The Epic that never was: I Claudius (1937)

[will.15]

Looking at the Dirk Bogarde narrated documentary, Merle Oberon claimed the movie was intended to be a vehicle for her. If that is true, Korda was nuts. The story is Claudius' story and this scene makes that obvious.

[narabdela]

Great documentary. I can't believe that it dates back to 1965, only 28 years after the (aborted)film.

[Hugo]

Korda wasn't nuts but he was, of course, married to Merle Oberon at the time which may have clouded his judgement

[dpgmel]

Korda wasn't nuts but he was, of course, married to Merle Oberon at the time which may have clouded his judgement

A very good point, still a fascinating documentary though.

[CaptainWaggett]

Korda wasn't nuts but he was, of course, married to Merle Oberon at the time which may have clouded his judgement

Surely it was a vehicle for Oberon in the sense that Korda bought the rights with her in mind. I dare say Laughton would have got all the good reviews but it doesn't alter the fact that the film wasn't planned round him (if I remember correctly from Korda's biography).

There's a new radio adaptation coming up - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00w6q37

[batman]

IIRC (either from the documentary or something I read), Oberon's accident became a convenient excuse for the film to be abandoned. Korda was able to close it down without unduly upsetting her or losing face. He had realised that the film wasn't working as it was too 'Oberon-heavy' and believed it was heading for critical and financial disaster.

[didi-5]

It was a fascinating documentary. I would have loved to see Laughton in it - not sure about Oberon; I always found her rather cold and aloof on screen (and I must admit to being clouded slightly by memories of Michael Korda's book 'Queenie' which is supposed to be based on her).

[Gerald Lovell]

IIRC (either from the documentary or something I read), Oberon's accident became a convenient excuse for the film to be abandoned. Korda was able to close it down without unduly upsetting her or losing face. He had realised that the film wasn't working as it was too 'Oberon-heavy' and believed it was heading for critical and financial disaster.

This is also my memory of the excuse for the abandoning of the film. Laughton was unhappy about his characterisation, but finally "got it" just as the cancellation came through, according to Simon Callow.