Haywire over Hayward.

[Hibi]

The "visual flair" of fashion would have made it into a glamorous film like FUNNY FACE, not the gritty film it was supposed to be. (This is a response to Lorna's post, not my own.)

 

Well it was in black and white which helped.......

[Hibi]

DownGoesFrazier--Yes, the Broadway musical was more faithful to the 1937 book & was darker than the film--no happy ending.  Barbra Streisand was outstanding as the comedy relief & got the rave reviews & a Tony nomination--the show lost money because it was too downbeat.

 

Edit: Yes, Streisand sang one solo "Miss Marmelstein & was in two numbers that featured the whole cast.

 

Edit 2:--Streisand was in a duet with her boss, "I'm Not a Well Man".

 

Yes, I've heard Miss Marmelstein, but not the rest of the score. Elliot Gould played the lead. I assume that's how they met??

[Arturo]

Tonight TCM will have a Susan Hayward bonus, 1952's THE SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO (as part of a mini-tribute to Ernest Hemingway?). Anyway,.the film.fits into the time frame of last night's Hayward films, and was from the same studio as the majority of them, 20th Century Fox.

 

Filmed after WITH A SONG IN MY HEART,.which established her as Fox' biggest moneymaker (Marilyn Monroe would usurp her shortly), Susan looked forward.to this prestigious assignment. However, she would be unhappy with the way things worked out. The studio decided to replace the previously cast Anne Francis, in the role of big-game.hunter Gregory Peck's first wife Cynthia, since he was supposed.to twice mistake Susan's character for her. Anne didn't look sufficiently like.Susan, so was replaced.by Ava Gardner, borrowed from MGM. Ava's part was increased, and apparently much of Hayward's role was cut, to accommodate this.

[film lover 293]

Hibi--yes, I think that is how they met

[LornaHansonForbes]

I find the inner workings of the garment industry about as fascinating as the inner workings of the produce hauling industry (THIEVES' HIGHWAY). And my grandmother was a card-carrying member of ILGWU.

 

Yes.

I had forgotten all about THIEVES HIGHWAY, but it is practically a companion film to I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE. 

[LornaHansonForbes]

One could almost imagine it had been co-written with Clifford Odets.  Yikes !

 

If I recall correctly, Susan had one of her early leads in DEADLINE AT DAWN 194? which was written by Clifford Odets. I wonder if her work in that and WHOLSESALE lead to any trouble for her in the early fifties.

 

Also- am I right about this?- she was also in MY FOOLISH HEART (1949)- which was based on a story by JD Salinger.

[LornaHansonForbes]

...And the director of I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE was also blacklisted soon after the film came out. He did one more film and then NOTHING until- get this- PILLOW TALK in 1959! Then he had a whole second career as a comedy director.

[Arturo]

If I recall correctly, Susan had one of her early leads in DEADLINE AT DAWN 194? which was written by Clifford Odets. I wonder if her work in that and WHOLSESALE lead to any trouble for her in the early fifties.

 

Also- am I right about this?- she was also in MY FOOLISH HEART (1949)- which was based on a story by JD Salinger.

DAD.was.from.1946.. And yes, Susan.was.in MY FOOLISH HEART, from.a.Salinger.story. She received.her second.Oscar.nomination for this wartime.romance.with Dana Andrews.

[DownGoesFrazier]

Yes, I've heard Miss Marmelstein, but not the rest of the score. Elliot Gould played the lead. I assume that's how they met??

Yes. Gould and Streisand met while doing the Broadway show.

[LornaHansonForbes]

 And yes, Susan.was.in MY FOOLISH HEART, from.a.Salinger.story. She received.her second.Oscar.nomination for this wartime.romance.with Dana Andrews.

 

Thank you.

 

I went and wiki'd MY FOOLISH HEART, since it's a film I've never seen and am not terribly familiar with. Interestingly, it was a Sam Goldwyn film and there was some speculation at the time (as per INSIDE OSCAR) that Goldwyn was trying to edge out Best Actress lock Olivia DeHavilland in THE HEIRESS with a bold campaign for Hayward in MY FOOLISH HEART in order to "get at" HEIRESS director William Wyler, with whom he was fueding in re: THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES.

 

The concensus I have read was that MY FOOLISH HEART was not well-reviewed and audience response was not good. Salinger was so peeved at the changes they made to his source story which was called- and i kid you not- UNCLE WIGGLEY IN CONNECTICUT- that he never allowed any of his work to be filmed in any way shape or form.

 

It looks like MY FOOLISH HEART was not included in the Hayward tribute (I perused all the Thursdays and did not see it, did I miss it?). For being so downright Oscarcentric, it is most curious that TCM didn't do a whole night of her nominated parts; and weirder still that they scheduled I WANT TO LIVE! and SMASH-UP in early morning showings.

[LornaHansonForbes]

ps- as lovely a title as MY FOOLISH HEART (and the accompanying jazz-standard theme song) is, part of me really wishes they had kept the name UNCLE WIGGLEY IN CONNECTICUT.

 

PSS- Susan's costar in FOOLISH HEART is DANA ANDREWS, I would have loved to have seen them play off one another, especially as this was during a really interesting stretch for Andrews where he was hitting his stride as a natural, low-key (but very effective) actor.

[LornaHansonForbes]

OMG, this is getting away a tad from HAYWARD, but I found this and had to share.

This is fascinating- yet heartbreaking- to watch.

 

 

ps- I found myself actually yelling out loud "YES JUDY, YES!" when they get to the sequined pantsuit at the end.

She was so right to keep that.

[LornaHansonForbes]

As it is in the movie, the I'LL PLANT MY OWN TREE scene could be discussed for hours.

 

quick question: Why does the orchestra pit have, like, five guys in it?

 

Also, I would love to see a parody wherein Miss Helen Lawson's hairpiece becomes snagged on a giant red triangle and she has to continue singing whilst staggering in circles onstage as the mobile revolves, but as she goes, she gets more and more *******-off and more and more tangled in the shapes until she's all hung up, but she manages to finish the song. Then we cut to her backstage all strung up like some kind of drag queen marionette, screaming for someone to get her a cigarette fer *********

Edited September 12, 2015 by TCMModerator1
Edited post for language

[wouldbestar]

Down Goes Frazier wrote:  I find the inner workings of the garment industry about as fascinating as the inner workings of the produce hauling industry (THIEVES' HIGHWAY). And my grandmother was a card-carrying member of ILGWU.

 

"Look for the Union Label..."

I'm sorry but I remember the song from the ILGWU commercials that ran in the 70's or 80's and couldn't resist.  I was also a redhead in earlier days and according to Susan we all have some B**** in us.  She always was a favorite of mine.

 

The Judy Garland clip is sad to watch as well as hear her once vibrant voice breaking down.  She obviously was in no shape to make the film.  In a way I think this was good.  Patty Duke's Neely O'Hara character was supposedly based on Judy; Patty even alluded to that in a interview although the writer simply reported "she named a famous singer".  Other writers would not be as kind to Judy.  For a while I faulted Susan for taking the role from her but now see why somebody had to. 

 

I've always hated I'll Make it Grow but never suspected so many others did as well.  It came across as a rather insipid tune to build a hit Broadway show around.  That dress did neither Judy nor Susan any favors either.   

 

But there's always that three-way catfight; Patty, Susan and the hairpiece in the powder room.  Dynasty never toped that one.   

[Arturo]

ps- as lovely a title as MY FOOLISH HEART (and the accompanying jazz-standard theme song) is, part of me really wishes they had kept the name UNCLE WIGGLEY IN CONNECTICUT.

 

PSS- Susan's costar in FOOLISH HEART is DANA ANDREWS, I would have loved to have seen them play off one another, especially as this was during a really interesting stretch for Andrews where he was hitting his stride as a natural, low-key (but very effective) actor.

I don't know if MY FOOLISH HEART is scheduled to play during Susan's SOTM, but TCM has aired it before. If it doesn't show this month, it's a shame that it could have been, and maybe like you suggest, be as part of a night of all her nominated performances.

[LornaHansonForbes]

I just now thought of another movie that features 4 lead Oscar winners in it: SHIP OF FOOLS (1965) Vivien Leigh and Simone Signoret were both Best Actress winners, Lee Marvin would win Best Actor that year and Jose Ferrer had won the 1950 Best Actor Oscar.

 

Boom.

[LornaHansonForbes]

To take it back to my point about I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE not being a visually appealing film:

 

At the risk of sounding all film studenty, I would LOVE to see what JEAN NEGULESCO could have done with this story. I cite him because HUMORESQUE is a great example of a gorgeously directed filming of a cruddy script (*and to be fair, I don't think WHOLESALE has a cruddy script.)

 

I think the film  wouldn't have lost me ultimately if there had been some visual aid outside of Susan Hayward herself- and whom it should be noted does a damn fine job of lighting things up all on her own, she really could not have been better in this film.

 

Anyway, I would've liked to've seen what Negulesco could have done with the rapidly unfurling bolts and reams of traffic, the stitching of the seams, as a way of artistically and symbolically putting the film together and illustrating how the business itself is being sewn together, created, and turned into something from raw materials.

 

As I recall it, the camera doesn't move much, the shots were mostly tight and controlled, the blocking mostly unimaginative and there was one lame montage sequence with Dan Dailey traipsing along a map as he travels taking dress orders....it was just not a visually compelling film.

 

I say the same script told with some real visual flare, some sharper editing, yes dammit some GOWNS (I mean, we need to see what it is about Hayward's work that stands out), and (again this is an issue I have with Fox films)- some less confined and more interesting sets- it would've made all the difference in the world.

 

I have actually been to the garment district in Los Angeles (not NY as this film is set, but I can't imagine they're terribly different) and it's a fascinating scenario, I'm not sure the film really captured the...shoot, I hate to say "essence," but, okay: the essence of the place.

[LornaHansonForbes]

transcript of outtake from the recording session of I'LL PLANT MY OWN TREE

Judy Garland in Century City, CA

3/17/1967

 

JUDY:

(singing)

"I’ll plant my own tree and I’ll make it grow.
My tree will not be just one in a row.
My tree will offer shade when strangers go by.
If you’re a stranger, brother, well so am I.
Come tomorrow all that I see is my tree,
oh, Lord, what a sight...Wait, wait, wait

Stop, can you please stop the...?"

 

The music stops.

 

MAN IN THE BOOTH

"What is it Judy?"

 

JUDY

"I just...I can't...can someone explain to

me just what in the name of The Black Baby Jesus

this song is all the (expletive) about? I mean, this (expletive)

tree thing, is that like some kind of a...metaphor or

something? Am I literally singing about planting

a (expletive) tree? Like, am I going to have a

shovel when I sing it onstage? Because I 

feel like I need one. Man?...You? man in the glass

box with the headphones on? Are ? Can you hear me?"

 

MAN IN THE BOOTH

"Yeah, we do, we hear you Judy. Honestly, we don't have any

more of an idea what the song is about than we did the last

nine times you asked us. The thing is, we've got wives and

kids we were really hoping to see some time before Christmas..."

 

JUDY

"All right all right all right. I just...I'll do it...I mean

though, it seems like this was just written by an awfully

stupid person...and I don't say that to be mean. I mean,

it says right here that I think the tree is going to grow

overnight into "all that I see" How exactly does that work? And why

do I think that planting a tree will make me friends? And

what the hell is wrong with rows of trees? And just what kind

of a tree am I planting anyway?"

 

MAN IN THE BOOTH

"Any more questions, Judy?"

 

JUDY

"Yeah, where did they get whatever they were on when they wrote this

(expletive)?, because I want some."

[AndyM108]

transcript of outtake from the recording session of I'LL PLANT MY OWN TREE

Judy Garland in Century City, CA

3/17/1967

 

JUDY:

(singing)

"I’ll plant my own tree and I’ll make it grow.

My tree will not be just one in a row.

My tree will offer shade when strangers go by.

If you’re a stranger, brother, well so am I.

Come tomorrow all that I see is my tree,

oh, Lord, what a sight...Wait, wait, wait

Stop, can you please stop the...?"

 

The music stops.

 

MAN IN THE BOOTH

"What is it Judy?"

 

JUDY

"I just...I can't...can someone explain to

me just what in the name of The Black Baby Jesus

this song is all the (expletive) about? I mean, this (expletive)

tree thing, is that like some kind of a...metaphor or

something? Am I literally singing about planting

a (expletive) tree? Like, am I going to have a

shovel when I sing it onstage? Because I 

feel like I need one. Man?...You? man in the glass

box with the headphones on? Are ? Can you hear me?"

 

MAN IN THE BOOTH

"Yeah, we do, we hear you Judy. Honestly, we don't have any

more of an idea what the song is about than we did the last

nine times you asked us. The thing is, we've got wives and

kids we were really hoping to see before Christmas..."

 

JUDY

"All right all right all right. I just...I'll do it...I mean

though, it seems like this was just written by an awfully

stupid person...and I don't say that to be mean. I mean,

it says right here that I think the tree is going to grow

overnight into "all that I see" How exactly does that work? And why

do I think that planting a tree will make me friends? And

what the hell is wrong with rows of trees? And just what kind

of a tree am I planting anyway?"

 

MAN IN THE BOOTH

"Any more questions, Judy?"

 

JUDY

"Yeah, where did they get whatever they were on when they wrote this

(expletive), because I want some."

 

What I'd give a (expletive) hundred dollars for would be a recording of that outtake.  I'd then splice it together with the famous cut of Earl Weaver and Alice Sweet.  (WARNING:  NOT NECESSARILY RECORDED IN KANSAS)

 

[DownGoesFrazier]

Thank you.

 

I went and wiki'd MY FOOLISH HEART, since it's a film I've never seen and am not terribly familiar with. Interestingly, it was a Sam Goldwyn film and there was some speculation at the time (as per INSIDE OSCAR) that Goldwyn was trying to edge out Best Actress lock Olivia DeHavilland in THE HEIRESS with a bold campaign for Hayward in MY FOOLISH HEART in order to "get at" HEIRESS director William Wyler, with whom he was fueding in re: THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES.

 

The concensus I have read was that MY FOOLISH HEART was not well-reviewed and audience response was not good. Salinger was so peeved at the changes they made to his source story which was called- and i kid you not- UNCLE WIGGLEY IN CONNECTICUT- that he never allowed any of his work to be filmed in any way shape or form.

 

It looks like MY FOOLISH HEART was not included in the Hayward tribute (I perused all the Thursdays and did not see it, did I miss it?). For being so downright Oscarcentric, it is most curious that TCM didn't do a whole night of her nominated parts; and weirder still that they scheduled I WANT TO LIVE! and SMASH-UP in early morning showings.

The title song of MY FOOLISH HEART was certainly well-received.

[Hibi]

As it is in the movie, the I'LL PLANT MY OWN TREE scene could be discussed for hours.

 

quick question: Why does the orchestra pit have, like, five guys in it?

 

Also, I would love to see a parody wherein Miss Helen Lawson's hairpiece becomes snagged on a giant red triangle and she has to continue singing whilst staggering in circles onstage as the mobile revolves, but as she goes, she gets more and more *******-off and more and more tangled in the shapes until she's all hung up, but she manages to finish the song. Then we cut to her backstage all strung up like some kind of drag queen marionette, screaming for someone to get her a cigarette fer *********

 

 

LMREO! Wonderful scenario. What got censored?

[Hibi]

I don't know if MY FOOLISH HEART is scheduled to play during Susan's SOTM, but TCM has aired it before. If it doesn't show this month, it's a shame that it could have been, and maybe like you suggest, be as part of a night of all her nominated performances.

 

 

I think it was originally in the schedule but got pulled for some reason. Someone posted about that. Or maybe it was Smash Up? Now I'm confused......

[LornaHansonForbes]

I think MY FOOLISH HEART was originally in the schedule but got pulled for some reason. Someone posted about that. Or maybe it was Smash Up? Now I'm confused......

 

No TCM showed SMASH-UP (it's in the Public Domain, so there's no rights issues, although a lot of prints of it are not in great shape)...However it was shown at 6:00 am as the last part of the first night of the Hayward tribute, which I don't get because it is totally her breakthrough film.

 

I can't imagine the Salinger estate is still that peeved that they'd block MY FOOLISH HEART from showing on tv, (do they even have any legal say-so about it?)  but who knows?

 

I distinctly recall MY FOOLISH HEART running on AMC waaaaaaaaay back in the day, because a promo for it was on the first part of a VHS recording I made of something I taped off of it in the early nineties and used to watch a lot (likely one of their classic monster movies.)

 

Sigh, that last sentence made me so nostalgic....

[Hibi]

In that case, then someone did post that it was on the original schedule and got pulled for some reason.....I don't think the estate was the reason... (I think it was Holden who posted that).

[Bogie56]

In that case, then someone did post that it was on the original schedule and got pulled for some reason.....I don't think the estate was the reason... (I think it was Holden who posted that).

I believe I posted about My Foolish Heart first.  I note the films that I would like to record when the schedule first comes out so as the date approached I noticed that it was no longer on the schedule.

It used to play all the time.  Perhaps on other channels.

It doesn't appear to be on dvd either.  But they are selling some sort of copy in Spain!