Staircase (Richard Burton & Rex Harrison)

[billy bentley]

A friend of mine just acquired what appears to be a copy of an Italian TV screening, the subtitles being Italian and the quality being poor. Despite it's reputation I am looking forward to seeing Rex and Burton play aging homosexual hairdresser's, Does anyone have any insight as to how this flick came about, or any other background information ?

[Windthrop]

It was performed on Broadway with, I think, Eli Wallach and Milo O'Shea. The film casting came about to exploit the 'notorious' heterosexuality of Burton and Harrison in ironic fashion. The film was made in France for Burton's tax situation and Liz Taylor made a film out there at the same time. The film was not very well received despite the cast and quickly sank.

[CaptainWaggett]

Though it seems to have flopped on Broadway

[moonfleet]

Hi Billy



Hope the Stanley Donen film will come up one day on dvd ( l'espoir fait vivre)...

[Windthrop]

Though it seems to have flopped on Broadway

Yes, Less than ten weeks. Flop plays can still be made into films and I suspect Burton and Harrison at the height of their fame did it for a laugh. They do rather play up to gay stereotypes in the film.

[Rick C]

I'll see if I can look through my movie memorabilia items this week and come up with a few flavours of the 1960's London release when it happened.

[m35541]

I suspect Burton and Harrison at the height of their fame did it for a laugh

Surely you mean did it for the money?

[julian_craster]

I think it was filmed in a Paris studio - so not really a 'British' film, apart from the actors......

[Windthrop]

Surely you mean did it for the money?

As I mentioned earlier it was filmed in France for tax purposes with Taylor making The Only Game In Town in the same studio.

[will.15]

As I mentioned earlier it was filmed in France for tax purposes with Taylor making The Only Game In Town in the same studio.

Also based on a play that flopped.



And also a box office dud.



http://www.ibdb.com/show.php?id=6796

[Rick C]

Here's the official ad for the opening of the film in its premiere (and almost only!)run in the UK. Carlton,Haymarket 22 October 1969. It lasted at the Carlton for a further four calendar weeks (until 19 Nobember) and then....I don't think hardly anything. No listing of a proper General Release, but will go out with a magnifying glass in the weeks to come if anyone is grieved they may have missed it in the provinces anywhere.....

[Mr Sloane]

As anyone managed to sit through the whole thing ?



Never mind the awful old stereotypical source material, Burton and Harrison play the characters like escapees from a Benny Hill sketch.

[CaptainWaggett]

As anyone managed to sit through the whole thing ?



Never mind the awful old stereotypical source material, Burton and Harrison play the characters like escapees from a Benny Hill sketch.

Were they not empowering role models?

[Mr Sloane]

Were they not empowering role models?

Well I did try wearing a fetching head bandage for a few weeks



But seriously it was films and characterisations like this that kept me hiding in the closet for so long.

[will.15]

Whoever was running Fox at the time must have been a moron. Giving the green light at the same time for two movies based on plays that bombed doesn't sound like someone who knows what he is doing.

[billy bentley]

Thanks To All for your input, (Rick C mention in despatches). Britmovie is second to none, when it comes to this kind of info. Hope You Are All Well & Happy. Can't wait to see the flick ! Billy

[Windthrop]

Whoever was running Fox at the time must have been a moron. Giving the green light at the same time for two movies based on plays that bombed doesn't sound like someone who knows what he is doing.

Stars at the height of the powers get their own way on things like that - not that they lasted at the top for long after movies like those

[CaptainWaggett]

Stars at the height of the powers get their own way on things like that - not that they lasted at the top for long after movies like those

You'd think Rexy's pull with the studio might have been on the wane after all his spoiled brat flouncing with Dr Dolittle. Did people really queue up for the 'latest Rex Harrison'? I suppose that's the effect LSD has on some folk

[will.15]

I don't think either was put into production because of the actor's influence. But Liz made The Only Game in Town go way over budget because she insisted it be filmed in Paris where Staircase was being filmed, even though the story was set in Vegas, requiring huge sets be built when location shooting would have made more sense. I think perhaps both plays were bought before they opened, a common practice back then, or might have even been partly financed by the studio. I don't know if this is true as I didn't look it up. I do know Dr. Cook's Garden by Ira Levin, author of Rosemary's Baby, was bought before the play opened and was a huge flop, closing almost immediately. Because they had so much money in it, it was produced as a TV movie starring Bing Crosby and was better received than the play.

[Windthrop]

You'd think Rexy's pull with the studio might have been on the wane after all his spoiled brat flouncing with Dr Dolittle. Did people really queue up for the 'latest Rex Harrison'? I suppose that's the effect LSD has on some folk

By the look of it his luck ran out after Staircase looking at his CV.