not because the filmmakers were using a concealed camera. Although they apparently thought that a real robbery was occurring, none of the customers or pedestrians interfered in any way.
Director of photography Haskell Wexler clarified that it was mostly the exterior sequences that were shot at the Boston bank, with many of the interiors shot at the Goldwyn Studios. Hidden cameras were used frequently to photograph various street scenes in Boston as well. Other Boston locations included Beacon Hill, Copp’s Hill Cemetery, the Commons, and Crane’s Beach, as well as Provincetown on Cape Cod. The glider scenes were shot in Salem, NH. The house used for Crown’s mansion was a property on Beacon Hill that was one of three built by merchant Harrison Gray Otis.
The producers applied to the FBI for cooperation in shooting the picture and sought to film the FBI headquarters in Boston, but the agency refused, claiming that the script made it look incompetent. The dune buggy in the film was designed and customized by McQueen and Pete Condos, an off-road vehicle builder. McQueen, a sports enthusiast, learned to play polo for the film and was taught by Gary Wooten and Neil R. Ayer, real-life polo players, as well as by first assistant director Jack N. Reddish, who was a nationally ranked player at the time.
United Artists had alerted theater owners that the company would be seeking blind bids for exhibition rights to the picture, as prints of it would not be finished in time to be viewed before its release. Blind bidding was no longer a common practice by the late 1960s, and UA had to make special efforts to notify the National Association of Theatre Owners of its intentions.
The elegant, chic costumes worn by McQueen and Dunaway, in contrast to the often hippiesh clothes of the late 1960s, were designed to enhance the picture's glamor and high style, according to costume designer Thea Van Runkle, who had designed Dunaway's costumes for BONNIE AND CLYDE. Van Runkle emphasized what she called the "Method accessorizing" she used in THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR to highlight Vicki's emotions, such as a linen suit set off with carnelians and garnets to show that Vicki "was out for blood." Many reviews commented on the lavish outfits, with the one critic calling Dunaway "a dazzling vision." Dunaway had 29 costume changes in the film.
The 1968 picture received mixed reviews at the time of its release, although it was in the top twenty at the box office for the year, was very popular in Europe, and has since become regarded as a classic of 1960s cinema. The $4 million production grossed $19.9 million in the U.S.
While some critics applauded the picture’s emphasis on style over content, the Time reviewer complained that Jewison has “turned out a glimmering, empty film reminiscent of an haute couture model: stunning on the surface, concave and undernourished beneath.” The Variety critic, however, hailed the film as “[w]ell-tooled, professionally crafted and fashioned with obvious meticulous care,” and asserted: “A major asset in the story is its essential simplicity, and its lack of plot pretension.” Several modern sources claim that McQueen considered THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR his favorite of all his movies.
Norman Jewison wanted Henry Mancini to score the film, but he was unavailable and recommended Michel Legrand. After watching a five-hour rough cut of the film, Legrand took six weeks to write 90 minutes of music. The film was then reedited to the music, instead of the other way around. If this experiment had failed, Legrand would have written a second score in the traditional way free of charge. During the editing process, "Strawberry Fields Forever" by The Beatles was used as a temporary original song for the glider scene. When Legrand was asked to compose a song to take its place, he took Quincy Jones' advice to work with Alan and Marilyn Bergman to compose "The Windmills of Your Mind."
Legrand received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score (losing to John Barry for THE LION IN WINTER), and he and the Bergmans won an Oscar for Best Original Song for “The Windmills of Your Mind.” The song became very popular, although Jewison noted that he first asked Andy Williams to sing the song for the film, but Williams demurred, and the assignment went to Noel Harrison.
Harrison was unable to attend the Oscar ceremony to perform the song, due to his commitment to another film. Singer and guitarist Jose Feliciano stood in for him instead. Another hit song from the film was set to the love theme heard during the chess game. Alan and Marilyn Bergman later wrote lyrics for the theme, and under the title "His Eyes, Her Eyes," the song has been recorded by numerous singers.
Michel Legrand re-recorded selections from his score in France for a United Artists LP, which was first re-issued on CD (with some dialogue excerpts) by Rykodisc in 1998. Varese Sarabande dropped the dialogue for its 2004 re-issue. In 2014, Quartet again re-issued the LP program along with the complete original soundtrack sessions (in mono), as recorded in Los Angeles.
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The Mirisch Company was one of several companies that collaborated on producing the action television show “The Rat Patrol”. The show followed the exploits of four Allied soldiers — three Americans and one British — who are part of a long-range desert patrol group in the North African campaign during World War II. Their mission: to attack, harass and wreak havoc on Field Marshal Rommel's vaunted Afrika Korps.
The half-hour series ran for two seasons (58 episodes) on ABC, from September 12, 1966 – March 18, 1968. A three-part episode entitled “The Last Harbor Raid” was broadcast on 19 & 26 December 1966 and 2 January 1967. Claudine Longet guest-starred in the episodes. In 1968, after the conclusion of the series, these three episodes were combined into an 81-minute feature film entitled MASSACRE HARBOR for distribution overseas. The first reported showing was in Japan in August 1968.
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Posted: |
May 19, 2023 - 12:10 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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John Hurt had the title role in 1969's SINFUL DAVEY. Set in Scotland in the early 1820's, the film finds young "Davey Haggart" (Hurt) vowing to follow in the footsteps of his late father, a would-be highwayman who was hanged at the age of 21 for an ill-fated robbery attempt on the "Duke of Argyll" (Robert Morley).
Executive producer Walter Mirisch vetoed director John Huston's desire to use his daughter Anjelica as his leading lady opposite John Hurt in this adventure comedy. Mirisch was worried that the inexperienced Huston, who had appeared in only one other movie at the time, A WALK WITH LOVE AND DEATH (1969), also directed by her father, would have to adopt a Scottish accent for the role. In addition, Mirisch felt that "Her appearance was rather more Italian than Scottish, and in stature, she towered over John Hurt. John [Huston] and I then had a serious falling out about casting Angelica." (For the record, Angelica is officially listed as 5'10" and John Hurt at 5'9".) Huston finally capitulated, and Pamela Franklin was cast instead. (Anjelica Huston appeared in the finished movie in an uncredited bit part.)
Walter Mirisch also complained that Huston acted unprofessionally in the post-production period after the shooting concluded. The initial preview of Huston's cut of the movie in New York City was disastrous, and Huston refused to cut the movie after attending another preview, informing Mirisch, via his agent, that "he liked it just the way it is." Huston's agent informed Mirisch that his client "didn't see any reason to be present at previews." United Artists, who financed the movie, was upset over the previews, and demanded a re-edit. Huston refused to re-cut it, and the re-editing process was overseen by Mirisch. The film went from being "John Huston's SINFUL DAVEY" to "John Huston's and Walter Mirisch's SINFUL DAVEY."
The $3 million production crashed at the domestic box office, with a gross of just $1.6 million. Walter Mirisch noted that John Huston “was aghast when he saw what I had done in the re-editing of his picture. Responding to preview criticism, I had tried to make it less draggy and more accessible to American audiences. I saw John Huston again on a couple of occasions, many years after the release of SINFUL DAVEY, and he was very cold, as I was to him. I thought his behavior in abandoning the picture was unprofessional."
Difficulties were also had with the film’s score. John Huston had engaged John Barry to write the score, and had asked the composer to go in "a more contemporary direction" that people wouldn't expect for a nineteenth century period movie. While Mirisch clearly disliked the result, it’s less clear what Huston felt of Barry’s efforts. In any case, Barry’s score was dropped and Ken Thorne was hired to supply its more light-hearted replacement. United Artists Records prepared a 31-minute soundtrack master for release on LP, but that was cancelled with the film’s poor box office. In 2016, Quartet located the LP master and released it on CD, but the tapes of Barry’s score, recorded at CTS Studios, were destroyed in a flood at their storage facility.
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Posted: |
May 19, 2023 - 11:40 PM
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Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Steeple Bassington, England, 1943. The United States Army Air Force's 8th Air Force, 103rd Heavy Bombardment Group, is mired in moral-lowering night-time bombing missions that are simultaneously dangerous and relatively ineffective against the German war-making machine. Commanding Officer “Colonel Greg Brandon” (Christopher George) has repeatedly made requests to his superior, “General Palmer” (J.D. Cannon), for consideration of an ambitious bombing plan: THE 1000 PLANE RAID over Germany...in broad daylight. Now, Supreme Allied Command is ready to listen, and Brandon must make his case, particularly to disapproving “General Conway” (Barry Atwater), for such a risky plan, a plan that could render the Army Air Force powerless should losses exceed Brandon's predictions. Brandon gets the nod, and he begins to re-build the sloppy 103rd, trying to weed out the incompetents and cowards like “Lieutenant Archer” (Ben Murphy), while pushing too hard against the rest, like “Lieutenants Quimby and Jacoby” (Tim McIntire and Noam Pitlik), “Captain Douglass” (Bo Hopkins), and mechanic “Sergeant Kruger” (Gavin MacLeod).
Boris Sagal directed the production, the third of the six Oakmont Productions films, which was released in Japan in March 1969 before opening in the U.S. in July. Location scenes were filmed in Santa Maria, California. Jimmie Haskell provided the unreleased score. The film grossed a low $900,000 in the U.S.
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In 1969's GUNS OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, George Kennedy took over the role of "Chris Adams" that had been played by Yul Brynner in the original film and its first sequel. In 19th-century Mexico, Federales capture “Quintero” (Fernando Rey), the revolutionary who has attempted to rally the many disorganized groups opposing the dictatorship of President Díaz. Before going to prison, Quintero gives his lieutenant, “Maximiliano O'Leary” (Reni Santoni), $600 with which to continue the cause. Bandit chief “Carlos Lobero” (Frank Silvera) demands that the money be used for guns and ammunition, but Max instead seeks the help of the legendary Chris, an American renowned for his bravery and cunning.
Paul Wendkos directed this installment of the series. It was the first film assigned to Wendkos under his multi-picture deal with Mirisch Productions, Inc., and its British counterpart, Mirisch Films, Ltd. Actor George Kennedy was given the lead role under a similar deal with Mirisch. Kennedy was experiencing a wave of popularity, following his recent Academy Award for 1967’s COOL HAND LUKE.
While the film was being shot in Spain during the summer of 1968, there were as many as forty U.S. productions filming in Spain during that same period. Wendkos was reportedly exasperated by the language barrier, before a bilingual crewmember offered to act as translator. Cast members stayed at the Castellana Hilton in Madrid. Kennedy and Wendkos spent their free time filming a documentary about Madrid college students.
In the fall of 1968, United Artists re-released THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960) and RETURN OF THE SEVEN (1966) as a double bill to promote the upcoming sequel. Following the July 1969 release of GUNS OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, a news item in the 20 August 1969 Variety suggested that the first two pictures employed “essentially the same Elmer Bernstein score,” although UA claimed that original scores were composed for both. The company admitted, however, that the score for GUNS included elements from those of its two predecessors, with little new material. Regardless, Bernstein was paid for his work on each of the individual films. Elmer Bernstein's score for GUNS was released by Film Score Monthly in its 2007 box set "The Unforgiven: Classic Western Scores From United Artists" and made its most recent appearance in Quartet’s 2022 “Magnificent Seven Collection” set.
GUNS OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN did poorly at the box office, grossing just $1.6 million. That compared unfavorably to the original film, which grossed $6.4 million, and the first sequel, which grossed $3.2 million.
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Posted: |
May 20, 2023 - 10:32 AM
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Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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The 1969 coming-of-age comedy-drama THE FIRST TIME finds normal, horny 16-year-old “Kenny” (Wes Stern) with one thing on his mind: girls. Unfortunately, he and his friends “Mike” (Rick Kelman) and “Tommy” (Wink Roberts), as they tool around their neighborhood on their bikes, can't get anywhere with the girls who see them as too young. It doesn't help moody Kenny that his mother died recently and that his father,” Charles” (Gerard Parkes), is carrying on with his hot secretary, “Pam” (Sharon Acker). Even worse, dad has a business opportunity that necessitates even more travel, so Kenny is to be uprooted again and sent to Buffalo to live with his grandparents. Writing home to his friends, lonely Kenny lies about all the fun he's having...as well as about his non-existent experiences at the non-existent whorehouse "Rosie's" on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Too bad, then, when insistently horny Mike and timid, nice guy Tommy show up unannounced in Buffalo, expecting a stunned Kenny to take them there. Once over the border, scrambling to cover his lies, Kenny meets the breathtaking “Anna” (Jacqueline Bisset), whom the boys mistake for a hooker. Anna, however, doesn't want a party, she needs an escort over the border....
James Neilson replaced Alex Grasshoff as director after several weeks of filming on this Mirisch Company production. Reportedly, the film received an [R] rating when first submitted to the MPAA, but after a re-edit, the final rating was [M]. Kenyon Hopkins’ score has not had a release, although the main title and a song were issued on a United Artists 45rpm promotional disc. The $900,000 production grossed a weak $1.8 million in the U.S.
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The fourth Oakmont World War II film production was MOSQUITO SQUADRON. As Allied forces struggle against the awesome might of the German Luftwaffe, an even greater threat is posed by the destructive V3 rocket nearing completion at a secret testing center. The Royal Air Force’s Mosquito Squadron gears up to destroy the site, but its leader, “Quint Munroe” (David McCallum), becomes conflicted when he discovers that the air strike may kill hundreds of British POWs—including the squad’s former commander!
Boris Sagal directed the film. Most of the aerial flying scenes were filmed at the airfield at Bovingdon, a Royal Air Force (RAF) Station in Hertfordshire, UK. The film opened in Europe in August 1969 but did not appear on American screens until a year later in July 1970. Frank Cordell's score was prepared for a release on a United Artists LP, but that release never happened. The album assembly was released in 2004 by Film Score Monthly, paired with Cordell's score for KHARTOUM.
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Posted: |
May 20, 2023 - 11:03 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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On 14 June 1967, Daily Variety announced the teaming of producer Walter Mirisch and actor Dick Van Dyke with Garson Kanin, who planned to direct his latest original screenplay titled “The One With the Fuzz,” beginning the following summer. Prior to the start of production, the title was changed to SOME KIND OF A NUT.
In this comedy-satire on conformity, Van Dyke plays Manhattan bank teller “Fred Amidon,” who grows a beard when he develops a rash from a bee sting. He is promptly fired from his job while his co-workers stand behind him. Angie Dickinson plays his wife “Rachel.”
Jessica Walter turned down the role of Rachel because she did not want to bleach her hair. Florence Henderson was cast instead, but was forced to bow out several months later due to scheduling conflicts after the bulk of principal photography had been postponed until January 1969. Henderson was already committed to star in SONG OF NORWAY (1970), and had secured the leading role of “Carol Brady” in ABC’s “The Brady Bunch,” which was filming in advance of its debut on 26 September 1969. Angie Dickinson was hired in her place. Van Dyke wore a fake beard for his role, since his natural beard grew in white.
Despite those earlier reports of the delay in shooting, the film was already in partial production. Some location shooting in New York City had been completed six months earlier, during the summer of 1968, to take advantage of the weather necessary for “springtime” sequences. The production then took an extended hiatus while Van Dyke completed other film projects, and resumed on the West Coast on 6 January 1969. Scenes were shot at Los Angeles’ Garden Court Apartments on Hollywood Boulevard.
The film opened in late September 1969. Reviews were negative, and the film grossed just $2.4 million in the U.S. The 23 February 1970 Daily Variety suggested that The Mirisch Co. had yet to earn back their investment at the box-office. Johnny Mandel’s score has not had a release.
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Posted: |
May 21, 2023 - 12:09 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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GAILY, GAILY was a very loose adaptation of Ben Hecht's outrageous memoir of his time as a cub reporter in Chicago during the early twentieth century. The most shocking change, to any Hecht devotee, was that Hecht himself was eliminated from the story—the hero, "Ben Harvey" (Beau Bridges), is an extremely naive innocent from the country, at large in the big city, rather than the tough, savvy and resolutely unshockable city kid Hecht actually was. Margot Kidder made her American film debut with the picture, playing "Adeline," one of the girls in the Midwest's most elegant and finely furnished brothel. Executive producer Walter Mirisch originally planned for Ava Gardner to play the part of the brothel madame, “Queen Lil,” but the part eventually went to Melina Mercouri.
Norman Jewison directed the comedy. Locations were shot in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and in Chicago at the Baltimore and Ohio Depot, Lincoln Park, and at the Chicago Auditorium. Henry Mancini re-recorded his score for a United Artists LP, which was re-issued on CD by Kritzerland in 2009. The original tracks have not been released. GAILY, GAILY is said to have cost $8-9 million to produce, which seems outrageously high. The film grossed just $2.9 million in the U.S.
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Posted: |
May 22, 2023 - 1:00 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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In HALLS OF ANGER, sixty white kids are sent to an all-black inner-city school under an integration program and meet up with the kind of racism black people can encounter in white society. The black students are opposed to the school having to become integrated, so the school approaches a tough black teacher for help.
Calvin Lockhart stars as that black teacher, “Quincy Davis,” who seeks to put it all right. Jeff Bridges is “Doug,” who is dogged by black gang leader “J T Watson” (James A. Watson, Jr), and Patricia Stich plays white girl “Sherry Vaughn,” who is shamed by the black girls.
The picture marked the feature film acting debut of Jeff Bridges, as well as Randy Fredricks (a.k.a. Randy Brooks), who had previously performed in “Hair” on Broadway. The 22 July 1968 [i[Daily Variety announced that John Shaner and Al Ramrus had been hired to write the screenplay, about racial conflict arising from school busing, for Mirisch Productions, Inc. Principal photography began the following year, on 29 July 1969. Shooting took place at two Los Angeles public schools, and at Samuel Goldwyn Studios in Hollywood.
Due to a lack of African American talent in the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) at the time, producer Herbert Hirschman recruited background actors from Southwest Los Angeles, from groups including the Douglass House Foundation in Watts, the Mafundi Institute, and Locke High School. Eddie Davis of the Black Stuntmen’s Association was said to have recruited five male actors.
Rumors of an on-set confrontation between director Paul Bogart and lead actor Calvin Lockhart made it into the press. Lockhart denied a “tangle” but claimed that “heated words” had been exchanged. Months later, Lockhart revealed that he had had many disagreements with the script throughout production. He recalled one instance, stating, “I was supposed to jump up on a truck and yell, ‘Black ain’t right, and white ain’t right, only right is right.’” Due to his strong disagreement with the statement, the actor had refused to deliver the lines. Executive producer Walter Mirisch, who was currently overseeing production on THE HAWAIIANS (1970), had been called to intervene.
Lockhart also claimed that a scene he had rejected was shot purposely on one of his days off. The scene in question showed a group of black school girls stripping a white girl in the school bathroom—an assault that Lockhart would only have believed if white students were the perpetrators, since that type of abuse was “not a part of black people’s culture.” Lockhart felt that on-set racial tensions mirrored those in the film, including his rift with Bogart. The actor, who had gained notoriety for being difficult to work with, stated that on the last night of shooting, Bogart had publicly declared “how much he hated me, and how rude he thought I was.” Lockhart claimed that white extras had applauded Bogart’s outburst. In response to Lockhart’s claims, Bogart admitted that he had lost patience with the actor by the end of production. According to The New York Times, Bogart accused Lockhart of selfish behavior, including numerous late arrivals on hot summer days, which had forced young black actors to unnecessarily suffer in the heat.
The film opened to mixed reviews in Washington, D.C. on 25 March 1970, and in Los Angeles on 10 April 1970. The $1.6 million production covered a raw subject that the public was not particularly interested in reliving on screen, and the film grossed a poor $750,000 domestically. Dave Grusin’s score has not had a release.
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Posted: |
May 23, 2023 - 10:20 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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In summer 1966, producer Norman Jewison acquired screen rights to Kristin Hunter’s 1966 novel, THE LANDLORD, through his Norman Jewison Productions. Although Jewison was considering directing the project, no specific plans had been made. The following year, Jewison’s Simkoe Productions extended its contract with Mirisch Productions, Inc., and THE LANDLORD was set to be one of four pictures under the revised deal. Erich Segal was hired to adapt the script.
On 1 November 1968, the Los Angeles Times announced that Hal Ashby would make his directorial debut with THE LANDLORD. Ashby had previously worked as Jewison’s editor on THE CINCINNATI KID (1965), THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING, THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING (1966), THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR (1968), and IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (1967), for which he won an Academy Award for Film Editing.
In the film, Beau Bridges plays "Elgar Enders," the son of a wealthy industrialist, who buys a tenement in Brooklyn, which he plans to convert into a psychedelic home for himself after evicting the present tenants. Susan Anspach made her feature film debut in THE LANDLORD. playing Enders’ sister, "Susan." Actress Marki Bey also made her theatrical motion picture debut in THE LANDLORD. Pearl Bailey, who played “Marge,” a fortune-teller, in the film, had performed with Bey on Broadway in “Hello, Dolly!,” and orchestrated Bey’s impromptu casting by inviting her over during a meeting with Jewison and Ashby that took place at Bailey’s home.
Ashby had initially planned to film in Philadelphia, where the book is set. However, New York City was chosen over Philadelphia since less cast and crew housing would be necessitated and therefore shooting there would be cheaper. As the main filming site, Ashby selected an area of Brooklyn, on Prospect Place, which was described as “ghetto, but not deep ghetto.” Ashby claimed he preferred it to Harlem “because it wouldn’t be believable that the boy [“Elgar Enders”] would go into such a depressed area.”
Hoping to curtail any tensions that might arise between black residents and the movie crew, filmmakers reached out to the community on Prospect Place before shooting began, explaining the premise of THE LANDLORD and emphasizing its theme of race relations. Moreover, a request was made for a black police officer to be assigned to the filming locations, and rooms were rented in the neighborhood for use by the actors, in lieu of parking trailers on the street. Locals were hired as background actors when possible, and waivers were given by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) so that non-professional children could receive full-scale day rates. Actress Pearl Bailey personally introduced herself to neighbors, and a local woman cooked “soul food” for cast members after hearing that Diana Sands preferred the cuisine. Other locations included Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a church, a “fancier section of Brooklyn,” the squash courts at the Downtown Athletic Club in Manhattan, Trude Heller’s discotheque in Greenwich Village, and a section of Beekman Place on the Upper East Side.
The picture debuted in New York City on 20 May 1970, and was met with positive critical reception. The $2 million production had meager grosses of $2.6 million in the U.S. Al Kooper's score for the film was released on a United Artists LP, but has not been re-issued on CD.
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