If you want to replace Rigg in the catsuit, Rigg ain't half as pretty in one as Julie Newmar. Ask Batman (Adam West). And they both have the same hauteur, so.....
Sam Westwood's Hollywood
- Thread starter markedward
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But then you don't get Linda Thorson in the Academy Award calibre film that was 'Curtains'.
Sure you can. Half that cast was "who the hell is she?" John Vernon and Samantha Eggar were the real names, Thorson was just one of the bodies.
Hey I've seen it too. But that's probably not a shock since I love bad movies and forced you to watch a clip from the 'Canadian version of Flashdance', Heavenly Bodies once.
You really put up with a lot from me.
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Since this version has a Different cast, I assuming that it was filmed on the Cheap in Vegas instead of being a big budget disaster that was film in Paris to accommodate Elizabeth Taylor.
Charlotte Rampling was Brian Clement first choice to replace Diana Rigg but he was working on another show at the end of Riggs last season and did not have a say in the replacement.
And Curtains had a really troubled production IOTL, according to (among others) Thorson (the producer and director disagreeing on the vision of the film (which led to the director walking off), another star getting injured while doing the iconic ice-skating sequence, et. al.)
I can't give away spoilers but it will have a lower budget than IOTL.
Butch Cassidy and other tales
Raindrops are falling on my head
And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed
Nothing seems to fit
Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling...
And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed
Nothing seems to fit
Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling...
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (20th Century Fox, October 24th, 1969)
Music by Burt Bacharach
Written by William Goldman
Produced by John Foreman
Directed by William Goldman
Cast
Paul Newman as Butch Cassidy
Robert Redford as The Sundance Kid
Sharon Tate as Etta Place
"It wasn't 'Mary Rose' that made Sharon Tate a star, it was riding on a bike with Paul Newman to 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head' that made her a star"- Roger Ebert talking about Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1989)
Outtake From Sam Westwood's Hollywood (2016)
Sam: Sharon hadn't really had a big hit since 'Mary Rose'. She was constantly in the press, but she'd done two other films for Universal and whereas things picked up for me, they didn't for her.
'Butch Cassidy'. That's what really made her a star.
So I just did me some talking to the sun
And I said I didn't like the way he got things done
Sleeping on the job
Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep fallin'--
And I said I didn't like the way he got things done
Sleeping on the job
Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep fallin'--
Snippets From Variety
Spring, 1968
"Elizabeth Taylor quits George Stevens Film in production at 20th Century Fox"
"Taylor requested that the film shoot in France despite the script taking place in Las Vegas so as to be closer to husband Richard Burton who is filming Staircase for director Stanley Donen--"
"Frank Sinatra quits The Only Game In Town"
"Warren Beatty drops out of Butch Cassidy"
"Sharon Tate has been cast as the love interest, Etta Pace in the 20th Century Fox picture Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid opposite Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Also considered for the role were Joanna Pettet and Graduate star Katharine Ross. [2]
June 1968
"George Stevens picture back on at 20th Century Fox"
"The production, which was set to star Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra briefly shut down after both stars quit the picture. Taylor wanted to film in France with sets built to resemble Las Vegas in order to be close to her husband Richard Burton. After becoming ill, the actress quit the film and then signed on to shoot That Cold Day In The Park in Vancouver for director Robert Altman instead. Production on The Only Game In Town shut down briefly while replacements could be found to film in Las Vegas on a lower budget. Warren Beatty has signed on, and a female lead has yet to be cast. Tammy Grimes, who originated the part of Fran on Broadway is in talks to reprise her role--"
August 1968
"Warren Beatty and Lee Grant set to start filming The Only Game In Town for 20th Century Fox"*
*The film is eventually released in October 1969.
Cult movie star and character actor Harris Walker being interviewed on tape by Nolan Hendricks, circa 1988/89.
Harris: Yeah---uhh--Elizabeth. Don't ever call her Liz, by the way. She hates it. Elizabeth was made fun of for requesting that film be shot in France. Cuz she had been one of the biggest stars on the planet, they might have done it for her at one time but by 1968, 1969--
Nolan: Is it ok if I ask what happened that made her fine to make a film in Vancouver but not Las Vegas?
Harris: Of course, yeah. Vancouver is nicer? (laughs)
No. What happened was, she got in a fight with Burton and her exact words to me were that she wanted to be as "Far away from him as damn possible"
Nolan: Wow.
Harris: Yeah. Anyway, Sam screen-tested for 'The Only Game In Town' before Warren Beatty signed on cuz he wanted to work with Tammy Grimes. Then Sam passed on it and went and did a film in England. This was shortly after we first met, but right before he came back to shoot 'The Grifters'.
Nolan: It ended up being Warren Beatty and Lee Grant and because it was a lower-budget film with Warren Beatty headlining it made money.
Harris: I love Elizabeth. She's like a mom to me, more than my own damn mother ever was. That said, she's mentioned it herself and I'll repeat it. If she had appeared in that film, it would have bombed, She needed a hit. Plus, Elizabeth isn't really a dancer and the role was a chorus girl. Lee Grant could dance and she did dance in the picture. And Lee Grant had chemistry with Warren Beatty. 'Shampoo' was really good. Much better movie than that one, honestly. [1]
But there's one thing I know
The blues they send to meet me
Won't defeat me, it won't be long
'Till happiness steps up to greet me--
Cassette recording of Harris Walker talking to Nolan Hendricks circa 1988/89
Harris: Helen Benson's dad Herb was an agent and she joined the family business, Benson and Associates. Herb had a tendency to sign the...wrong people. Like, they'd rep Tina Sinatra instead of Nancy Sinatra. But they were really good people and they cared about their clients. Helen and Herb didn't care about the photos or the dirty movie. At first. Then my real age came out and they stood by me but got protective. I honestly wouldn't have put it past Herb to have bought the film and have it destroyed because it never popped up again. Thank God. He always said, "That kid is a real wreck, Helen, but he has talent!"
(laughs)
Damn. I miss that guy. He passed away maybe ten years ago.
Anyway, Helen had a long list of people she wanted to sign. I happened to be on it near the bottom because of 'That Cold Day In The Park'. I wasn't getting any calls outside of modelling work. Different people repped me for that. When she approached me, it surprised me. I figured movie roles might not happen again and that had made me really upset, so she put some hope inside me--
Raindrops keep falling on my head
But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turning red
Crying's not for me
'Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining
Because I'm free
Nothing's worrying me
It won't be long 'till happiness steps up to greet me--
But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turning red
Crying's not for me
'Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining
Because I'm free
Nothing's worrying me
It won't be long 'till happiness steps up to greet me--
[1] IOTL, the only clue that Elizabeth Taylor's character is a chorus girl is when there is a giant close-up of her in a chorus line moving up and down (see trailer). It would have been a stronger scene with someone who was a more capable dancer. Grant had been a ballerina when she was younger. ITTL, Grant appears in this film instead of the flop Marooned.
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Yea! I like Lee Grant. She refused to answer questions in the early 1950s for the HUAC about her husband and got blacklisted for a decade.
While I can not judge if the Beatty/Grant version of "The Only Game in Town" would be better then the OTL Film, I assuming that it did not make the book "The Hollywood Hall of Shame" .
I always think it's pretty amazing that she was able to bounce back after that. IOTL Lee Grant *did* do a lot of junk later in the 70's but she was always good no matter how bad the films were. Plus I like 'Shampoo' so pairing her with Beatty earlier made sense.
Apparently reviews were mixed. But it made it's budget back. It doesn't make that book (which IOTL is where I first heard about the movie). The film IOTL isn't quite as bad as the book makes it out to be, but Elizabeth Taylor was miscast and she had no chemistry with Warren Beatty. They're only five years apart but she seems much older than him. I always figured it was supposed to be a younger man/older woman romance so the Frank Sinatra thing surprised me. Sinatra would have been miscast as well. Warren Beatty was better at playing charming guys who get into trouble.
I think the Hollywood Hall of Fame book was pretty much were everyone found out about "The Only Game in Town" in the OTL.
I know that it was the only reason I ever watch it on TCM. I wanted to see if it deserved the negative rep that the Medved gave the movie.
And I basically agree with you. No it did not deserve it rep but I agree that there was only bad chemistry between the leads.
(I not a big Warren Beatty fan. Other then Bonnie and Clyde, I have never been impressed with any film, he did))
One correction, I would add The Parallax view as the other Warren Beatty film that I enjoy.
Tried to watch that movie years ago because of Paula Prentiss and like her other film from around that time, 'The Stepford Wives' found it too disturbing to get through. I did like 'Shampoo' though and while it's not a happy movie it's not super depressing either.
Ironically, after saying that I do agree about 'Bonnie and Clyde' being one of his best. And 'Splendor In The Grass' is a classic.
I have the problem with Shampoo that you have with Parallax View. I just found it too disturbing.
I trying to think if I seen Splendor In the Grass.
I guess I need to check it out again.
I embarrassed this weekend, My Wife is a extra in a community Theater performance of 'To Kill a Mockingbird"
One of my Daughter and my son went and saw it last night.
Another of my Daughters is seeing it tonight on a Date.
It turn out that My youngest Daughter and my Son had never seen the Movie "To Kill A Mockingbird"
How can kids grow up in a house with me and my love of movies and not seen "To Kill A Mockingbird"?
It not possible
Where I grew up it was required reading in high school, granted it's been nearly twenty years (and it might be different here). The movie was part of the curriculum too, bought a copy of it years later.
I just want to thank everyone for the Turtledove nomination. Hoping to have an update soon, things have been hectic again. Thanks for your patience!