My Life with Cleopatra

by Walter Wanger

  I went to see Mike at the old Chaplin Studios where he was finishing Around the World in Eighty Days. He took me into the projection room to see the first cut of the picture. I never got an answer from him about Cleopatra, but I gave him the book The Life and Times of Cleopatra to give to Elizabeth to read.

  Soon after my meeting with Todd he died in the tragic plane crash. The only time I had seen Elizabeth since was once when I was flying to La Jolla taking my daughter to school and she got on the plane with her brother. I almost didn’t recognize her. She was in mourning and looked miserable. We spoke for only a moment.

  When I telephoned Liz today, she said she would be at the Polo Lounge of the Beverly Hills Hotel, having a drink with Arthur Loew, Jr. I dropped by for a brief moment, chatted with her and Arthur, who is the son of an old friend of mine, and left the book for Elizabeth to read. Evidently Mike had never given it to her.

  Then I returned to my office and called her agent, Kurt Frings, and her lawyer, Martin Gang, to tell them I wanted her for the picture and had given her the book.

  NOVEMBER 1958

  Told Lew Schreiber I had given the book to Elizabeth Taylor. He was upset.

  I think Schreiber feels that my independence is somehow a threat to the studio—maybe he thinks it might influence other producers to get out of line. He said I had no right to go over his head and approach a star directly. The studio wouldn’t have Elizabeth Taylor in a picture.

  DECEMBER 1958

  First steps.

  David Brown approved my request to start someone writing a script of Cleopatra. Ludi Claire, an actress turned writer, is going to assemble material and do a rough script, the least expensive way to start a project.

  I have asked John DeCuir, an excellent art director, to do some sketches and models of the Forum and the palace, in the hope that the studio executives will see some of the possibilities in size and scope of the picture.

  FEBRUARY 1959

  Although Skouras thinks Joanne Woodward is the biggest female attraction in the movies, thanks to Three Faces of Eve, Adler is insistent we use Joan Collins, who is physically right for the role and is dying to play it. Dance director Hermes Pan is working with Joan, trying to improve her posture and walk so she will have the grace and dignity of Cleopatra.

  FEBRUARY 14, 1959

  John DeCuir’s sketches and models were finished, and I had a display set up on one of the test stages behind the art department. All the executives were invited over after lunch to look them over.

  The plaster model of the Forum took up almost an entire table top, the sketches and models were beautiful. I’m continually amazed at the great skills of the artisans on the Hollywood back lots.

  For the first time, I think Adler and Schreiber see what I really have in mind for Cleopatra.

  It can be the last word in opulence, beauty, and art—a picture women will love for its beauty and story. After all, it is the story of a woman who almost ruled the world but was destroyed by love. With the right cast and production values, the right director and script, this can be a sensation. The material is fantastic. The more of it I read, the better I like it.

  FEBRUARY 16, 1959

  Still testing.

  The casting department has compiled a list of possibilities for each role. Submitting these names is their job. The function of a producer is to argue out and prove to the casting department why some individuals don’t fit the picture and why certain combinations aren’t good. My first team is Liz Taylor as Cleopatra, Sir Laurence Olivier as Caesar, and Richard Burton as Mark Antony. The ideal box-office team, according to them, would be Cary Grant as Caesar, Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra, and Burt Lancaster as Mark Antony.

  Other actors submitted by casting for Caesar are Sir John Gielgud, Yul Brynner, and Curt Jurgens.

  For Cleopatra, they have listed Brigitte Bardot, Marilyn Monroe, Jennifer Jones, Kim Novak, Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, and Susan Hayward. Some contract actresses being recommended seriously are Joan Collins, Dolores Michaels, Millie Perkins, Barbara Steele, and Suzy Parker.

  The group being suggested for Antony includes Anthony Franciosa, Kirk Douglas, Marlon Brando, Stephen Boyd, Jason Robards, Jr., Richard Basehart, and Richard Burton.

  FEBRUARY 24, 1959

  On my own I had lunch with Carlo Ponti, Sophia Loren’s husband, at Perino’s Restaurant.

  Since my Italian is not too good and his English is poor, I took Rosemary Mathews along as interpreter. She was assistant to Johnny Johnston, production manager on I Want to Live! when I was making it.

  Carlo said he was certain Sophia would be interested in doing the picture. Then he asked me when and where we planned to do it. When I said in July on the Studio’s back lot, he answered, “You’ll never make it this summer and you’ll never make it in America. Italy is the only place to make it.”

  MARCH 4, 1959

  Nigel Balchin signed to prepare a screenplay of Cleopatra, with Ludi Claire’s outline for a springboard.

  MAY 12, 1959

  Elizabeth married Eddie Fisher today in Las Vegas.

  Elizabeth and Eddie are expected to go through New York on their way to the Mediterranean for a cruise honeymoon. Then she’s going to do Suddenly Last Summer for Columbia and Sam Spiegel, which makes it unlikely that I’ll get her for Cleopatra, which is supposed to start in July.

  JUNE 15, 1959

  Skouras took Gina Lollobrigida and her husband to director Rouben Mamoulian’s house for dinner to discuss Cleopatra with them both.

  JUNE 19, 1959

  Received this morning a preliminary production cost estimate for Cleopatra, based on the script by Nigel Balchin.

  The operating budget for Cleopatra, labeled “Production No. J—01” called for 64 days’ shooting. It showed that the total cost was supposed to come to $2,955,700, without the cast or director.

  JULY 29, 1959

  The studio executives were so enthusiastic about the first-draft script by Nigel Balchin that Adler has called Kurt Frings, Elizabeth’s agent, to get him to take the script abroad to Elizabeth and to Audrey Hepburn, another of his clients. Adler ended the conversation with Kurt, admonishing him not to tell me about it.

  I don’t know what’s on Buddy’s mind, trying to keep this information from me. Obviously, as Frings is a great friend of mine, he would tell me, as he knew I always wanted Elizabeth for the part.

  Meanwhile, I discovered that they are excavating on the back lot with bulldozers, preparing to build the city of Alexandria. No one has asked me about this because we have never finally determined where the picture is to be filmed.

  AUGUST 1959

  Both Elizabeth and Audrey Hepburn have agreed to do Cleopatra.

  Kurt Frings gave me the good news on the phone today. He just came back from visiting both of his clients in Europe.

  AUGUST 18, 1959

  Called Schreiber to see if there was anything definite on casting. He said, “No.”

  I told him that Audrey Hepburn had read the script and was interested. He seemed surprised that I knew. An hour or so later he called me back to say we can’t have Hepburn because Paramount has her under contract and won’t release her.

  I called Skouras, who told me Elizabeth doesn’t want to play Cleopatra—despite Kurt assuring me that she does.

  AUGUST 27, 1959

  The planned Suzy Parker test for Cleopatra didn’t come off as scheduled. When the studio called her in New York requesting a test, she became hysterical and burst into tears. It turned out she was pregnant, a secret no one knew until today.

  SEPTEMBER 1, 1959

  Called Elizabeth in London where she is doing Suddenly Last Summer.

  She said she will do Cleopatra for a million dollars and a few changes in the script, and as long as the picture is not to be made in Hollywood.

  Elizabeth sees Cleopatra as I do—the greatest woman’s role ever written, and she thinks as I do, that this can be a great picture. When I said that a m
illion dollars was an unheard-of price for an actress, she said that I knew as well as she did that this was going to be a long, hard picture. But she doesn’t mind taking the money on a spread payment, so much per year, since she really wants it to put in trust for her children.

  I called Skouras to tell him the news. He said he doesn’t like the idea of working with Elizabeth because “she’ll be too much trouble.”

  SEPTEMBER 28, 1959*

  A meeting was held at the studio yesterday (Sunday), to which I was not invited—and for obvious reasons.

  Spyros Skouras was there, as was Buddy Adler, Lew Schreiber, David Brown, Sid Rogell, who is in charge of studio operations, and Robert Goldstein.

  It was decided, evidently, that my status on the project was to be subordinated to that of Goldstein, who would be completely in charge of the production. While I could go abroad on the production, Goldstein would be responsible for all decisions and, in the event of dispute, Buddy Adler would be the arbitrator.

  It was estimated that the picture will cost between $4,500,000 and $5,000,000, with overhead including $1,300,000 for the stars and $100,000 for the director. The plan is to make the picture in London.

  Rouben Mamoulian was proposed as director by Skouras, who is Rouben’s old friend and has now decided he wants someone with an artistic reputation. Up to now, all they wanted was someone who was efficient and fast.

  OCTOBER 8, 1959

  Skouras has taken a poll of everyone at the New York office, and they all want Susan Hayward to play Cleopatra. He told me he is going to announce Susan for the role immediately.

  Skouras seems determined to have a contract actress—and Susan is under contract—play Cleopatra because he hasn’t much faith in the potential gross of the picture. “It can’t gross really big unless it is produced at a limited cost,” he told me. “Only biblical pictures can do big business today.”

  OCTOBER 9, 1959

  I called Elizabeth at the Beverly Hills Hotel, to tell her she doesn’t have the part and thank her for being so nice. She started to cry.

  “I want to do it,” she said. “Why don’t they want me?”

  “They won’t pay a million dollars,” I said.

  “I’ll do it for a guarantee of seven hundred and fifty thousand, against ten per cent of the gross,” she said.

  I called Adler, who said, “See if you can get her for six hundred thousand.”

  I called Lew Schreiber, Kurt Frings, Liz, and Frings again, and at last got the negotiations back on the track.

  OCTOBER 10, 1959

  Kurt Frings is negotiating with MGM to get them to allow her to do Cleopatra as an outside picture. According to her contract, she has one more film to make for MGM, and they’re insisting she do Butterfield 8.

  Ironically, Elizabeth was willing to do Cleopatra for $750,000, but I am told Frings has now got her back to the million-dollar figure.

  Elizabeth doesn’t want to do Butterfield 8.

  “The leading lady is almost a prostitute,” she told me. “When I told this to Sol, he said he’d clean up the script. But she’s still a sick nymphomaniac. The whole thing is so unpalatable, I wouldn’t do it for anything, under any condition.”

  OCTOBER 12, 1959

  Elizabeth is in Cleopatra again, and Butterfield 8 is being rewritten for her.

  Frings and the Fox lawyers are busy working out details of her contract for Cleopatra, which will follow Butterfield 8. We are going to stage a contract-signing scene in Buddy Adler’s office within a few days, however, to make it look official, although the real contract won’t be ready for months.

  Elizabeth has read the script. Her feeling is that the opening scene is forced, and that a girl—nineteen years old, with a lot of background and intelligence—should still be seeking wisdom and having qualms about her decisions. Caesar helps her make a gradual transition from a child to a woman.

  She thinks the characterization needs that sense of development from beginning to end. She feels very strongly that the scenes with Caesar are a little flat and should be more lifelike, with a certain amount of charm and warmth and feeling that is lacking at the present time.

  Also, she would like any research material and books I think she ought to read on the subject.

  She told me she would like to have both penthouses at the Dorchester in London. She had them last time she was there and she’d like them during this picture.

  We discussed cameramen, and she said she is mad about Jack Hillyard, who is now with Fred Zinnemann in Australia. I’m to check on his availability. She thinks Bluey Hill would be a great assistant director.

  Elizabeth specified that she wants Sidney Guilaroff for hairdos and, as her own hairdresser, she wants a girl called Joan White. I’m to check on their availability.

  I consider it most important that we try to satisfy Elizabeth on all such matters, because she is the pivot of our whole operation.

  OCTOBER 15, 1959

  Elizabeth “signed” for Cleopatra today. We took photos in Adler’s office. I was delighted.

  OCTOBER 1959

  Schreiber called me into his office to tell me I’m not going to London when the picture is being made, but he does want me to be responsible for controlling the cost.

  When I pointed out it would be impossible to produce a picture being made thousands of miles away, he said, “Jerry Wald didn’t go over on Sons and Lovers, and the picture came out fine. There’s no need for you to be in London. I want you to be preparing your next picture.”

  Schreiber did ask me for suggestions on a director. I think Alfred Hitchcock would be great because he would bring the right touch of suspense to the story and give it needed drama. I am a great Hitchcock fan, and I liked the picture he made for me, Foreign Correspondent.

  OCTOBER 19, 1959

  Hitch doesn’t think it’s his cup of tea. Saw Adler about Mamoulian, who is choice of Skouras and Schreiber.

  Rouben is an old and good friend of mine—I took him from the Theater Guild in the Twenties, and he directed Applause for me at Paramount. Then we worked together with Garbo on Queen Christina.

  OCTOBER 21, 1959

  Rouben signed by the studio.

  The moment I get in a dispute with him over something, he’s going to turn around and say, “You didn’t hire me. Skouras, Adler, and Schreiber did.”

  NOVEMBER 1959

  No sooner has Rouben been hired than he has a few ideas for “little changes.”

  NOVEMBER 1959

  Interviewed writers most of the day.

  I am most interested in a new writer named James Costigan, who is in demand because of a TV show he wrote called Little Moon of Alban. Neither he nor Christopher Fry, whom I also contacted, is available.

  NOVEMBER 25, 1959

  Dale Wasserman hired, for Mamoulian feels he can work with him and liked his TV spectacular Don Quixote.

  NOVEMBER 1959

  Noel Coward’s agent called about the Caesar role, but the studio is now discussing Fredric March.

  NOVEMBER 1959

  Adler talking about taking advantage of the Eady Plan for Cleopatra, which confirms London as headquarters.

  Under the Eady Plan, it is possible for an American company to get financial aid from the British government if a certain percentage of cast and crew are British. The idea is to give more employment to British workers.

  Mamoulian and I are to go to London to interview actors and look over facilities at Pinewood, Rank’s studio. Bob Goldstein, in charge of Fox’s operation in London and all of Europe, claims the facilities are excellent. I can’t imagine, however, any location in England looking like Egypt, under any circumstances. And no one seems to have considered the weather.

  — LONDON —

  NOVEMBER 30, 1959

  Saw Larry Olivier, who after much thought has decided against Caesar. He has played Shaw’s Caesar and Cleopatra and Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, and said frankly that he didn’t think he could add to his luster by do
ing this motion picture. But I hope we can change his mind.

  DECEMBER 2, 1959

  Disaster! Nothing is right or as represented. Went to Pinewood with Mamoulian to see the facilities. It was rainy and cold, and Pinewood doesn’t look like Egypt. In addition, the stages are small, and there are not enough of them.

  The disappointment was so great that I became physically ill.

  Meanwhile, Adler and Skouras had arrived to look over the Pinewood facilities. Despite my protests and Mamoulian’s they are predisposed to accept the studio, because Skouras is trying to strengthen an association with Rank. There is always an angle in this business.

  — NEW YORK —

  DECEMBER 7, 1959

  Went to see Elizabeth Taylor, who is convalescing from double pneumonia at Harkness Pavilion.

  Her smallish room was crowded with flowers and piles of books. Liz looked well but was weak. She had had a severe bout. She’s excited about the picture, enthusiastic that Oliver Messel will probably do her costumes. Had a painting of his on the wall, which she bought in London last year. She complained bitterly about the climate in New York. It occurred to me that if she is miserable and sick here, how will she be in England?

  DECEMBER 8, 1959

  Adler and Skouras back from Europe. Buddy flew from New York to Hollywood with me and told me of his “Christmas surprise” for me—he’s bought an Italian version of Cleopatra, made by a producer named Lionello Santi, to keep it off the market. I pointed out that this adds another half-million dollars to our budget. But he is sure it’s a good investment.

  — HOLLYWOOD —

  FEBRUARY 26, 1960

  Had lunch with Adler, who expects the threatened Screen Actors Guild strike to last a long time. No telling when we can start the movie. He had just come from a meeting with Elizabeth’s agents and feels we should find another Cleopatra.

  “We’ll never get together on a contract,” he said. “Her demands are too great.” I didn’t feel Adler really wanted Elizabeth out, but the long sessions with agents and lawyers were beginning to wear him down. He said he was not feeling well. Or, perhaps he wants me to warn Frings not to be too tough. Buddy’s mind often operates that way.