by Ed Sikov
CHAPTER 23
408 “In jazz, we must distinguish …”: Panassié, pp. 22–23.
408 “I have an idea …”: Gehman, p. 69.
409 “Heavy-handed and Germanic …” and “The next morning …” Diamond, p. 132. Note: As Lotte Eisner puts it, Mädchen in Uniform (1931) “is the last word on the slavery and starvation to which the aristocracy subjected its daughters.” Eisner, p. 325.
409 Casting options: Curtis and Paris, pp. 154, 158; Diamond, p. 132.
410 Sinatra budget and Wilder’s deal: UA box 5, folder 4; Balio, pp. 168–70.
410 “Billy Wilder stopped by …”: Winecoff, p. 163.
410 “It’s you, Marilyn, Sinatra …”: Curtis and Paris, p. 169.
410 “He was quite vehement…” and “I think this …”: Kelley, pp. 252, 347.
411 Note on casting: Curtis’s own account contains a contradiction: According to Curtis, Wilder saw Jack Lemmon in Operation Mad Ball and realized he could pair him with Curtis, but Operation Mad Ball was released before Billy started writing Some Like It Hot. Curtis and Paris, p. 158.
411 “The weakest part…”: Anon., “In the Picture,” p. 134.
411 Curtis and Monroe: Curtis and Paris, p. 166.
411 Mirisch party: Diamond, p. 135; Curtis and Paris, p. 157.
411 “Within three to four weeks …”: Holtzman, p. 73.
411 “Kept asking me …”: Widener, p. 167
411 “Lemmon had to be an actor …”: Holtzman, p. 15
412 “Tony’s pants …” and “The trouble with you …”: Gehman, p. 70.
412 “Hi, I’m Daphne!”: Diamond, p. 135.
412 “You create a shell …”: New York Center for Visual History interview with Jack Lemmon circa 1993, unpublished transcript.
412 On Barbette: Steegmuller, pp. 130–31.
412 Barbette’s instructions: Curtis and Paris, p. 154.
413 Barbette walks out: Curtis and Paris, p. 162–63; Widener, p. 169.
413 Curtis’s resemblances: Los Angeles Mirror-News, Sept. 18, 1958; Curtis and Paris, p. 154.
413 Lemmon’s resemblances: New York Center for Visual History, interview with Jack Lemmon circa 1993, unpublished transcript.
413 Jazz band names: Dan Morgenstern, “Hot Jazz on Blue Note,” liner notes to the CD set of the same name. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1996.
414 Urine contraption: Curtis and Paris, p. 168.
415 “We had our dresses on …”: New York Center for Visual History interview with Jack Lemmon circa 1993, unpublished transcript.
415 “Audiences will be laughing …”: Los Angeles Mirror-News, Sept. 18, 1958.
415 Writing schedule: New York Times, Nov. 2, 1958.
415 “You want machine guns …”: Curtis and Paris, p. 170.
416 Preliminary budget, Krim’s concerns, and the title: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, box 5 folders 3 and 14.
416 “Miss Wiggle Hips …”: Los Angeles Mirror-News, Sept. 18, 1958.
416 Wilder kicks Charlie: Yablonsky, p. 218.
417 “I want the world …”: New York Post, Aug. 15, 1958.
417 “Don’t you want your audience …”: New York Post, Sept. 10, 1958.
417 “There are very few …”: This Week, Oct. 5, 1958.
417 “One morning …”: Diamond, p. 135.
417 “The whole idea …”: New York Journal American, Oct. 24, 1958.
417 “After each scene …”: Diamond, p. 135.
418 “One day she walked …”: Wilmington, p. 12.
418 “I knew we were in mid-flight…”: Curtis and Paris, p. 162.
418 “Relax …”: Curtis and Paris, p. 167.
418 “Naive purity”: Los Angeles Mirror-News, Sept. 18, 1958.
418 “How was that…”: Curtis and Paris, p. 168.
418 “We were filming the scene …”: “Marilyn Monroe: 30 Jahre nach ihrem Tod—die letzten Bilder eines Idols,” Stern, Aug. 1992, p. 34.
418 “He doesn’t have tits …”: Curtis and Paris, p. 167.
419 “Marilyn, possibly …”: Curtis and Paris, pp. 162–63.
419 Forty-seven takes: Diamond, p. 135.
419 Negative cost: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, box 5 folder 14.
419 “I never felt…”: Curtis and Paris, p. 168.
419 “I walked in all excited …”: New York Center for Visual History interview with Jack Lemmon circa 1993, unpublished transcript.
419 “It was twenty minutes …”: Wilmington, p. 16; Lemon, p. 38.
420 Cary Grant’s response: Curtis and Paris, p. 160.
420 On Grant’s masculinity: See Steven Cohan’s analysis in Screen.
420 “May well be the best scene …”: Widener, p. 174.
421 “Billy handed me a set…”: Widener, p. 174.
421 Tinkering with maracas scene: Curtis and Paris, pp. 160–61.
421 “Movies should be like amusement parks …”: Los Angeles Mirror-News, Sept. 18, 1958.
421 “Flaming faggot”: Zolotow, p. 201.
421 “The whole trick …” and “But when he forgot…”: “Dialogue on Film,” p. 43.
421 Those thin-magazine people …”: Anon., Playboy, June 1963, p. 62.
421 Note on why drag comedy can be funny: This is largely the subject of the Some Like It Hot chapter and other sections of my book Laughing Hysterically: American Screen Comedies of the 1950s.
421 “One can hardly play …”: Panassié, pp. 22–23.
422 Wilder and his radio: Deutsch, p. 160.
422 “It’s a habit of his …”: Ciment, Positif, Jan. 1974, p. 8.
422 Curtis’s response to “magic time”: Curtis and Paris, p. 167.
423 Writing Sugar out of the ending: Turner, p. 18.
423 Wilder and the stripper: Curtis and Paris, p. 170; Wood, p. 7.
423 Raft’s story: Yablonsky, p. 217.
423 “Diamond and I were in our room …”: Linville, pp. 59–60.
423 Diamond’s idea for “nobody’s perfect” and Wilder’s nervousness: Freeman, p. 78.
424 Purple Heart: New York Herald Tribune, Feb. 10, 1959.
424 “In the United States …”: Gehman, p. 70.
424 Note on “Stairway to the Stars”: The song was cowritten by Malneck, Mitchell Parish, and Frank Signorelli.
425 Monroe on the telephone: Diamond, p. 136.
425 “She had to run upstairs …”: Newark Evening News, Dec. 18, 1958.
425 Wilder’s telegram: Curtis and Paris, p. 162.
425 “I am able for the first time …”: New York Herald Tribune, Feb. 10, 1959.
425 “Who says stars …”: New York Post, Feb. 12, 1959.
425 “I would make a picture …” Pictorial Review, March 8, 1959.
425 “Better Marilyn late …”: Gehman, p. 70.
425 “Breasts like granite …”: Goodman, p. 231.
426 Preview story: Curtis and Paris, p. 170.
426 New York sneak: Curtis and Paris, p. 170.
426 Train sequence claim: Curtis and Paris, pp. 160–61.
426 “I have no prejudice …” etc.: Life, April 20, 1959, p. 104.
426 “I suppose Billy Wilder …”: Ellen Patrick, Films in Review, quoted in Baltake, p. 100.
427 Grosses and Wilder’s share: Variety, Jan. 6, 1960; State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder 3; Balio, p. 170.
427 Note on art purchases: Specifically: Klee’s Felsenkamer, a watercolor over pencil on paper laid down by the artist on board in 1929; Nicholson’s Two Forms, a gouache on board painted in 1940; Matisse’s Femme aux bras croisés, a 1935 pencil on paper; Schwitters’s Apollo im Februar, a collage on board made in 1945; and de Stael’s Footballeurs, an oil on board painted in 1952.
427 “We should all thank God for TV …”: Hollywood Clos
e-Up, March 26, 1959.
427 Television series idea: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, box 5 folder 14.
427 On the United States: Diamond, p. 136.
CHAPTER 24
428 Cigarettes: Gehman, p. 147.
429 Proposed titles: J.R., p. 3.
429 Unproduced film ideas: Sammlung Paul Kohner, Stiftung Deutsche Kinemathek, h. ss-88/1h-6, files 1, 2, and 3.
429 Nijinksy Story: Los Angeles Examiner, Sept. 10, 1959.
429 Imitation of Life bet: Sammlung Paul Kohner, Stiftung Deutsche Kinemathek, h. ss-88/1h-6, file 3. Note: By the first week of 1960, Imitation of Life had pulled in $6.2 million.
429 “You won a prize …”: Robinson, p. 105.
430 Paley screening: Lally, p. 296.
430 “What I had written was …”: Linville, p. 55.
430 Note on Wilder’s losers: Richard Sherman in The Seven Year Itch is the antecedent.
430 “I started with this character …”: Ciment, Positif, July/Aug. 1983.
430 “This is about a young fellow …”: Gehman, p. 69.
430 “I would have done it in 1948 …”: Ciment, Positif, Oct. 1970.
431 Skolsky’s story: Curtis, p. 179.
431 Wanger’s walk: Bernstein, pp. 274–75.
431 “Originally Billy wanted …”: Los Angeles Examiner, June 19, 1960.
431 Stars’ fees: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder 14.
432 “Take Shirley MacLaine …”: Anon., Playboy, June 1963.
432 “I am listed as a coproducer …”: Los Angeles Examiner, June 19, 1960.
432 “The only one willing …”: Todd McCarthy, “I.A.L. Diamond” (obituary), Variety, April 27, 88, pp. 6, 23.
432 MacLaine’s research and wardrobe: Los Angeles Times, Sept. 10, 1993; AMPAS, General Collection, The Apartment clippings file—microfiche, from the United Artists press kit for The Apartment.
432 “There were only twenty-nine …”: “Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy,” American Masters, PBS, 1998.
432 “In the last four days …”: Gehman, p. 90.
432 “The Apartment occurred to me …”: Lemon, p. 38.
432 Note on Cinemascope and Manhattan: Thanks to William Paul for this observation.
432. Note on terminology: Here and elsewhere I use “CinemaScope” to refer to any extra-widescreen process, including Panavision.
433 The Sound of Music: Lemon, p. 38.
433 “We weren’t making progress …”: Trauner and Berthomé, pp. 152–54.
433 “I met him at the Warwick …”: Ray Waltson interview with the author, Oct. 27, 1997.
433 Shooting schedule: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder 14.
434 “Wilder copied the scene …”: Dowd and Shepard, p. 245.
434 “Take the big office set…”: Trauner and Berthomé, p. 5 (from the introduction by Billy Wilder).
435 Groucho: Lally, p. 304.
436 “He kind of peered at me …”: Zolotow, pp. 278–79.
436 “She hated rehearsals …”: Variety, Oct. 22, 1975.
437 “I wished Billy Wilder …”: MacLaine, p. 258.
437 Pinball machine: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, Walter Mirisch Collection, Box 17.
438 “We came out of a restaurant…”: Jan Sterling interview with the author, Oct. 29, 1997.
438 MacMurray at Disney’s Magic Kingdom: People, Nov. 7, 1988.
439 “Baxter is a study …”: Denby, p. 52.
439 “I read Axel Madsen’s book …”: Ciment, Positif, Oct. 1970, pp. 5–17.
440 “In my opinion it is a highly moral …”: Gehman, p. 147.
440 “For me, there is nothing …”: Schlöndorff, Premiere, p. 127.
440 Note on Manhattan: Woody is racing to see Mariel Hemingway.
442 “You don’t usually do that…”: Lally, p. 305.
442 Advertising line: Wiley and Bona, p. 316.
442 Personal appearance tour: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder 14.
442 Note on Albert Zugsmith: He was known for producing such exploitation films as Sex Kittens Go to College (1960), though he also produced more respectable films such as Touch of Evil (1958).
442 Grosses: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder 3.
442 Critics’ comments: Balio, p. 170; Kauffmann, p. 149 (originally published in the New Republic, June 27, 1960); Macdonald, pp. 280–283.
443 “Editorial cooperation”: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder 14.
444 Script ideas: Time, June 27, 1960, p. 75.
445 Price of Irma: AMPAS, General Collection, Irma la Douce clippings file.
446 “I’m possibly mad …”: Sunday Express (London), July 31, 1960.
447 “You know how it is …”: London Daily Mail, June 27, 1961.
447 Bardot and MacLaine: New York Herald-Tribune, Aug. 7, 1960.
447 Diamond’s deal and first production schedule: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folders 5 and 14.
447 Taylor controversy: Variety, Nov. 7, 1961.
447 MacLaine’s deal: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder 5.
CHAPTER 25
453 “Burnt pneumatic tires …”: Wilder, Der Prinz von Wales geht auf Urlaub, p. 117, published originally as “Hallo, Herr Menjou?” (“Hello, Mr. Menjou?”), Tempo, Aug. 5, 1929.
454 “Pamela, dear …”: Los Angeles Mirror, Sept. 2, 1961. Note: The line does appear more or less intact in Molnár’s play; precious few others remain unchanged.
454 “I’m tired of clichéd typecasting …”: Francis, p. 169.
455 Edith Mayer Goetz story: Linville, p. 67.
455 Production team: Los Angeles Times, July 14, 1961; Sammlung Paul Kohner, Stiftung Deutsche Kinemathek, h. ss-88/1h-6, file 3.
455 “THIS PIECE MUST BE …”: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, I. A. L. Diamond Collection, Box 7, folder 4.
456 On Cagney: Cagney, p. 155; Warren and Cagney, p. 120; Los Angeles Mirror, Aug. 17, 1961.
457 “Okay, get your steel helmets …”: New York Times, July 16, 1961.
457 East German border police: Los Angeles Mirror, Aug. 17, 1961; Eichhof, Joachim, “Architekten betrügen das Auge,” Filmspiegel, Oct. 6, 1961.
458 “It was like making a picture …”: Playboy, June 1963, p. 62.
458 “We had to make continuous …”: Playboy, June 1963, p. 62.
459 Buchholz’s accident and rebuilding: AMPAS, One, Two, Three clippings file; One, Two, Three press book.
459 Cagney, Tiffin, and Buchholz: Francis, p. 172; Warren and Cagney, pp. 192–93; Cagney, p. 155.
459 “He was not happy …”: White, Timothy, p. 24.
460 Cagney’s decision to quit acting: McGilligan, Cagney, p. 244.
461 The fohn: Los Angeles Mirror, Aug. 18, 1961.
461 “Until these last few years …” and “Billy Wilder’s words …”: Domarchi and Douchet, pp. 1, 5.
462 “Something of an aggressive imp …”: New York Times, July 16, 1961.
462 “This is Billy Wilder …”: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, Walter Mirisch Collection, Box 17; Pressbooks.
462 “He was a far cry …”: Previn, p. 117.
463 Hidden Jews story: John Neuhart interview with the author, Dec. 4, 1997.
46
5 Grosses: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder 3.
465 “I happen to think …”: Kanin, p. 185.
465 “If there’s anything I dislike …”: London Times, Feb. 8, 1962.
465 “Have the stamina …”: New York Times, March 4, 1962, sec. 2 p. 7.
465 Critics’ responses: New Republic, Dec. 11, 1961; Theatre Arts, July 1962; Kael, p. 150.
466 Churchill story: Hollywood Reporter, Oct. 27, 1961; Los Angeles Examiner, Oct. 19, 1961.
466 Mann story: Davidson, p. 188.
467 “… Abbey Rents”: Lemon, p. 32.
467 L’Ora della Fantasia rights: Sammlung Paul Kohner, Stiftung Deutsche Kinemathek, h.ss-88/1h-6, files 1 and 2.
467 “Dear Darryl…” etc. American Film Institute, Charles K. Feldman Collection, folder 792; Gussow, p. 252; Geist, p. 331.
467 Sunset Boulevard musical: Stephen Sondheim, letter to the author, July 21, 1997. Note: As Sondheim acknowledges, these “may not be his exact words, but the phrase ‘dethroned queen’ is accurate and has remained in my mind to this day.”
468 “Deals are so complicated …”: Variety, June 8, 1960.
468 “Jack comes to a picture …”: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder, 3.
469 “I’m going to do Irma …”: Domarchi and Douchet, p. 7.
469 Laughton’s illness and death: Zolotow, p. 240; Bergan, p. 327.
469 Casting Irma: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, Walter Mirisch Collection, Box 17.
469 Note on Howard McNear: To be fair, McNear was a well-known character actor in films for many years before The Andy Griffith Show.
470 Note on Suzette Wong: In other words, The World of Suzie Wong (1960).
470 “I always do this …”: Evening Standard (London), Dec. 7, 1962.
470 “He has the greatest rapport…”: Sunday Express (London), Jan. 6, 1963.
470 “He was like my Aunt Bertie …”: Variety, March 16, 1988.
470 “We are doing it with taste …”: Wood, p. 196.
470 “I have nothing against music …”: Kanin, pp. 185–86.
470 Note on the lack of music: Wilder followed the lead of his friend Joshua Logan, who deleted all the songs from his own stage musical Fanny (with a score by Harold Rome) when adapting the show for the screen in 1961. Logan, too, uses orchestral themes drawn from the score as background music for the film.